T-Mobile Agrees to Provide Better Speed Info

The FCC said Monday that T-Mobile has agreed to take steps to insure that customers who run mobile speed tests on its network get accurate information about their broadband speeds, including taking into account reductions in speed related to their data plans.  

The FCC has been investigating wireless ISPs over its concerns that customers whose speeds are reduced after exceeding monthly data caps can't easily understand what their actual speeds are when the run tests that don't include that slowed service.  

As part of the agreement, T-Mobile has promised to text costumers information making it easier to get accurate speed information and make it clearer on its Web site what those speeds actually are.  

“The FCC is committed to ensuring that broadband providers are transparent to consumers," said FCC chairman Tom Wheeler in a statement. "I’m grateful T-Mobile has worked with the FCC to ensure that its customers are better informed about the speeds they are experiencing. Consumers need this information to fully understand what they are getting with their broadband service.” 

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John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.