FCC Questioning All Carriers On Unlimited Throttling Policies

[wxman2003]

In the case of Verizon it's not happening when it's 3 AM and no one is using the tower, the whole point is that it only would happen when on a congested tower and only for the duration of the congestion.

So a person who pays for 10GB, and has already used 8GB would not be throttled, while an unlimited customer who hits 5GB would. Exactly how is that tower not congested for the one who has used 8GB, but it for the one that used 5GB? Either the tower is congested, or it is not.

 

[JackieInCo]

not sure what they mean about throttling t-mobile on unlimited plans...been on there unlimited data plan for over a year now and never been throttled...even up to 24 gigs of data in one month...

I used 75GB in one week on T-Mobile and never got throttled.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Part of me wonders if this is a ploy to get all the carriers to just stop offering unlimited entirely.

And so the carriers can finally get rid of any grandfathered contracts once and for all. There is no commitment by the carrier to indefinitely extend the contract every 2 years.

Sure looks like the FCC is gonna muck it up one way or another. Wheeler looks like he's fighting for the consumer, but easily could give carriers an excuse to KO unlimited plans all together. Fortunately, probably not before the iPhone 6 is out. But I wish he'd get his camel nose out if this tent before it comes crashing down.

 

[C DM]

So a person who pays for 10GB, and has already used 8GB would not be throttled, while an unlimited customer who hits 5GB would. Exactly how is that tower not congested for the one who has used 8GB, but it for the one that used 5GB? Either the tower is congested, or it is not.

That is correct. The tower is congested for everyone that uses it. To ease the congestion at least someone has to be throttled. The choice is between doing it to everyone or doing it to some people. Doing it to some is slightly better than just everyone if it's enough to relieve enough of the congestion. So who to do it to? Well seems like those with plans that haven't been offered for years now seem like a better group than those who are on current plans (and out of those just the ones that use more than an average amount of data). And there you go. Fairly rational approach that isn't exactly all that complicated.

 

[PocketSand11]

Ugh, look what Verizon started. If the FCC prevents AT&T from throttling people who are wasting the bandwidth, it's just going to suck for us AT&T users.

 

[Macboy Pro]

This. Read every contract, it has the term "up to" in your speed. No carrier can guarantee speeds, that's just insanity. So it doesn't matter if you're throttled, your bits can still access the network, so therefore your data is still unlimited, and the carrier is still within the terms of their contract.

That was what i was saying. You buy unlimited DATA, not unlimited BANDWIDTH.

 

[PocketSand11]

I used 75GB in one week on T-Mobile and never got throttled.

Cool, just don't switch to AT&T.

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Seriously - just stop providing it and switch everyone to another data plan already. I'm tired of hearing this crap. I stopped last year and I'm actually saving $40 a month with AT&T family plan.

And now that there are a ton more WiFi hot spots, I don't even reach the 10GB shared.

The family plan is a relatively good deal, but my experience with the wifi hotspots has been that they're uselessly slow half the time, or at least slower than what I'd get on 4G. I only use them if I'm streaming a video or syncing my GitHub repo.

 

[GRSM-IE]

If that's the case, then the market is wide open for you to seize! Start your own cellphone company and take that business away from the greedy corporations.

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If we lived on an island as small as Ireland, I'm sure we would. That's like having cellphone service that only works in Rhode Island. If you received the same service in Russia as you do Ireland, that would be about the equivalent of our continent-sized country.

I think you should check the size of Ireland...it's like 30 times bigger then Rhode Island Also go ahead and check out tariffs in UK or other EU countries - US is really behind

 

[Roller]

Seriously - just stop providing it and switch everyone to another data plan already. I'm tired of hearing this crap. I stopped last year and I'm actually saving $40 a month with AT&T family plan.

And now that there are a ton more WiFi hot spots, I don't even reach the 10GB shared.

Glad you mentioned this. I've been on the AT&T "unlimited" plan since I got my first iPhone in 2007, and I thought that it would be crazy to give it up. But now that one of my kids has an iPhone, I might just switch to a shared data plan. The vast majority of my data traffic is on Wi-Fi at work and at home, so I doubt if I use even 1GB a month on the cellular network.

