AT&T Begins Warning High-Volume Data Users of Upcoming Throttling

[H2SO4]

The solution to this is to give free tethering to everyone, but get rid of any unlimited plans, and continue to tier based on GB. That way there's no problem as to who used what for what. You pay $25, you get 2GB, more GB are $10/GB. That and they should offer the customer the option to throttle instead of overage charges. That would be unlimited, just after 2GB you only get maybe 200kbps.

You are still missing the point. If you throttle you are limiting.
If you limit some one to a speed that equates to a download of 1MB per second. During the period of the next hour you have limited their download to 3.6GB.
The solution to this is to not use the term unlimited.

 

[BiggAW]

You are still missing the point. If you throttle you are limiting.
If you limit some one to a speed that equates to a download of 1MB per second. During the period of the next hour you have limited their download to 3.6GB.
The solution to this is to not use the term unlimited.

It's still unlimited if you throttle, because they won't be charged more, even if they use another gig or two. According to you, if the network can't saturate the device with data, then it's not unlimited.

 

[H2SO4]

It's still unlimited if you throttle, because they won't be charged more, even if they use another gig or two. According to you, if the network can't saturate the device with data, then it's not unlimited.

No, not at all. I don't believe there is a single person here on either side of the argument that wants to saturate their device with data.
I am not suggesting that I should be able to download a app of infinite GBs. I am suggesting that if a provider puts an artificial cap in place that you have now reached a limitation.
You borrow the car from your dad for a night out with the lads. He says you can drive as far as you like. If he then says that you have to keep it under 60mph regardless of how fast the car will actually go, he has artificially limited the number of miles you can cover to, 60 x number of hours you drive.
All I am saying is that the provider not be allowed to use that term if they place a synthetic limit on it.

 

[BiggAW]

No, not at all. I don't believe there is a single person here on either side of the argument that wants to saturate their device with data.
I am not suggesting that I should be able to download a app of infinite GBs. I am suggesting that if a provider puts an artificial cap in place that you have now reached a limitation.
You borrow the car from your dad for a night out with the lads. He says you can drive as far as you like. If he then says that you have to keep it under 60mph regardless of how fast the car will actually go, he has artificially limited the number of miles you can cover to, 60 x number of hours you drive.
All I am saying is that the provider not be allowed to use that term if they place a synthetic limit on it.

Eh, this argument is rather academic, but to me, if I can't rack up overages, it's unlimited.

 

[H2SO4]

Eh, this argument is rather academic, but to me, if I can't rack up overages, it's unlimited.

If you like but your argument still holds little water.

 

[Eosblue]

You pay for unlimited access, but the speed of the connection isn't in the contract as far as I know.

Again, like a few have already mentioned, throttle speed is still unlimited data. You still getting unlimited data, just slower in speed.

You're wasting your time trying to explain this to the "entitled generation". I wonder how many of these high GB downloaders are stealing the bandwidth with jailbreak tethering operations?

 

[H2SO4]

You're wasting your time trying to explain this to the "entitled generation". I wonder how many of these high GB downloaders are stealing the bandwidth with jailbreak tethering operations?

I get the feeling some of you are just trolling now.
Do the math;
a). No cap on data speed x no cap on usage time = unlimited, (not infinity but a figure that is not predetermined).

b). 0.1MB/s, (the throttled speed) x 24 hours = 8.64MB per day. That is to say the download speed cap has now meant that there is a real limit on download quantity.

Can it possibly be anymore simple?

 

[miles01110]

Can it possibly be anymore simple?

"Network capacity is not unlimited."

To answer your question: Yes, it can get much more simple.

Deal with it.

 

[H2SO4]

"Network capacity is not unlimited."

To answer your question: Yes, it can get much more simple.

Deal with it.

It obviously can't get any more simple than you. Who is just as obviously one of the trolls I am speaking about.
Nothing in life is unlimited we all know that fool. There are network capacity limits that are set by design naturally in hardware and software limits and then there artificial limits set by the airtime provider, and there are intelligence limits displayed by you.

G'night.

 

[BiggAW]

I get the feeling some of you are just trolling now.
Do the math;
a). No cap on data speed x no cap on usage time = unlimited, (not infinity but a figure that is not predetermined).

b). 0.1MB/s, (the throttled speed) x 24 hours = 8.64MB per day. That is to say the download speed cap has now meant that there is a real limit on download quantity.

