AT&T Customers With Grandfathered Unlimited iPad Data Plans Will See Throttling After 22GB of Usage

[Rob198612]

its unlimited data not unlimited 4G LTE!!!!!!

 

[XTheLancerX]

The article isn't misleading. It explains everything you said in your post. And people that have these plans have every right to be upset... they used to have a better plan, and now it's not as good. I would be upset.

I have a LOT of trouble believing that there are enough iPad owners that have maintained their original unlimited plans to significantly affect network loads. This seems a lot more like a stupid decision by money-hungry executives.

Should have said the title is misleading, a hard throttle is very different than this 22GB depriotization deal.

Here are what the new limits are, on your Unlimited plan.
lol

Ditched that miserable company ages ago.

It is a clause that they use so they can protect their network. The clause is rarely used. Only in extreme congestion. Those who are in areas with speeds of 20mbps for example, will see absolutely no slowdown and thus see no limit on their unlimited plan.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

you really have no idea what you are talking about.. n AT&T rep told me after 22GB it can go as low as 128KB/s. You can barely read email at that speed. Yes it's possible they don't slow you down but you are very naive if you think that it won't be at 128KB/s a majority of the time. I used to have unlimited data on my iphone with AT&T and it was **** after you hit the cap and I don't see this being any different.

Sure they can say "deprioritized" if it is "crowded" but this a business and they will consider 2 people as crowded if it means saving money for them. The speeds will be ****.

Your rep didn't know what they were talking about, or you misunderstood them. Technically they said "can go as low as 128kb/s", not that it is going to be forced to speeds "up to 128kb/s".

And the "unlimited" plan you were on was likely when they offered you 5GB of 4G LTE data for example, then unlimited 2G data. That is not how this unlimited plan works.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

if you're on verizon then you have no clue or experience what you are talking about. AT&T throttles a lot harder than Verizon, after 22GB good luck loading a webpage even when you're not in a busy area. You won't be able to do anything if you're in a city.

What basis do you have on that statement? How do you know AT&T and Verizon deprioritize differently?

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold (ON AT&T) and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

deprioritization is throttling when AT&T decides the tower is too crowded which most likely will be 100% of the time. The title of the article is accurate enough.

when I had AT&T unlimited phone data and I went over the cap I could barely load a webpage. I don't see how this will be any different. I would expect 128kb/s, not even close to 3-4 mbps

so basically everything you said has no basis because this is AT&T not Verizon. Different companies, AT&T is going to deprioritize/throttle excessively.

Yea there can't be very many of us. I would certainly understand putting the cap at 45-50GB since over that is really excessive and could hurt their network, but 22GB isn't much at all and there is no way we would put that much of a strain on their network.

setting > cellular only gives you the data you've used since you last reset your statistics. You would have to reset your statistics every month to get an accurate reading.

Just no. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc do not just "decide" that a tower is congested. A tower is congested when it is congested, and too many users are on it. What you are saying is just silly. And what proof do you have to say that Verizon deprioritizes differently than AT&T? I have seen way way way more claims of people saying they saw no speed differences after 22GB than those who have said their speeds were reduced. For both AT&T and Verizon.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

That unicorn network congestion is a lie to milk the consumer and please don't even say it's a depriotization. You tell me when you watch on DirectvNow you're not congesting the network? But when you watch on Sling or Youtube or Netflix now your causing network congestion? I will say bull***t! When people watch worth 30gb of lower quality video on Binge-On is not a problem. Now a 30gb HD video all of a sudden it's hurting the network? When network offers the unlimited the first time they don't throttle it. They only care charging your voice and text messages that uses the data you paid. When people start using messaging apps now text messaging is now like a giveaway. Therefore NETWORK CONGESTION IS A LIE! Call it whatever you want if you actually believe it then you're a SHEEPLE if not, you're working for that carrier.

30GB worth of 480p video is in fact less stressful on the network than 30GB of HD video. Here's why:

480p video is only going to take 1.5mbps of bandwidth. HD video is going to use more like 8mbps of bandwidth.

Say that a tower has a total bandwidth of 150mbps. 1 user is watching 480p video, that takes away 1.5mbps of the bandwidth. 148.5mbps is now what is available to other users on that tower.

Now say 1 user is watching HD video at 8mbps. 142mbps is what would be available to other users now.