 

[qpdbqp]

I would have to read my contract again but I'm pretty certain that speed is NOT guaranteed in any way, shape or form. It's physically impossible. No one would open themselves up to such an easy lawsuit like this. - That applies to any kind of speed as a matter of fact. Anyone offering a product that involves speed, whether it's bandwidth, a car or your coffee machine, it will always be denominated with "UP TO whatever speed".

I believe some business class internet services have minimum speeds. Not sure if there are business class cellular plans or not.

 

[C DM]

I believe some business class internet services have minimum speeds. Not sure if there are business class cellular plans or not.

At least in the case of Verizon's throttling business and government plans are not affected by it.

 

[Rafagon]

Can the FCC actually *DO* anything about throttling? Or as they just pretending to give a damn?

 

[danibo77]

If we lived on an island as small as Ireland, I'm sure we would. That's like having cellphone service that only works in Rhode Island. If you received the same service in Russia as you do Ireland, that would be about the equivalent of our continent-sized country.

Not really, since Rhode Island is 1200 sq miles and Ireland is 35.600 sq miles, more like the state of Indiana...

Now, after a little geography lesson, there's really not the size of the country, but rather number of customer/area to cover-ratio that matters = cost of putting up those towers.

Trust me, in mountainy Scandinavia there's a tower almost every 100 yards due to the "horrible" terrain. To top that of, we are really few, so the cost of subscription should be high..

Still, paying only 40 usd for unlimited text, calls and data.

As for throttling? You're just too spoiled

 

[Premium1]

Wanna know why nothing will come of this?

Because they ARE the FCC.

That and the fact that all the lobbyists will just line these people's pockets further so that this "goes away" This is why the telecom industry in the US is the way it is.

 

[bushido]

over here literally every plan has unlimited data but you get throttled to 64kb/s for the rest of the month after a certain amount depending on the price of your plan. some are as redic as throttling you after 200 mb but they are still advertise as unlimited cuz technically they are. you dont have to pay more once you reach 200 mb and you can still use it (somewhat).

i dont even think its about the data consumption itself. its more like injecting a state of "fear" of potentially getting throttled that makes the customer think twice before they use certain things that cause a big amount of data instead of doing it over wifi when you get home. like i have 4 GB of data but i still barely play any youtube videos cuz i have the "fear" of ending up with slow ass 64kb/s back in my subconscious mind.

 

[britboyj]

but easily could give carriers an excuse to KO unlimited plans all together.

Here's the weird thing.

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Spring all had unlimited plans when things were EDGE and the early-mid days of 3G. Slowly, they all dropped them, with older customers being grandfathered in.

Within the past 12-24 months, both T-Mobile and Sprint have reintroduced Unlimited plans. AT&T and Verizon are the ones lagging.

 

[kenroberts83]

I think you should check the size of Ireland...it's like 30 times bigger then Rhode Island Also go ahead and check out tariffs in UK or other EU countries - US is really behind

Haha. Oddly enough, I've been to Ireland, but not Rhode Island.

Check out the population densities of western European countries compared to the United States. You'll see why our national carriers are so expensive. They're building cellphone towers out in the middle of Iowa and Montana. Also, US carriers subsidize the cost of new cellphones to the tune of around $20/month ($450 over two years for an iPhone). If your carrier doesn't subsidize the cost of your phone, that explains some of the difference as well.

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Here's the weird thing.

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Spring all had unlimited plans when things were EDGE and the early-mid days of 3G. Slowly, they all dropped them, with older customers being grandfathered in.

Within the past 12-24 months, both T-Mobile and Sprint have reintroduced Unlimited plans. AT&T and Verizon are the ones lagging.

T-mobile and Sprint are desperate for customers, and thus use the unlimited plans for free marketing buzz. It's still just as unprofitable for them to have an individual using 50 GB of data per month as it is for AT&T and Verizon. They're just willing to suffer a few people abusing the system in order to get more customers. AT&T and Verizon are about as big as they're going to get, and don't really want to get much larger (extra regulatory scrutiny). Their business plan is more about maximizing profit per customer, rather than adding customers.

