T-Mobile

In another industry first, T-Mobile US announced the company is offering customers more 4G LTE data and tethering and unlimited international texting -- at no extra charge. The updates reflect the latest stage in the evolution of T-Mobile's flagship Simple Choice plan, which launched the company's Un-carrier consumer movement last spring.

All Simple Choice customers will automatically enjoy the added benefits of these updates without taking any action whatsoever - in another Un-carrier departure from industry norms. First, in a move to stay out front of Americans' fast-growing demand for mobile data, the company announced it is sweetening the deal for Simple Choice customers already enjoying unlimited data, talk, and text on America's wicked-fast network - now doubling the amount of high-speed 4G LTE data and tethering to 1GB included in the $50 Simple Choice service plan.

"In the mobile age, wireless data caps and overage fees are just this side of extortion," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. "Take the basic plans from the Big Two with ridiculously low data limits that hit you with fat overages each month. It's like getting your data from the neighborhood loan shark and paying 100 percent interest when the bill comes due. It's the classic shakedown."

The expansion of Simple Choice to include more of T-Mobile's fastest data and tethering comes as wireless data usage -- and tethering laptops and tablets to the web via connected devices -- continues to surge. T-Mobile customers use nearly 50 percent more data now than they did in 2013 when Simple Choice first launched, outpacing the industry's growth rate in mobile data usage. And monthly usage on unlimited 4G LTE plans has nearly doubled to over 5GB.

[March 7]