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ATT Unlimited with LTE 3 vs 5gb - How do they know?

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nostresshere

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Dec 30, 2010
2,708
308
From what I have read, if you are on LTE, the cap before throttle has moved from 3 tp 5gb if you still have the unlimited plan.

Since LTE is not everywhere, what happens if you are in and out of LTE coverage? Or is the 5gb tied to billing address?
 
OneMike

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,814
1,795
The 5GB is based on your plan, not location.

When you switch to the iPhone 5 or an other LTE capable device, your plan plan is updated to reflect that.
 
N

nostresshere

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Dec 30, 2010
2,708
308
OneMike said:
The 5GB is based on your plan, not location.

When you switch to the iPhone 5 or an other LTE capable device, your plan plan is updated to reflect that.
Click to expand...

So, everybody that had ATT Unlimited and a LTE phone now get 5gb (throttle) plan? Cool. Sweet.
 
Interstella5555

Interstella5555

macrumors 603
Jun 30, 2008
5,219
13
nostresshere said:
From what I have read, if you are on LTE, the cap before throttle has moved from 3 tp 5gb if you still have the unlimited plan.

Since LTE is not everywhere, what happens if you are in and out of LTE coverage? Or is the 5gb tied to billing address?
Click to expand...

You better watch out
You better not roam
You better not tether
I'm telling you to keep an eye on the weather
LGE is coming to town

AT&T's making a list,
It's checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's 3 or 4G no matter the price.
LGE is coming to town

It sees you when you're roaming
It knows when your phone's awake
It knows if you've been bad to it
So be good for goodness sake

Or, more simply, they know exactly how you're using your plan and what the limits are, this is no different that tiered vs. unlimited on 3G.
 
powaking

powaking

macrumors 6502
Jul 3, 2008
466
181
When on an unlimited plan and you are throttled on LTE is the speed comparable to 4G or is it as bad as if you were throttled on 3G?
 
armandxp

armandxp

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2010
591
496
Orlando, FL
powaking said:
When on an unlimited plan and you are throttled on LTE is the speed comparable to 4G or is it as bad as if you were throttled on 3G?
Click to expand...

That's what I can't wait to find out. AT&T still throttles my usage when I'm on a phone call and trying to use the internet. Only get about .5Mb/s, as soon as I hang up, its back up to normal speeds. It drives me crazy!!! I can' believe more people don't use this, and complain about it.

It could also be by area, too I guess, but everyone I know in Orlando, FL has the same problem.
 
T

tigress666

macrumors 68040
Apr 14, 2010
3,288
17
Washington State
armandxp said:
That's what I can't wait to find out. AT&T still throttles my usage when I'm on a phone call and trying to use the internet. Only get about .5Mb/s, as soon as I hang up, its back up to normal speeds. It drives me crazy!!! I can' believe more people don't use this, and complain about it.

It could also be by area, too I guess, but everyone I know in Orlando, FL has the same problem.
Click to expand...

Honestly, you can blame the iphone/Apple on that. It's the same reason Verizon iPhone users still can't talk on the phone and get data at the same time even on LTE. Cause phones these days with the tech that is out require two LTE chips (or antennas?) to do that and for battery consumption purposes Apple used an integrated chip that only gives you one. With AT&T, since you can get phone and data with 3G it just drops you to that while you talk on the phone. It's basically a work around to the hardware on the iphone.

Ok, so my technical explanation may be off, but I know it has to do with Apple's implementation of the LTE chip and that at least for Verizon if Verizon starts supporting some other LTE technology (sorry, I know there was some mention of some other way that is not supported yet that would allow the iPhone to do both on Verizon) the iphone will be able to get data and phone at the same time (not sure if this is also true for AT&T that you can be on the phone and get LTE). But the iPhone does not support the current LTE that either company is using getting data and voice on LTE at the same time.
 
armandxp

armandxp

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2010
591
496
Orlando, FL
tigress666 said:
Honestly, you can blame the iphone/Apple on that. It's the same reason Verizon iPhone users still can't talk on the phone and get data at the same time even on LTE. Cause phones these days with the tech that is out require two LTE chips (or antennas?) to do that and for battery consumption purposes Apple used an integrated chip that only gives you one. With AT&T, since you can get phone and data with 3G it just drops you to that while you talk on the phone. It's basically a work around to the hardware on the iphone.