Network congestion is not a lie. I have been in circumstances several times ON A LIMITED DATA PLAN where my speeds were completely unusable because so many people were on the tower in that area.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

So why don't carriers advertise "Unlimited until deprioritized"? Not as catchy? The marketing ploy of Unlimited is dishonest at best.

The amount of data you can use is unlimited. The speed at which some of it is transferred to you *MAY* be slower than other users in very specific circumstances, that most users will not encounter all the time.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

It is by definition a throttle. Try using a dictionary.

Sure, it is a throttle. However it is a very situational throttle. A dynamic throttle if you will, that is rarely going to be used for most users.

An ACTUAL throttle that people are thinking this is, would be like forcing a user to 128kb/s even if the tower is completely unloaded. This "throttle" is more like putting your data to the back of the line, to be handled after other user's requests, ONLY WHEN TOO MANY DATA REQUESTS ARE MADE TO THE TOWER. A situational throttle.

If you are at 100GB on this unlimited plan and are on a completely unloaded 20x20MHz channel, you still will see upwards of 100mbps+ speeds. So this is not a set throttle most users need to worry about. If you live in a place that frequently has slow data even when you are on a tierred data plan, that's when you need to worry about this unlimited plan. But even then, it is 22GB of data per line that would be handled just like any other user's data, which I am sure is still way more than what you have now.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

 

[Bheleu]

"Prepaid unlimited data" to be throttled, to sell bandwidth to postpaid users seems like a bait and switch. Thottle the postpaid users, and 3rd parties like cricket. We already "prepaid" for our data and have full rights to it after prepaying for it for years even during the months when it just sits on the shelf. I can understand data slowing down when the network is congested, but why single us out when its the other users that are the problem.

There is a reason some of us bring a big plate to buffets, you are not going to squash our appetite with small plates.

 

[toromac]

Should have said the title is misleading, a hard throttle is very different than this 22GB depriotization deal.



It is a clause that they use so they can protect their network. The clause is rarely used. Only in extreme congestion. Those who are in areas with speeds of 20mbps for example, will see absolutely no slowdown and thus see no limit on their unlimited plan.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



Your rep didn't know what they were talking about, or you misunderstood them. Technically they said "can go as low as 128kb/s", not that it is going to be forced to speeds "up to 128kb/s".

And the "unlimited" plan you were on was likely when they offered you 5GB of 4G LTE data for example, then unlimited 2G data. That is not how this unlimited plan works.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



What basis do you have on that statement? How do you know AT&T and Verizon deprioritize differently?

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold (ON AT&T) and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



Just no. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc do not just "decide" that a tower is congested. A tower is congested when it is congested, and too many users are on it. What you are saying is just silly. And what proof do you have to say that Verizon deprioritizes differently than AT&T? I have seen way way way more claims of people saying they saw no speed differences after 22GB than those who have said their speeds were reduced. For both AT&T and Verizon.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



30GB worth of 480p video is in fact less stressful on the network than 30GB of HD video. Here's why:

480p video is only going to take 1.5mbps of bandwidth. HD video is going to use more like 8mbps of bandwidth.

Say that a tower has a total bandwidth of 150mbps. 1 user is watching 480p video, that takes away 1.5mbps of the bandwidth. 148.5mbps is now what is available to other users on that tower.

Now say 1 user is watching HD video at 8mbps. 142mbps is what would be available to other users now.

Network congestion is not a lie. I have been in circumstances several times ON A LIMITED DATA PLAN where my speeds were completely unusable because so many people were on the tower in that area.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



The amount of data you can use is unlimited. The speed at which some of it is transferred to you *MAY* be slower than other users in very specific circumstances, that most users will not encounter all the time.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD



Sure, it is a throttle. However it is a very situational throttle. A dynamic throttle if you will, that is rarely going to be used for most users.

An ACTUAL throttle that people are thinking this is, would be like forcing a user to 128kb/s even if the tower is completely unloaded. This "throttle" is more like putting your data to the back of the line, to be handled after other user's requests, ONLY WHEN TOO MANY DATA REQUESTS ARE MADE TO THE TOWER. A situational throttle.

If you are at 100GB on this unlimited plan and are on a completely unloaded 20x20MHz channel, you still will see upwards of 100mbps+ speeds. So this is not a set throttle most users need to worry about. If you live in a place that frequently has slow data even when you are on a tierred data plan, that's when you need to worry about this unlimited plan. But even then, it is 22GB of data per line that would be handled just like any other user's data, which I am sure is still way more than what you have now.

