Orange promises not to cut off iPhone data abusers

Orange denies data cap for iPhone
Orange denies data cap for iPhone

Orange has performed something of an about face by stating that it won't cut off users breaching the 750MB 'fair use' data limit on the iPhone.

Orange has said to T3 that it doesn't "call [the limit] a cap, we don't restrict the service, and we don't charge them any more if they go over 750MB. It's just an indication of where we'd prefer people to be."

According to T3, the network is, like O2 did, offering a different set of rules for iPhone users, with no daily data charge as other subscribers are forced to bear:

"Our standard data package for other phones is £1.47, but that does not apply to the iPhone. When people reach 750 they're free to use as much as they want after that. If we see customers using loads more than that though, then we'll send them alerts by SMS or phone call, to tell them they're using more than they should be."

When is unlimited not unlimited?

Orange has also put a block in to stop users downloading files over 10MB in size, in order to maintain data loads on its networks, meaning customers will have to jump to Wi-Fi to get the larger Apps.

The carrier hinted at O2's problems with data use after launching the iPhone, and it would be unfair to label the network as stingy as it s trying to make sure it doesn't suffer the same outages, which as we've seen, riles customers considerably.

But it once again calls into question the legitimacy of 'unlimited' data plans - most networks tout the fact that most customers will never reach the 'limits' they set, so why set them at all?

Via T3.com

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.