Can it possibly be anymore simple?

That math is ridiculous, but even if you do the math right, in order for a service plan to be unlimited to you, it would have to have unlimited speed. Sorry, but the iPhone 4S is limited to 14.4mbps, so even if you had a true "unlimited" plan, you'd still be LIMITED to 4.82TB even if you always got the full 14.4mbps, which is an absurd assumption. Since no connection has unlimited speed, your definition is ridiculous.

 

[H2SO4]

That math is ridiculous, but even if you do the math right, in order for a service plan to be unlimited to you, it would have to have unlimited speed. Sorry, but the iPhone 4S is limited to 14.4mbps, so even if you had a true "unlimited" plan, you'd still be LIMITED to 4.82TB even if you always got the full 14.4mbps, which is an absurd assumption. Since no connection has unlimited speed, your definition is ridiculous.

You are so simple. LOOK AT MY POST, look at where I use the word infinity.
Now look at this statement, (disagreeing with it will make you look a real fool by the way - not that you need the help).
In natural circumstances, ie limited only by design of hardware and inbuilt software, the product of download speed and download time is your download limit. It is thus for all intents and purposes unlimited. You use it till it plateaus naturally.
Now, if the provider does anything to reduce the quantity of data to less than this figurethey have limited you.
Let's go over that again, they have limited you, they have limited you, they have limited you!
You are just so funny it's incredible.
Hell we all know no connection has unlimited speed, that's not the point.
You have single handedly managed to make all Americans look ridiculous. Look at post 435 too.
4.82TB is where the hardware/software/network infrastructure/your time stops you. 200Kbps is where AT&T stop you.
Can you see the difference?

 

[iStudentUK]

<snip>

Read your contract. AT&T will have reserved this right at some point. If they add a caveat to the word "unlimited" then, for the purposes of your contract, it will be interpreted in that light. You can't just assume "unlimited" had it's normal meaning, that's not always how contracts work.

 

[H2SO4]

Read your contract. AT&T will have reserved this right at some point. If they add a caveat to the word "unlimited" then, for the purposes of your contract, it will be interpreted in that light. You can't just assume "unlimited" had it's normal meaning, that's not always how contracts work.

Haven't actually got AT&T. My point is they, (anybody), shouldn't be allowed to call it unlimited if you really can't use it as such. The law should prevent it and should make things as plain as possible. Yep, there will always be exceptions but things should plain upfront.
Fine no one is going to use 100GB so call a 100GB cap, but do it up front. The term Fair use is a grey area that is engineered to suit them. It's easy enough for them to state...if you go over X amount during Y period you will have Z action taken. Do that and get rid of the ambiguity.
That's the trouble you see corporations are allowed to have contracts that always seem to benefit them exclusively. Look at your contract of employment if you have one student?, now we all know you won't get far without a job, but you'll see plenty of references that dictate they can re-write it when it suits them. Love to see what your reaction would be if you had it happen to you. They know what action they'd take under a given circumstance. Be open about it.
They are always very specific when it comes to beating the consumer down.

 

[BiggAW]

You are so simple. LOOK AT MY POST, look at where I use the word infinity.
Now look at this statement, (disagreeing with it will make you look a real fool by the way - not that you need the help).
In natural circumstances, ie limited only by design of hardware and inbuilt software, the product of download speed and download time is your download limit. It is thus for all intents and purposes unlimited. You use it till it plateaus naturally.
Now, if the provider does anything to reduce the quantity of data to less than this figurethey have limited you.
Let's go over that again, they have limited you, they have limited you, they have limited you!
You are just so funny it's incredible.
Hell we all know no connection has unlimited speed, that's not the point.
You have single handedly managed to make all Americans look ridiculous. Look at post 435 too.
4.82TB is where the hardware/software/network infrastructure/your time stops you. 200Kbps is where AT&T stop you.
Can you see the difference?

Yes, but you're splitting hairs. What if they gave you unlimited on the EDGE network? That's unlimited given the hardware available on that network.

