Is T-Mobile Unlimited Really Unlimited? (All You Need To Know)

Are you thinking of switching to T-Mobile and are wondering: is T-Mobile unlimited really unlimited? Do you want to know if T-Mobile throttles customers who go over their data?

If so, keep reading as I’ll tell you all you need to know about the T-Mobile unlimited plan which I’ve discovered while researching this topic!

Is T-Mobile Unlimited Really Unlimited?

T-Mobile unlimited is really unlimited and there are no data caps or overages with T-Mobile, which makes it perfect for those who like to stream movies and television shows or play intense mobile games! However, you may notice that your speeds are lower once you’ve run out of your premium data limit.

Do you want to know other details about T-Mobile being unlimited, such as what happens when you go over your data? Well, continue reading to find out that answer plus so much more!

What Happens When You Go Over Your Data Limit T-Mobile?

While you won’t be charged overage fees when you go over your data limit with T-Mobile’s Unlimited plans, you will notice reduced speeds due to data prioritization.

For example, if you have the Magenta Max plan and you go over 100 GB per month, then your speeds will be reduced until the next billing cycle if you’re on a congested tower.

Additionally, if you’re on the Essentials plan, then you’re going to notice the reduced speeds once you’ve hit 50 GB during the billing cycle if you’re accessing a congested tower.

However, you will have unlimited talk, text, and data with this plan, even though your data speeds could be reduced during times of congestion.

Is T-Mobile 5G Really Unlimited?

T-Mobile 5G is really unlimited because you will have unlimited talk, text, and data, but your data speeds will be reduced once you go over the 100 GB of premium data for that plan.

However, T-Mobile touts that plans such as Magenta Max offer unlimited premium data that won’t be slowed regardless of how much data you use, but that is not true during times of congestion. 

How Many GB is T-Mobile Unlimited Data?

T-Mobile has unlimited data, but at reduced speeds, once you’ve reached your premium data limit during times of congestion, which varies depending on which Unlimited plan you have.

For example, the Essentials plan is 50 GB of premium data, whereas Magenta Max is 100 GB, and once you’ve reached these limits, during times of congestion your speeds will be slower.

How Do I Know If My T-Mobile Phone Is Being Throttled?

How Do I Know If My T-Mobile Phone Is Being Throttled?

What T-Mobile is doing they do not consider to be throttling, but instead, consider it to be data prioritization, so you won’t notice any throttling with your T-Mobile phone.

Furthermore, since your speeds are not reduced all of the time once you’ve reached your premium data limit and it’s only reduced on a congested tower, it’s not throttling.

However, if you are on a congested tower, you can run an Internet speed test, then access a VPN to change your location and run that speed test again to see if you’re being slowed down.

Why Is My Unlimited Data So Slow T-Mobile?

There could be a few reasons why your unlimited data is slow with T-Mobile, with the most obvious being you’ve reached your premium data for the month and are on a congested tower.

Additionally, other causes could be behind your slow data connection, and you will want to try the following tricks to see if they help speed up your unlimited data:

  • Restart your device
  • Enable cookies within your browser
  • Clear your browser history, cookies, and cache
  • Uninstall apps you no longer use
  • Uninstall recent apps that could be causing an issue
  • Perform a system update
  • Reset network settings
  • Toggle Airplane mode on and off
  • Turn off your VPN if you use one

Why Does T-Mobile Slow Unlimited Data?

T-Mobile will slow unlimited data as part of data prioritization once you’ve reached your premium data speed and are on a congested tower to optimize the network performance overall.

In addition, T-Mobile said that data prioritization will help give more customers a quality experience and service.

Does Tethering Count Towards T-Mobile Unlimited Data?

Tethering does count towards your T-Mobile unlimited data premium data limit, so if you use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot you should be aware of that.

To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not T-Mobile offers prepaid plans, does T-Mobile offers cable TV, and does T-Mobile offer unlimited data.

Conclusion

T-Mobile Unlimited is really unlimited, except that you will notice during times of congestion on a particular tower that your speeds are slower if you’ve reached your premium data limit.

In addition, either your premium data on an Unlimited plan will be 50 GB or 100 GB, so data prioritization occurs once you’ve reached that limit and are on a congested tower.

However, this is not considered throttling because it doesn’t happen all of the time, and it’s not going to be noticeable a majority of the time.

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Cara Suppa

Cara Suppa has been freelance writing for over a decade and holds a BA in English and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. Outside of work, she is an avid cook, gardener, and discount shopper.

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