T-Mobile launched its Music Freedom program earlier this year that exempts select streaming services from a user’s monthly data allotment. Those aren’t the only apps that are exempt from data allowances, though, as T-Mobile confirmed earlier this year that speed test apps are also whitelisted from data buckets. However, that’s going to change.
The FCC has announced that T-Mobile will no longer allow speed test apps to show the network’s full speed when customers have exceeded their data cap. T-Mobile will now send text messages to customers that help them to get more accurate information about their current network speeds, including links to accurate tests and adding clearer information to its website.
The FCC says that it wanted T-Mobile to make this change because under the old policy, customers could become confused and be unsure of what their network speeds. T-Mobile is expected to fully roll out its new network speed test policy within 60 days of the agreement date, which is November 24.
T-Mobile previously explained that it whitelisted speed test apps from data caps because those apps are “designed to measure true network speed — not show that a customer has exceeded their high-speed data bucket.” That’s understandable, but it could also be maddening for a consumer whose data speeds are throttled, but then they go back to normal when they use a speed test app to try and figure out what’s going on.