FCC makes T-Mobile provide more information on throttling

T-Mobile has reached an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission to give consumers more information about their Internet speeds — especially when they’re subject to throttling because they’ve reached their high-speed data limits. The “uncarrier” said it would send customers timely text messages when they approach their monthly high-speed data allotment, and again when they exceed the cap. T-Mobile also agreed to provide a link to a speed test that would measure the actual speed to a consumer’s device. T-Mobile has provided third-party applications that allow consumers to measure the speed of their wireless Internet connection without using their high-speed data allotments. But these apps provide information about T-Mobile’s full network speed — not the actual speed to the device. The FCC said it was concerned that the existing speed test apps might confuse consumers, particularly those whose data speeds would drop to either 128 kbps or 64 kbps once they hit their monthly high-speed data limit under the Simple Choice plans.