T-Mobile cracks down on data ‘thieves’

T-Mobile is beginning to crack down on data “thieves,” users it alleges violate its terms by abusing the company’s unlimited data plan.

Customers on the plan get unlimited data for their smartphones, and an additional seven gigabytes of data every month for tethering — or connecting another device to a smartphone to take advantage of its data access.

{mosads}John Legere, the carrier’s bombastic CEO, said in a Sunday blog post that a small number of customers had been using “all kinds of workarounds” to access more than the allotted seven gigabytes for tethering while hiding their actions from T-Mobile. He said that some have used as much as two terabytes of data during a single month.

“If their activities are left unchecked their actions could eventually have a negative effect on the experience of honest T-Mobile customers,” Legere said. “Not on my watch.

“I’m not in this business to play data cop, but we started this wireless revolution to change the industry for good and to fight for consumers,” he added. “I won’t let a few thieves ruin things for anyone else.”

If customers exceed the seven gigabytes per month allowed for tethering, their speeds are slowed considerably.

Customers violating the company’s policy will be warned starting Monday, according to the carrier, and then lose access to the unlimited plan if they continue to engage in the banned activity.

The company attempted to head off accusations they are engaging in throttling, or slowing down the speed at which data is delivered to customers. Throttling is one of the three activities banned by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) sweeping net neutrality rules approved earlier this year.

“These abusers will probably try to distract everyone by waving their arms about throttling data,” Legere said. “Make no mistake about it – this is not the same issue. Don’t be duped by their sideshow.”

The FCC has also shown a willingness to crack down on providers who they say do not properly disclose to customers the rules governing “unlimited” data plans.

In June, the agency’s Enforcement Bureau said it planned to fine AT&T for allegedly throttling the data of unlimited plan customers after they used a certain amount of data. The wireless carrier has contested the allegations.