John Legere, the CEO of T-Mobile, has positioned the company as the disruptive “Un‑carrier” through a series of moves that have reshaped the wireless industry.
Now, the outspoken Legere is pushing to end a common carrier practice: overage fees.
Overage fees are charges applied when a customer exceeds the limits of their plan. For example, if a plan includes 500 minutes and a customer uses 501 minutes in a billing cycle, that extra minute is typically billed at a rate that can exceed standard pay‑as‑you‑go pricing.
These extra charges are not limited to voice minutes; texts and data can also incur similar penalties. T‑Mobile has already reduced such fees through its Simple Choice plans, which provide unlimited voice and text while offering data at reduced speeds once a specified allowance is reached.
Simple Choice plans begin at $40, making them an affordable option for users with basic phones or limited data needs (the lowest tier caps data at 500 MB). Tablet customers receive 1 GB of data free per month for the first year. After that year, tablet users on a voice plan pay $10 per month for continued service, while those not on a voice plan pay $20 per month.
Legere emphasized his commitment to eliminating overage fees for all consumer plans at T‑Mobile:
“The Un‑carrier is eliminating one of the most widely despised wireless industry practices for all of our T‑Mobile customers on consumer plans,” he said. “And I’m also laying down a challenge to my counterparts at AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, to do the same.”
Supporters of Legere’s campaign can sign a petition on Change.org.
It remains unclear whether the other major carriers will follow suit; spokespeople from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint had not commented at the time. If those carriers do not act, T‑Mobile—already the fourth largest wireless provider—could become an even more attractive option for customers, complementing its other recent initiatives.
In an interview with CNET, Legere made his point bluntly: “It’s a strong statement not to f@#& around with our market.”
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