T-Mobile Launches $15/Month 5G Wireless Plan, But There's A Major Catch

With this in mind, T-Mobile is rolling out a new low-cost 5G plan for smartphones that will surely get your attention due to its price. T-Mobile Connect, which is launching this week earlier than T-Mobile had previously announced, will cost just $15 per month. For that price, you'll receive unlimited talk and text and just 2GB of high-speed 5G data.

The paltry 2GB data cap is giving us a bit of pause, as the increased data speeds of 5G could make hitting that threshold way too easy. If customers can download data at a much faster clip, they're going to be able to get more done within a given period of time, which is going to get them into trouble. Even more disconcerting is this nugget of information in T-Mobile's fine print:

After allotted high-speed data is used, data unavailable until next bill cycle for Connect plans

Yikes! This doesn't appear to be a case of T-Mobile scaling your speeds when you go over your plan limit -- they're just going to cut you off altogether, which will be a non-starter for many people. With that being said, T-Mobile says that it will also offer a 5GB plan for $25 per month.

“Right now, having a reliable, low-cost connection is absolutely crucial for Americans, and with many facing financial strain, time is of the essence,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile referencing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “With T-Mobile Connect, we’re giving those hardest hit an even more affordable way to stay in touch. Half the price of our lowest-ever priced smartphone plan. So everyone can stay connected.” 

With T-Mobile Connect, the nation's third-largest wireless carrier is no doubt embracing the 5G revolution, but it seems like an extremely compromised solution at the moment that will only appeal to a narrow segment of the population. For those that need more data, however, the company's Magenta plan will get you "unlimited" 5G data for $70 month with taxes and fees included.