See these threads for plenty of examples of people saying they've exceeded the 22GB threshold and saw no difference:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1878217-Unlimited-Data-and-the-22gb-Throttle
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1895487-22GB-deprioritization-is-in-why-go-ULD

You don't know what you are talking about. Just stop. STOP.

 

[XTheLancerX]

You don't know what you are talking about. Just stop. STOP.

Why, because you don't like to be wrong? Just look at those threads. Dozens of people are saying they are seeing no difference in data speeds.

 

[npmacuser5]

Data caps are a scam.

Actually "Unlimited Data" the scam.

 

[stanhope]

AT&T today sent out emails to customers who continue to have a grandfathered unlimited data plan for the iPad, informing them that its unlimited status is essentially being eliminated on May 24, 2017.

Going forward, customers with an unlimited tablet data plan may see their data usage throttled when using more than 22GB of data during a single bill period. According to AT&T, data may be slowed down during times of network congestion.

While that's in line with AT&T's policy for its newly announced unlimited data plans, it's a big change for iPad owners who are not used to having a data cap in place. Prior to the change, iPad owners with the grandfathered unlimited plan have not been subject to restrictions.

AT&T briefly offered unlimited iPad data plans after the original iPad was released in 2010, but phased them out just months later. Since then, customers who managed to purchase one of the plans have been able to hold onto them, making the unlimited plan highly coveted.

The plans required no contract and cost $29.99 per month, with customers able to transfer them to new iPads and even sell them to other iPad owners. With the change coming on May 24, the original unlimited iPad data plans will be much less attractive.

(Thanks, David!)

Article Link: AT&T Customers With Grandfathered Unlimited iPad Data Plans Will See Throttling After 22GB of Usage

This is horse excrement. If I just decided to pay att everyntwo moths instead of monthly, what do you think would happen. I'll wait until my next upgrade and those runts Are history!

 

[kevink2]

Another reason to switch from att. I really can't think of a reason to use them anymore.

I went looking around, and I can't really see any good alternatives for me for an average of 1.5-2GB a month. On another carrier, $20 for 1GB is too little. T-Mobile $25 for 2GB (plus tax?).

for many people, they may be on multiline plans where adding $10 for the iPad is adequate, and they have enough data on the plan that it is just $10 more.

Now, if I had sold mine for $1500 a few months ago, that would have paid for other plans for me for quite some time
[doublepost=1493488312][/doublepost]

I've historically zeroed out my data usage statistic in settings when I get the renewal notice so I can see how much I use on average.

 

[Macaholic868]

I hate when articles are so misleading and click-baity like this. It's still unlimited. Users will still likely be able to use 30, 40, 50, even 100GB and beyond on their iPad. It IS NOT a throttle. It IS NOT a data cap.

What it IS, is deprioritization. Your data is prioritized lower than other users ONLY DURING TIMES OF CONGESTION. And that doesn't mean you are going to see a hard cap to your speeds, you are just going to see slightly slowed speeds so that other users will have enough bandwidth and higher priority.

This is why everybody is so wrongly antagonistic and hostile toward the new unlimited plans, because they are convinced there is a 22GB **CAP** where you will be throttled down to unusable speeds. That is NOT the case, and people are unable to understand that because of constant misleading articles such as this.

Yes, speeds *might* be slowed. But only in areas that are very congested. Most users are not going to be on a super congested tower all the time where you'd actually see this "deprioritization".
[doublepost=1493429025][/doublepost]
It is NOT A DATA CAP.

You're overreacting. Besides, you will have the exact same "limit" (that really isn't even a limit) on every other carrier.

It is not a cap. It is a threshold at which users will see lower priority. If the tower is extremely congested, then their speeds will be slightly slowed so that other users will have usable speeds. No, it isn't going to strictly limit speeds to 128kbps or anything like that at all. What it might do, is reduce ALREADY SLOW SPEEDS. The network experience would already suck, even when not deprioritized.

For example, if the tower can only put out 5mbps to you because of congestion, then while deprioritized you might see something more like 1-2mbps. And this might only happen for a moment, as well. When there is less traffic again, speeds will go back to normal and be the same for everybody, those who are past the 22GB threshold or not.

To put things into perspective, prepaid customers ALREADY ARE ALWAYS DEPRIORITIZED.

I am sick of articles such as these misleading people.

Thank you for your post!!! Before reading this I was also under the impression that it was a cap and after you reached it all traffic would be throttled exactly because of articles like this.

