This new plan, for $100 per month, nets you unlimited talk, text, and data. You can add up to eight more lines for $40 per month each. T-Mobile’s new family plan, available starting December 10 “for a limited time,” includes all the benefits of Magenta’s Simple Choice plans, such as no annual contracts, free in-flight messaging, Wi-Fi calling, and music streaming that won’t count against your data.
T-Mobile is quick to point out how much its new family plan undercuts AT&T’s and Verizon’s comparable family plans. According to the Uncarrier, a two-line Verizon family plan with 20GB of shared data will set you back $180 per month, while AT&T’s 30GB two-line plan rings up $160 per month. Even Sprint’s two-line family plan, which also includes unlimited data, will cost you a bit more unless everyone opts for an iPhone.
We assume that T-Mobile’s use of unlimited truly means unlimited, since there is no mention of any throttling after you use up a certain amount of data. But if you don’t mind a data cap, T-Mobile revived its four-line 10GB plan, which will run you $100 per month. Each line receives unlimited talk and text, along with 2.5GB of high-speed data. After a line goes over 2.5GB for that month, it will be throttled until the billing cycle begins anew.
While T-Mobile’s new family plan certainly compares favorably to AT&T and Verizon, and, to some extent, Sprint, it still doesn’t have the high-speed coverage to compete with the two biggest wireless carriers in the United States. Even so, whenever you buy a phone from any carrier, we always recommend checking your local area’s coverage map, and it’s no different in this situation.
