# Help me phrase a question correctly. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619 "2013-11-11T04:49:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/1 "2013-11-11T04:49:09Z")
I am unable to get anyone at T-mobile to answer what I feel is a simple question so I must be phrasing it wrong. Background: On T-Moble if you go over your data plan instead of getting a charge for overage it drops you to a slower speed (2G I believe) until the next start of the cycle. I am trying to find out from someone at T-Moble if I can force my iPad Air to 2G and I’d so will it persevere my data so I only go towards my 2.5 GB. allotment when I need high sped data. ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/2 "2013-11-11T04:53:50Z")
Ask if it is possible to operate your Ipad at a lower bandwidth, and only upgrade to a higher bandwidth when you need it. On my iPhone, under Settgings, Cellular I can turn off 3G (It is only an iphone 4). ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/3 "2013-11-11T04:58:33Z")
Is that a T-Mobile question or an Apple question? It seems like you’re asking if there’s a setting on your device that will allow you to switch between 4G and 2G on your own, rather than it automatically being set to 4G and only lowering once you’ve hit your limit. Unless I’m misunderstanding, the way you’re phrasing it is fine. You just have to remember that CSRs, especially for giant companies like T-Mobile, only know how to answer the same five questions they went over in training, and anything else causes them to overheat or something. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/4 "2013-11-11T05:06:18Z")
What makes you think that using data at 2G speeds doesn’t count towards your 2.5GB allotment? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/5 "2013-11-11T05:07:07Z")
If you tell them you only want to use data at a 2G rate, what do they do if you go over your data limit? ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-phrase-a-question-correctly/673619/6 "2013-11-11T05:16:45Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Is that a T-Mobile question or an Apple question? It seems like you’re asking if there’s a setting on your device that will allow you to switch between 4G and 2G on your own, rather than it automatically being set to 4G and only lowering once you’ve hit your limit. Unless I’m misunderstanding, the way you’re phrasing it is fine. You just have to remember that CSRs, especially for giant companies like T-Mobile, only know how to answer the same five questions they went over in training, and anything else causes them to overheat or something. I think it is a question for both companies. If I can drop to 2G find the speed acceptable AND not have it count against my limit then I will ask Apple if there is a way to do that because just turning off LTE drops me to 4G according to the display. > [@beowulff](#): > > What makes you think that using data at 2G speeds doesn’t count towards your 2.5GB allotment? I am not sure if it count towards the 2.5gb allotment. If it does then there is no reason to try to use the lower speed. > [@Ethilrist](#): > > If you tell them you only want to use data at a 2G rate, what do they do if you go over your data limit? The T-Mobile site says No overages. You will never have overage charges on our network. If you exceed your allotment of up to 2.5GB of high-speed data, your data speed will simply be slowed until your next billing cycle.