At the end of the day AT&T doesn't really have unlimited bandwidth to offer to all users. At some point they have to have a plan in place for what to do when they are up against their network's limits.

 

[XTheLancerX]

Thank you for your post!!! Before reading this I was also under the impression that it was a cap and after you reached it all traffic would be throttled exactly because of articles like this.

Prioritizing the speeds of others who haven't hit the 22 GB markmakes sense because at the end of the day AT&T doesn't really have unlimited bandwidth to offer to all users. At some point they have to have a plan in place for what to do when they are up against their network's limits.

Thanks for listening! Most other people are so convinced these plans are a complete scam that they won't even look at the actual real world examples of people who have gone over 22GB and experienced little to no difference in speeds. Ah well. If they want to sit with their expensive 5 year old 2GB data plans, then they can go ahead.

 

[jujufreeze]

Sure, it is a throttle. However it is a very situational throttle. A dynamic throttle if you will, that is rarely going to be used for most users.

Using a term like Dynamic doesn't make throttling any more palatable. (i.e. live in the sonoran desert and power company dynamically throttles power when it's 104 C, no air conditioning, yay!) If a carrier promises me unlimited data with no caveats at a set rate, I expect unlimited data at the advertised speed. If the carrier can't deliver on what it promised and I'm throttled due to network congestion, I expect a refund/rate adjustment proportional to the less than advertised speed delivered for that period of time.

 

[kevink2]

AT&T sucks they are always trying to squeeze more out of you for less. I switched to TMobile and my upload and doanlows speeds are 2-3X faster, tested with DSLReports.... I can't wait to see ATT sink

I just wish that T-Mobile was good enough in my area. 2 spots between work and home where I will drop a call. And a few on the highway (very rarely drop with Verizon, 1 or 2 spots with ATT).

Location, location, location. Verizon drops to 3G at my work on occasion, and Verizon data is not very useful on 3G.

My vacation this summer to Wyoming/Nebraska from Oklahoma will give me a chance to do side by side comparison between ATT and Verizon. I'm going to add GoPhone to a second phone, and if GoPhone is good enough, I'll drop my $55+tax verizon plan for the $40+tax GoPhone plan.
[doublepost=1493489129][/doublepost]

Think iPad unlimited sim prices will plummet on eBay now?



(I still don't want one, new UDP with tethering is fine for me)

I didn't see any completed sales over $1600 when I checked the other day. There were some over $2000 earlier this year when I checked. If I wasn't worried about being scammed, I would have sold mine then.

 

[XTheLancerX]

Using a term like Dynamic doesn't make throttling any less palatable. If a carrier promises me unlimited with no caveats for a set rate, I expect unlimited data at advertised speeds. If the carrier can't deliver on what it promised and I'm throttled due to network congestion, I expect a refund and lower rate proportionate to the less than paid for speeds that month.

Well, they aren't promising you unlimited data with no caveats, so tough s***. They don't advertise thet you are getting any particular speed either.

If you are getting throttling due to congestion, the network would feel slow for everyone, no matter whether you are throttled or not. So at that point you should switch carriers because their network is garbage, not because of their plan.

Besides, you still are getting 22GB PER LINE that is treated the same as everyone else's. As well as 10GB tethering PER LINE. I guarantee you that alone is way more data than you already have unless you are on the old UDP (which costs more).

Right now you are likely sharing your data with family, or are by yourself but have a much lower data cap than 22GB. It still is a lot of data before you are deprioritized. Which again, usually is not even remotely an issue.

 

[jujufreeze]

Besides, you still are getting 22GB PER LINE that is treated the same as everyone else's. As well as 10GB tethering PER LINE.

Dynamic throttling after a data cap of 22Gb is not unlimited.

 

[XTheLancerX]

Dynamic throttling after a data cap of 22Gb is not unlimited.

And for the 99% of others who aren't in a congested area and won't see ANY THROTTLE AT ALL, it is. So to each his own.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

AT&T have always bitched about customers using all the data, but they're only doing it, so they can give there Directv customers all the free bandwidth they want, to watch tv & movies on there devices.

As a DirecTV customer, I'm fine with that!
[doublepost=1493494729][/doublepost]

Dynamic throttling after a data cap of 22Gb is not unlimited.

Does your data STOP after 22GB? No. Does your data slow down after 22GB for the entire rest of your bill period? No. Does your data slow down IF you are in an area that at that moment is experiencing high usage? Yes. Can you still get data during this period? Yes. Will you wake up tomorrow with full speed data? Yes.

