Yep, next time I try to upgrade I'll be told I can't keep unlimited (much like Verizon decided to do), or they'll make the throttling very clear. More than likely, unlimited will just be gone and they'll try and shove NEXT down my throat.
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FTC Sues AT&T Over 'Misleading' Unlimited Data Throttling Practices [Updated]
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Yep, next time I try to upgrade I'll be told I can't keep unlimited (much like Verizon decided to do), or they'll make the throttling very clear. More than likely, unlimited will just be gone and they'll try and shove NEXT down my throat.
I have a long train ride, to and from work. No wifi at work, including for my lunch hour. I use my phone a lot, I guess. But I'm not tethering or watching long videos (just youtube or posted ones on occassion), and I will average a little over 5gb a month. Not too hard for me without really trying.
Not really arguing or agreeing either way. Just sharing what I do and what I see on my bill..
if they do, I'll finally swap companies. i've only stayed with AT&T because of my grandfathered plan. the throttling is real and it's ridiculous...
They already stopped offering unlimited. They wouldn't take away unlimited against your will though. After whatever agreement is reached in this mess, they may simply not allow grandfathered plans to keep unlimited data plan after your contract is up AND you try to subsidize a phone.
A more likely scenario is that you'll have to pay in full for your own phone if you want to keep using unlimited. This is what Verizon decided to do, I believe.
I really hope something comes of this, because what really upsets me is: Last time I checked, iPad's with the unlimited data sim cards, have NEVER been throttled. How is that fair to iPhone users? Or any other user....
I get a text from At&t just before I reach 5gigs in a month warning me
that I will be throttled...
Glad to see action on this rip off practice!
that I will be throttled...
Glad to see action on this rip off practice!
I had forgotten about those lucky ipad 1 users with an unlimited data sim. A somewhat limited window to get into that.
I remember they were being sold for hundreds of dollars on ebay just for the rights to take over that ATT data account
I wonder what percentage of unlimited users make up ATT's total users? There would have to be a lot for this to be a recurring issue and ATT is actively trying to get these users to switch to a tiered plan. And I wonder how many of those users would leave if they stopped grandathering these plans? I'm one of these users but I just renewed my contract so I'm good for another two years.
Maybe we should stop to think that it might actually be AT&T ASKING the FTC to do this, in order to get a ruling against their current unlimited plans, so that they can conveniently say "Sorry, the government won't let us offer this anymore." Boom, unlimited plans gone, and AT&T doesn't have to take the heat for getting rid of them.
At the risk of losing subscribers who want nothing but an unlimited data plan? Probably a small loss for AT&T anyway.
NEXT has nothing to do with data plans. It's a method by which you finance hardware.
And yes, I'm sure they will try to push it on you, but it is in no way a replacement for a data plan. They'll have to push something totally different on you to replace your unlimited plan.
One thing that you have to realize once you start designing and maintaining really large scale networks is that nothing works in a vacuum.
That is to say, while you are correct that there are certain instances where the individual throttling may not have been strictly necessary in one regard (say, because the local RF conditions were still favorable). You do have to realize that there are dozens to hundreds of other systems that are impacted by your activity.*
Thus it is possible to throttle on a micro level (a user connected to a cell tower which otherwise isn't overloaded) when the reason for that throttling is actually a macro level event (constrained peering link, overall re-prioritization of channels to voice due to upcoming anticipated load need, need to stay clear for higher priority traffic at some choke point further upstream, etc)
Again, to be really, painfully, clear. I think it was stupid that AT&T tried to sell cellular as unlimited in the first place. It's a fine concept in wireline (although expensive to do properly). But it is unsustainable in wireless.
The fact that they have continued to grandfather the plans boggles my mind.**
They simply don't begin to charge enough money to supply "unlimited" data, so they need to drop the offering altogether.
They probably also need a punishment that while hopefully not excessive, is painful enough to make everyone understand that "unlimited" isn't something that should be offered unless it truly is without any sort or limit.***
Karl P
*In practice, that means that what is likely happening is that ATT is running their "unlimited" network just like their regular tiered network, and after the "unlimited" network runs through their back-end data allowance as a group, or hits certain tiers as a group, throttling is engaged. Some places it is engaged may need it really desperately, and in other places maybe it wasn't actually needed for micro-network conditions, but in aggregate, across the whole, it hit a certain threshold.