 

[voonyx]

No, not at all. I don't believe there is a single person here on either side of the argument that wants to saturate their device with data.
I am not suggesting that I should be able to download a app of infinite GBs. I am suggesting that if a provider puts an artificial cap in place that you have now reached a limitation.
You borrow the car from your dad for a night out with the lads. He says you can drive as far as you like. If he then says that you have to keep it under 60mph regardless of how fast the car will actually go, he has artificially limited the number of miles you can cover to, 60 x number of hours you drive.
All I am saying is that the provider not be allowed to use that term if they place a synthetic limit on it.

The artificial limit has always been there. No one was ever promised any speed. There is no limit on data, there is a limit on speed. You were never promised unlimited speed. You were promised unlimited data. Simple and plain.

 

[H2SO4]

Yes, but you're splitting hairs. What if they gave you unlimited on the EDGE network? That's unlimited given the hardware available on that network.

Yes, and that is fair.

----------

The artificial limit has always been there. No one was ever promised any speed. There is no limit on data, there is a limit on speed. You were never promised unlimited speed. You were promised unlimited data. Simple and plain.

Again, do the math.
Quantity A multiplied by quantity B might be X
If you place any limit on A or B you have now limited X.
Can you see that or you need more help? They are connected.

Look at the example about the car again. Can somebody with a basic grasp of mathematics please chime in to show this guy. Can you really not see that by limiting the speed you are limiting the data. You're joking with me right?

 

[rjohnstone]

Yes, and that is fair.

----------



Again, do the math.
Quantity A multiplied by quantity B might be X
If you place any limit on A or B you have now limited X.
Can you see that or you need more help? They are connected.

Look at the example about the car again. Can somebody with a basic grasp of mathematics please chime in to show this guy. Can you really not see that by limiting the speed you are limiting the data. You're joking with me right?

Please show us what part of the contract where any SPEED is guaranteed.
It's not there because they never promised it.
Having basic access to any of their services (voice/data/sms) 24x7 is not even guaranteed.

Unlimited data means just that... download all you want.

How fast you can download that data was NEVER quoted, promised or guaranteed in any contract. No carrier in their right mind would even begin to offer such a guarantee.

 

[iStudentUK]

Haven't actually got AT&T. My point is they, (anybody), shouldn't be allowed to call it unlimited if you really can't use it as such.

Provided the contract is clear as far as I'm concerned its the consumer's fault for not reading it. Now I know we all tick the "yes I've read the T&Cs" when we haven't, but people really should on big or long term purchases. I've never read the iTunes T&Cs because very little money is at stake, but I did read Apple's T&Cs when I purchased my MacBook.

That's the trouble you see corporations are allowed to have contracts that always seem to benefit them exclusively. Look at your contract of employment if you have one student?, now we all know you won't get far without a job, but you'll see plenty of references that dictate they can re-write it when it suits them.

Yes I do have one (not that I work there yet!). But because, as you correctly implied, they are so important the law does heavily restrict what my employer can write in it. They cannot vary it unilaterally, and there are things like statutory minimum paid holiday, sick leave, dismissal notice, redundancy pay etc which my employer has little discretion on. The point is these types of contract are much more important than a mobile phone plan and so much more heavily regulated, at least here in the EU.


(PS as a chemistry graduate really appreciating your user name, it's far from basic!)

 

[H2SO4]

Please show us what part of the contract where any SPEED is guaranteed.
It's not there because they never promised it.
Having basic access to any of their services (voice/data/sms) 24x7 is not even guaranteed.

Unlimited data means just that... download all you want.

How fast you can download that data was NEVER quoted, promised or guaranteed in any contract. No carrier in their right mind would even begin to offer such a guarantee.

You cannot see they are connected?
Sigh....

----------

Provided the contract is clear as far as I'm concerned its the consumer's fault for not reading it. Now I know we all tick the "yes I've read the T&Cs" when we haven't, but people really should on big or long term purchases. I've never read the iTunes T&Cs because very little money is at stake, but I did read Apple's T&Cs when I purchased my MacBook.



Yes I do have one (not that I work there yet!). But because, as you correctly implied, they are so important the law does heavily restrict what my employer can write in it. They cannot vary it unilaterally, and there are things like statutory minimum paid holiday, sick leave, dismissal notice, redundancy pay etc which my employer has little discretion on. The point is these types of contract are much more important than a mobile phone plan and so much more heavily regulated, at least here in the EU.