Ok, so my technical explanation may be off, but I know it has to do with Apple's implementation of the LTE chip and that at least for Verizon if Verizon starts supporting some other LTE technology (sorry, I know there was some mention of some other way that is not supported yet that would allow the iPhone to do both on Verizon) the iphone will be able to get data and phone at the same time (not sure if this is also true for AT&T that you can be on the phone and get LTE). But the iPhone does not support the current LTE that either company is using getting data and voice on LTE at the same time.
Click to expand...

I understand what you're trying to say, but it's not correct. I had the 4 and the 4S, which are both 3G phones. I could always talk and go on the internet, with no speed loss problems. Sometime around November last year I noticed the throttling happening. I called AT&T this year, and they did say they throttle now while on the phone, to cut back bandwidth usage. There are many articles on this from last year, before the 5 came out. It used to work, but AT&T is so scared their network might go down, they choose to do this, and nobody every says anything about it. (Except for a few people on the internet rambling about it.)

This has nothing to do with the LTE chip in the 5. I can use voice and data at the same time, unlike Verizon, it's just AT&T has been throttling the data for the last year or so. Oh, well..... :p)

http://thesmartphonechamp.com/att-secretly-throttling-their-smartphone-customers-video/
 
Last edited:
T

tigress666

macrumors 68040
Apr 14, 2010
3,288
17
Washington State
armandxp said:
I understand what you're trying to say, but it's not correct. I had the 4 and the 4S, which are both 3G phones. I could always talk and go on the internet, with no speed loss problems. Sometime around November last year I noticed the throttling happening. I called AT&T this year, and they did say they throttle now while on the phone, to cut back bandwidth usage. There are many articles on this from last year, before the 5 came out. It used to work, but AT&T is so scared their network might go down, they choose to do this, and nobody every says anything about it. (Except for a few people on the internet rambling about it.)

This has nothing to do with the LTE chip in the 5. I can use voice and data at the same time, unlike Verizon, it's just AT&T has been throttling the data for the last year or so. Oh, well..... :p)

http://thesmartphonechamp.com/att-secretly-throttling-their-smartphone-customers-video/
Click to expand...

Ah, ok, I thought you were talking about having no LTE and going down to 3G when talking.

I've never noticed myself honestly. But it has to be seriously slowed down for me to notice. I was pretty happy with 3G, the iphone having LTE was just a bonus. But I have to say, yes, I do notice the difference between 3G and LTE (though to be fair, my iphone 5 is also faster loading stuff on wi-fi than my 4 was on wi-fi so I know it's not just the LTE there that causes it to be faster. I never really noticed a huge difference between wi-fi and 3G on the 4 to tell the truth. But the 5 on wi-fi or LTE is way faster than my 4).
 
N

nostresshere

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Dec 30, 2010
2,708
308
Interstella5555 said:
...

Or, more simply, they know exactly how you're using your plan and what the limits are, this is no different that tiered vs. unlimited on 3G.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you meant by this.

If I am using my plan, I KNOW I will be in and out of LTE coverage. No secret there. Just need to confirm what ATT will do about it.
 
Geckotek

Geckotek

macrumors G3
Jul 22, 2008
8,767
308
NYC
nostresshere said:
Not sure what you meant by this.

If I am using my plan, I KNOW I will be in and out of LTE coverage. No secret there. Just need to confirm what ATT will do about it.
Click to expand...

Nothing. The fact that you're on the LTE plan means you have 5 GB cap no matter what signal you use.
 
BFizzzle

BFizzzle

macrumors 68020
May 31, 2010
2,443
0
Austin TX
DiamondMac said:
I am sure this is where someone will claim that there are no limits....except the 5gb cap...and the sudden cut in any significant speed....so it is still UNLIMITED! Just with actual limits.....right
Click to expand...

haha i know right its all the unlimited limited speeds you want :p

so glad i have verizon and can download 100 gb if i want and not get throttled.
 
N

nostresshere

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Dec 30, 2010
2,708
308
Sorry... did not mean for this to get into another "definition of what unlimited means"

I think that has been beat up pretty good here.
 
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