T-Mobile Connect introduces budget plans: $15 2GB, $25 5GB plans from March 25

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T-Mobile will launch its budget Connect plan on Wednesday, March 25th. The prepaid package will deliver unlimited talk and text as well as 2GB of data for $15 per month (or 5GB for $25). The carrier is launching the deal early; it was originally intended to launch after its pending merger with Sprint finalized.

As the novel coronavirus pandemic forces businesses to shutter, T-Mobile claims Connect is ideal for Americans who are struggling financially. “Right now, having a reliable, low-cost connection is absolutely crucial for Americans, and with many facing financial strain, time is of the essence,” wrote CEO John Legere in a statement. “We knew we couldn’t wait for the merger to finalize to launch T-Mobile Connect, our lowest priced smartphone plan, so we’re rolling out ahead of schedule.”

$15 is certainly a low price for a phone plan, though it does come with some caveats. Video streaming on the Connect plan is limited to 480p. It’s also pretty easy to blow through 2GB of data (and you’re cut off completely when you’ve used it up), so customers who choose this option will need to be judicious with it.

Metro by T-Mobile will also begin offering the same plan on Wednesday as well as a $35-per-month hotspot plan with 20GB of data, though the new prices will only apply for the next 60 days. In addition, Metro will offer a free 8-inch tablet for new or current customers with a voice line, and it will sell its hotspot devices for half off.

T-Mobile first unveiled the Connect plan last November, but it claimed that it would only offer it after the merger with Sprint went through. The plan was one of several initiatives the company announced in an effort to garner goodwill for its pending deal.

“The things consumers love about T-Mobile won’t change,” said T-Mobile president and COO Mike Sievert. “We’re still solving pain points and forcing change, but now we’ll be powered by a supercharged network that is only possible with a combined T-Mobile and Sprint.”

Update March 23rd, 12:32PM ET: Added more information about the Connect plan.

Correction March 23rd, 1:17PM ET: This story originally stated that the T-Mobile Connect plan did not include hotspot use. Connect is not eligible for T-Mobile’s 10GB hotspot features, but does allow tethering up to the volume of data on the plan.

T-Mobile’s budget $15 Connect plan will launch on March 25th

It was supposed to arrive after the Sprint merger.

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