FCC Fines T-Mobile $48 Million Over Restrictions Placed On 'Unlimited' Data Plans

Unlimited data plans are all the rage recently, but the term "unlimited" can be quite misleading at times.

T-Mobile US Inc TMUS had to learn this the hard way after the FCC Enforcement Bureau handed the company "at least" a $48 million fine after resolving an investigation into the company's unlimited data plans.

The FCC's investigation found that the company policy allows it to slow down data speeds when T-Mobile or MetroPCS customers on "unlimited" plans exceed a monthly data threshold.

"Company advertisements may have led unlimited data plan customers to expect that they were buying better and faster service than what they received," the FCC said in a statement.

Of the $48 million fine T-Mobile received, 35.5 million will be returned to customers through a consumer benefit program for T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers.

The latest fine shows that the FCC means business when it comes to "unlimited" plans — they should actually be unlimited.

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