T-Mobile has reached an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission, promising to provide customers with a link to a speed test when they have been throttled, so that they can accurately find out what their current speed is. The updated policy will come into effect within the next couple of months.
Back in June, T-Mobile exempted speed tests from customer data allotments. While this was a welcome move, it created confusion for those placed on reduced data speeds, as running a speed test would show them T-Mobile's full network speed, rather than telling them what their current speed was.
As part of the agreement, the carrier will now send customers a text message once they hit their monthly allotment for high-speed data, linking to a speed test that they can use to determine their actual reduced speed.
In addition, the carrier will modify the text messages it currently sends to make it clear that certain speed tests may show network speeds, rather than their reduced speed. The modified texts will also provide more information about the speeds that will be available after customers exceed their data cap.
Finally, T-Mobile will modify its website disclosures to better explain the company's policies regarding speed test applications and where consumers can get accurate speed information.
"The FCC is committed to ensuring that broadband providers are transparent to consumers. I'm grateful T-Mobile has worked with the FCC to ensure that its customers are better informed about the speeds they are experiencing," said FCC chairman Tom Wheeler. "Consumers need this information to fully understand what they are getting with their broadband service."
The agreement comes just over a month after Verizon abandoned its plan to throttle 4G connection speeds for certain customers with unlimited data plans.