T-Mobile responded to criticism of its new T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan on Monday by boosting its mobile hotspot speeds on the standard plan and introducing a premium option that will give users HD video and LTE hotspot speeds.
Acting on what it said was an overwhelming response to its recent T-Mobile ONE reveal, T-Mobile said it is upgrading the hotspot speed on its standard version of the plan from 2G to 3G for all customers. T-Mobile said it will also offer users on the standard unlimited plan – which includes only optimized video streamed at 480p – HD Day Passes at a cost of $3 per day. The day passes will allow users to stream unlimited high-definition video within a 24-hour period, T-Mobile said. Though T-Mobile ONE will launch in September, T-Mobile said the day passes won’t roll out until October.
T-Mobile also unveiled a new premium unlimited option – called T-Mobile ONE Plus – that will give customers unlimited 4G LTE hotspot data, 3G speeds abroad and free HD Day Passes. T-Mobile ONE Plus will be available for an extra $25 per line and will replace the previously announced option to add HD video to T-Mobile ONE for $25 per month.
The Un-carrier on Monday also said it is bumping up the launch date for both of its new unlimited options by five days to September 1.
According to T-Mobile CEO John Legere, the changes come courtesy of the Un-carrier’s shut up and listen strategy.
“Listening to customers is at the core of the Un-carrier,” Legere said in a statement. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the best way to run your company is to shut up, listen to your customers, and then do what they say! That simple formula has made T-Mobile the fastest growing wireless company in the U.S. for three years running.”
And customers certainly gave T-Mobile an earful.
Following the T-Mobile ONE launch, customers immediately raised concerns about being forced to switch to the new unlimited options ,as well as about the inclusion of only 2G hotspot data and lack of HD video.
T-Mobile has said customers can keep the plans they’re on, and addressed some other customer concerns with T-Mobile ONE Plus.
The announcement of T-Mobile ONE Plus follows Sprint’s launch of a premium unlimited plan option on Friday that offers HD streaming of video, games and music for an additional $20 per month.
But Monday’s changes may not be the end of the Un-carrier’s T-Mobile ONE tweaks, according to Legere.
“We heard you and we’re making some changes,” he tweeted. “AND maybe more ;)”