 

[wikiverse]

That was what i was saying. You buy unlimited DATA, not unlimited BANDWIDTH.

The point of the bandwidth restriction is to limit the amount of data you are able to use.

So a bandwidth limit is a limit on data volume by restricting speed.

A 4G unlimited data plan means unlimited amount of data at average 4G speeds.

 

[kenroberts83]

Glad you mentioned this. I've been on the AT&T "unlimited" plan since I got my first iPhone in 2007, and I thought that it would be crazy to give it up. But now that one of my kids has an iPhone, I might just switch to a shared data plan. The vast majority of my data traffic is on Wi-Fi at work and at home, so I doubt if I use even 1GB a month on the cellular network.

I actually gave up my unlimited plan for the same reason a few years ago. I've come out pretty far ahead overall.

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I like it, but they should be more up-front with "We will slow you down after x gig" and NOT just mention "unlimited" since it is somewhat, but not at full speed after the fact. Thus, most people would either bundle more data on, or leave it.

Yeah, I think that's really the solution. Force carriers to emphasize this point up front in the future, and give current throttled customers the right to cancel their plans without penalty if under contract.

 

[iF34R]

That is correct. The tower is congested for everyone that uses it. To ease the congestion at least someone has to be throttled. The choice is between doing it to everyone or doing it to some people. Doing it to some is slightly better than just everyone if it's enough to relieve enough of the congestion. So who to do it to? Well seems like those with plans that haven't been offered for years now seem like a better group than those who are on current plans (and out of those just the ones that use more than an average amount of data). And there you go. Fairly rational approach that isn't exactly all that complicated.

There isn't anything rational out of that all when it comes to throttling due to congestion. smh

You either are ticked that others have unlimited, work for Verizon, or both.

 

[wxman2003]

That is correct. The tower is congested for everyone that uses it. To ease the congestion at least someone has to be throttled. The choice is between doing it to everyone or doing it to some people. Doing it to some is slightly better than just everyone if it's enough to relieve enough of the congestion. So who to do it to? Well seems like those with plans that haven't been offered for years now seem like a better group than those who are on current plans (and out of those just the ones that use more than an average amount of data). And there you go. Fairly rational approach that isn't exactly all that complicated.

I can guarantee by throttling the one unlimited user on that so called congested tower, who just happens to hit the magical 5GB number, will not suddenly speed up the service for all the rest. We all know that is BS. Simple as that. Because at any one time on a congested tower, you probably will not have more than one user with unlimited who hit the 5GB limit. Most of the time, you probably have none, and the congested tower is not the result of unlimited data users. It's a scam by Verizon, and I'm glad the FCC sees through that.

 

[sterlingindigo]

Yea My pitchfork is ready for at$t. I get throttled to dialup speeds for using between 5-6gb per month, been a loyal customer since iphone1 and then When I call to complain they try and switch me to their larger data plan. Is there a class action I can join?

 

[Plutonius]

Just end all the unlimited plans.

 

[Macboy Pro]

Yea My pitchfork is ready for at$t. I get throttled to dialup speeds for using between 5-6gb per month, been a loyal customer since iphone1 and then When I call to complain they try and switch me to their larger data plan. Is there a class action I can join?

Sue for what? You get unlimited data. You are not paying for unlimited bandwidth.

 

[C DM]

There isn't anything rational out of that all when it comes to throttling due to congestion. smh

You either are ticked that others have unlimited, work for Verizon, or both.

Ah, yes, the "you are either with us or against us" argument...one that is oh so useful and realistic, and one that those who actually have a good argument usually resort to.

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I can guarantee by throttling the one unlimited user on that so called congested tower, who just happens to hit the magical 5GB number, will not suddenly speed up the service for all the rest. We all know that is BS. Simple as that. Because at any one time on a congested tower, you probably will not have more than one user with unlimited who hit the 5GB limit. Most of the time, you probably have none, and the congested tower is not the result of unlimited data users. It's a scam by Verizon, and I'm glad the FCC sees through that.

It's interesting you can guarantee something that we simply can't have enough information to make even a probable argument let alone one that can be guaranteed. Just like I can guarantee that 82% of statistics are made up on the spot.