T-Mobile USA brings data to prepaid plans

The prepaid space continues to shuffle as T-Mobile USA Inc. said it plans to roll out new plans for its no-contract service beginning Oct. 18.
The new plans include a $50 per month offering that includes unlimited voice and messaging along with 100 megabytes of data transmission; a $70 plan that includes unlimited voice and messaging along with two gigabytes of data transmission; and a $30 plan that includes a bucket of 1,500 calling minutes or messages with 30 MB of data transmission.
The carrier currently offers through its Even More Plus plans unlimited voice calls for $50 per month; unlimited voice calls and messaging for $60 per month; or unlimited voice calling, messaging and web access for $80 per month.
In addition to the new tiers, T-Mobile USA is also offering a new pay-as-you-go offering that charges 10 cents per minute for voice calls or 10 cents per message sent or received; and a way to add unlimited mobile web access for $1.50 per day.
T-Mobile USA has traditionally limited the devices available through its prepaid plans to only a select few low-end devices, while the Even More Plus plans were open to all of the carrier’s devices. There was no word from the carrier as to whether the new data packages available for its prepaid service would also result in a greater device selection.
For more traditional mobile data users, T-Mobile USA is also planning to offer its Jet Prepaid USB Laptop Stick along with rate plans that begin at $10 per week for 100 MB of data transmission; $30 per month for 300 MB; and $50 per month for 1 gigabyte.
The carrier’s contract-free Even More Plus data packages provide either 200 MB of data transmission per month for $25 or 5 GB for $40.
The carrier earlier this year updated its prepaid offering providing for unlimited calling and messaging for $50 per month, or unlimited messaging for $15 per month and voice calls charged at 10 cents per minute.