T-Mobile Launches $15/Month 5G Wireless Plan, But There's A Major Catch

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2020 is shaping up to be the year of the 5G smartphone. Thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform, nearly every flagship smartphone launching this year with have 5G capabilities. Even new mid-range smartphones have the opportunity for some 5G lovin' thanks to the Snapdragon 765/765G.

With this in mind, T-Mobile is rolling out a new low-cost 5G plan for smartphones that will surely get your attention due to its price. T-Mobile Connect, which is launching this week earlier than T-Mobile had previously announced, will cost just $15 per month. For that price, you'll receive unlimited talk and text and just 2GB of high-speed 5G data.

The paltry 2GB data cap is giving us a bit of pause, as the increased data speeds of 5G could make hitting that threshold way too easy. If customers can download data at a much faster clip, they're going to be able to get more done within a given period of time, which is going to get them into trouble. Even more disconcerting is this nugget of information in T-Mobile's fine print:

After allotted high-speed data is used, data unavailable until next bill cycle for Connect plans

Yikes! This doesn't appear to be a case of T-Mobile scaling your speeds when you go over your plan limit -- they're just going to cut you off altogether, which will be a non-starter for many people. With that being said, T-Mobile says that it will also offer a 5GB plan for $25 per month.

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“Right now, having a reliable, low-cost connection is absolutely crucial for Americans, and with many facing financial strain, time is of the essence,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile referencing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “With T-Mobile Connect, we’re giving those hardest hit an even more affordable way to stay in touch. Half the price of our lowest-ever priced smartphone plan. So everyone can stay connected.” 

With T-Mobile Connect, the nation's third-largest wireless carrier is no doubt embracing the 5G revolution, but it seems like an extremely compromised solution at the moment that will only appeal to a narrow segment of the population. For those that need more data, however, the company's Magenta plan will get you "unlimited" 5G data for $70 month with taxes and fees included.

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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