(PS as a chemistry graduate really appreciating your user name, it's far from basic!)

Was a choice between that, Hydrochloric and Nitric. They were what we had on the bench in front of us in school. I don't remember Nitric being HNO3 though, seems to be known that way these days.
Now, distilled water is too dangerous for classrooms.
Anyway, point being and I know a lot of people don't read contracts - the people who provide the service should be made to ensure that it is written in plain english. I think that a contract being clear and being plain are different.

 

[rjohnstone]

You cannot see they are connected?
Sigh....

No, they're not. Sigh...

You're making associations that were never stated in the contractual agreement.
Unlimited data, as it pertains to the contract, states you can you as much data as you can in any billing cycle and not be charged extra.
Period, end of discussion.
The speed and availability of that data pipe are not guaranteed in any part of the contract between you and AT&T.

/thread

 

[H2SO4]

No, they're not. Sigh...

You're making associations that were never stated in the contractual agreement.
Unlimited data, as it pertains to the contract, states you can you as much data as you can in any billing cycle and not be charged extra.
Period, end of discussion.
The speed and availability of that data pipe are not guaranteed in any part of the contract between you and AT&T.

/thread

Answer something for me. If AT&T throttle my speed during any billing cycle to 56k even though the network supports 14.4Mbps, you reckon you could put a figure on it for me?

 

[rjohnstone]

Answer something for me. If AT&T throttle my speed during any billing cycle to 56k even though the network supports 14.4Mbps, you reckon you could put a figure on it for me?

Nice try, but it's irrelevant.
You're still not prohibited from accessing data.
But, if any carrier dropped you down to 56k, I would raise the issue with the carrier as to why this occurred and not make false claims about what you think you're entitled too.
Read the foot notes. Those asterisks actually mean something.

*AT&T reserves the right to limit and restrict services to protect their network. It's written into every single one of their contracts.
* the above quote is not word for word form the contract, but a generalization.

As with everything, you can chose to stay with them and play within the agreed terms or leave.
Some light reading for you.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...ement&q_termsName=Wireless+Customer+Agreement

http://www.corp.att.com/aup/

 

[H2SO4]

Nice try, but it's irrelevant.
You're still not prohibited from accessing data.
But, if any carrier dropped you down to 56k, I would raise the issue with the carrier as to why this occurred and not make false claims about what you think you're entitled too.
Read the foot notes. Those asterisks actually mean something.

*AT&T reserves the right to limit and restrict services to protect their network. It's written into every single one of their contracts.
* the above quote is not word for word form the contract, but a generalization.

As with everything, you can chose to stay with them and play within the agreed terms or leave.
Some light reading for you.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...ement&q_termsName=Wireless+Customer+Agreement

http://www.corp.att.com/aup/

So that's a no, can't or won't answer it?

 

[kavika411]

I realize this thread quickly digressed into the legality/morality/whatever of whether AT&T can/should/whatever throttle. But back to the topic...

I received my warning text on September 30. (I believe I posted on page two of this thread.) At that time, I was pulling down between 10 and 11 gigs at the end of my cycle.

It's now exactly 30 days since then, and I believe I'm between 8 and 9 gigs. (Not sure because the AT&T app says something about "maintenance.") Anyway, are any of you who getting a text/warning this time around? I haven't received one - knocks on wood.

Thanks.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I realize this thread quickly digressed into the legality/morality/whatever of whether AT&T can/should/whatever throttle. But back to the topic...

I received my warning text on September 30. (I believe I posted on page two of this thread.) At that time, I was pulling down between 10 and 11 gigs at the end of my cycle.

It's now exactly 30 days since then, and I believe I'm between 8 and 9 gigs. (Not sure because the AT&T app says something about "maintenance.") Anyway, are any of you who getting a text/warning this time around? I haven't received one - knocks on wood.

Thanks.

I have been wondering the cut off as well. 2.5 gigs-3 gigs would fall in place with 30 a month but I wonder if it is more based on congestion in an area on the towers you normally use. If those towers limits are not really being tested they are not going to care. High volume areas they are cracking down hard on.