**In reality it does not boggle my mind - I know that they do it because they assume that a good portion of unlimited people would leave if they just unilaterally pulled the contracts. And they are somewhat correct. Thus they decided that the potential cost of a lawsuit was lower than the lost opportunity cost of people leaving. As of yet they have been correct, but it's a horrible way (IMO) to do business.
***If you think about it though - buying an ongoing service for a fixed price where there is truly no limit placed on that service is one which you would reasonably expect to pay an enormous amount of money for relative to a service which has a limit, of any type.
Yup - I finally got "forced" into a shared data plan on ATT due to the throttling. Myself and two kids on my account had the unlimited plan since iPhone came out. But we got throttled so much it became unusable. Call an complain, they would say switch to a shared plan - I finally gave in two months ago. Mostly for my kids. Where they work is no WIFI so they used a lot of data and when throttled would be pissed they couldn't get anything done.
I really feel ATT makes the throttling so slow to force people to move. And the sharing plan is no cheaper - ATT is playing games and I'm glad the FCC is doing something. Doesn't help those of use basically forced to give up unlimited plans though.
I really feel ATT makes the throttling so slow to force people to move. And the sharing plan is no cheaper - ATT is playing games and I'm glad the FCC is doing something. Doesn't help those of use basically forced to give up unlimited plans though.
About Fing time!
I've not been throttled but 5GB is not equal to unlimited... It's bold faced lying. They don't throttle people who pay for 20GB when they reach 5GB...
I've not been throttled but 5GB is not equal to unlimited... It's bold faced lying. They don't throttle people who pay for 20GB when they reach 5GB...
I guess thats whats wrong with todays smartphones (mini computer in our hands) that every App is downloading data that we don't even need
AT&T should also be sued for not offering better deals for iPhones and not having a option like unlimited data instead forcing customers to go with the sharing data plan. This cell phone services are nothing more than like cable companies cornering customers where they have no option for a better deal.
T-Mobile has better deal but the coverage sucks why I do not understand when T-Mobile can really become a powerful competitor.
T-Mobile has better deal but the coverage sucks why I do not understand when T-Mobile can really become a powerful competitor.
You are comparing Breadsticks to Bandwidth...
This is analogy is not correct and misses the point. The point is not the breadsticks (breadsticks = data), but how fast you get the breadsticks (service = bandwidth). So, in your analogy, the restaurant would give you the normal amount of breadsticks. However, the server would be instructed to take an extra 5 minutes each time you asked for more breadsticks. After 5 times of asking for more breadsticks, it would take the server 30 minutes to deliver the breadsticks to your table.
If you were that customer, you would be pissed because the restaurant is intentionally giving you poor customer service, simply because you are asking for what they said they would give you.
This is analogy is not correct and misses the point. The point is not the breadsticks (breadsticks = data), but how fast you get the breadsticks (service = bandwidth). So, in your analogy, the restaurant would give you the normal amount of breadsticks. However, the server would be instructed to take an extra 5 minutes each time you asked for more breadsticks. After 5 times of asking for more breadsticks, it would take the server 30 minutes to deliver the breadsticks to your table.
If you were that customer, you would be pissed because the restaurant is intentionally giving you poor customer service, simply because you are asking for what they said they would give you.
I feel like I don't really have an unlimited plan, because once I hit 5Gb, my "unlimited data" is worthless.
Not to mention the fact that when I purchased my iPhone 6 and renewed my contract, ATT raised my monthly bill such that they will make an extra $1000 over the course of my 2 year contract.
ATT sucks, but I'm not sure the other options out there are much better.
Not to mention the fact that when I purchased my iPhone 6 and renewed my contract, ATT raised my monthly bill such that they will make an extra $1000 over the course of my 2 year contract.
ATT sucks, but I'm not sure the other options out there are much better.
I've been throttled on two separate occasions. Once when I went over 3GB of data in one month, and just recently I was throttled when I went over the 5GB mark. Usually this isn't an issue for me, but when it has been it is a HUGE inconvenience. Getting throttled to 0.5 Mbps after using 5GB on an unlimited plan is ridiculous when they will allow you to purchase up to 100GB of data to be used with zero throttling on a non-unlimited plan. And yes, I understand from a business perspective what they are trying to do, but don't give customers "unlimited" data when it isn't really unlimited. If AT&T doesn't want their customers to have true unlimited data, then phase it out. For instance, when a customer signs up for a new 2-year commitment, no longer allow the "unlimited" data plan to carry over. That's a really simple solution that would be FAR LESS misleading.
