T-Mobile announces $79.99 ‘Unlimited’ plan, but it throttles you after 2 GB

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced an unlimited talk, text, and data plan for $79.99 per month, though the carrier will throttle data speeds after a user consumes 2GB, so it's not exactly unlimited.

With the plan, dubbed T-Mobile Even More Unlimited, users get unlimited calling and text messages and up to 2GB of data at normal speeds. If a user exceeds 2GB in a one-month period, however, they will experience "reduced speeds until their new billing cycle starts," T-Mobile said.

T-Mobile will alert users via text message if they are approaching 2GB of data usage. This might not be a major issue for the average user, who uses about 1GB per month, but if you have a particularly data-intensive month, plan on some slow-loading Web sites by the end of your billing cycle.

Those on the non-contract, month-to-month Even More Plus plan with T-Mobile can sign up for this "unlimited" plan for $59.99 per month.

T-Mobile said the plans are being offered for a limited time, though it did not provide a timeline. The carrier's data plans start at $10 for 200MB.

T-Mobile touted the cost-saving benefits of its plan, arguing that users could save up $350 each year compared to unlimited smartphone plans being offered by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.

In January, Verizon said smartphone users must subscribe to its $30 unlimited plan, though that will switch to a tiered system sometime this summer.

In January, Sprint increased its unlimited "Premium Data" data plan from $70 to $80 per month.

Last year, AT&T moved to system that provided 2GB for $25 per month, plus $10 for every extra 1GB. Existing smartphone users were able to remain on their unlimited plans, and there were rumors that AT&T was quietly offering certain iPhone customers an unlimited option to keep them from jumping ship to Verizon.

AT&T, of course, is in the process of trying to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion.

This article, written by Chloe Albanesius, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.