Feel better now?

 

[I7guy]

Dynamic throttling after a data cap of 22Gb is not unlimited.

The data is unlimited, the speed is not guaranteed. That is a big difference between the analogy above living in the sonoran desert, which would be more comparable to a voltage reduction.

 

[Gasu E.]

Why, because you don't like to be wrong? Just look at those threads. Dozens of people are saying they are seeing no difference in data speeds.

I decided some time ago: just because I'm right, doesn't mean I need to convince every rock and stone. Much less stress that way. If someone's a data hog, and they want to leave my carrier because they are convinced every corporation is a thief trying to rip them off personally, let 'em leave. More bandwidth for the rest of us. It's really not worth arguing with these fools. Just my opinion.

 

[pdaholic]

The bottomline is that AT&T have been doing too much screwing with their customers who have grandfathered unlimited data plans. My grandfathered plan went up $120/year over a brief period, while they were throttling me down to unusable speeds when I went over 5GB. I ended up jumping ship like I'm sure several others did. I suppose one could argue that if the contract is up, AT&T didn't have to honor the grandfathered unlimited data plans at all. 22GB would have been more than enough for me, but it's too late as I've already switched carriers, and have no desire to go back to AT&T. Hopefully the rest of you still on AT&T will benefit from the changes!

 

[jakedsgn]

I hate when articles are so misleading and click-baity like this. It's still unlimited. Users will still likely be able to use 30, 40, 50, even 100GB and beyond on their iPad. It IS NOT a throttle. It IS NOT a data cap.

What it IS, is deprioritization. Your data is prioritized lower than other users ONLY DURING TIMES OF CONGESTION. And that doesn't mean you are going to see a hard cap to your speeds, you are just going to see slightly slowed speeds so that other users will have enough bandwidth and higher priority.

This is why everybody is so wrongly antagonistic and hostile toward the new unlimited plans, because they are convinced there is a 22GB **CAP** where you will be throttled down to unusable speeds. That is NOT the case, and people are unable to understand that because of constant misleading articles such as this.

Yes, speeds *might* be slowed. But only in areas that are very congested. Most users are not going to be on a super congested tower all the time where you'd actually see this "deprioritization".
[doublepost=1493429025][/doublepost]
It is NOT A DATA CAP.

You're overreacting. Besides, you will have the exact same "limit" (that really isn't even a limit) on every other carrier.

It is not a cap. It is a threshold at which users will see lower priority. If the tower is extremely congested, then their speeds will be slightly slowed so that other users will have usable speeds. No, it isn't going to strictly limit speeds to 128kbps or anything like that at all. What it might do, is reduce ALREADY SLOW SPEEDS. The network experience would already suck, even when not deprioritized.

For example, if the tower can only put out 5mbps to you because of congestion, then while deprioritized you might see something more like 1-2mbps. And this might only happen for a moment, as well. When there is less traffic again, speeds will go back to normal and be the same for everybody, those who are past the 22GB threshold or not.

To put things into perspective, prepaid customers ALREADY ARE ALWAYS DEPRIORITIZED.

I am sick of articles such as these misleading people.

True that. Throttling is a hell compared to the "network management threshold."

 

[Macaholic868]

Thanks for listening! Most other people are so convinced these plans are a complete scam that they won't even look at the actual real world examples of people who have gone over 22GB and experienced little to no difference in speeds. Ah well. If they want to sit with their expensive 5 year old 2GB data plans, then they can go ahead.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to heave read it and to have been enlightened by it. It makes perfect sense when you think about it. They've got to have some plan in place for what to do when their network gets so heavily taxed that it's up against its own limits. Throttling, when necessary, is a reasonable thing given the fact that there are real world constraints from time to time.

 

[aristobrat]

Using a term like Dynamic doesn't make throttling any more palatable. (i.e. live in the sonoran desert and power company dynamically throttles power when it's 104 C, no air conditioning, yay!) If a carrier promises me unlimited data with no caveats at a set rate, I expect unlimited data at the advertised speed. If the carrier can't deliver on what it promised and I'm throttled due to network congestion, I expect a refund/rate adjustment proportional to the less than advertised speed delivered for that period of time.

This plan hadn't been sold by AT&T since 2010.

Until recently, customers have been reselling this plan for literally $1000+ on eBay.

Now, after seven years of not doing anything to the price or terms, AT&T is changing the terms to be the same as the other unlimited plans they sell... and they're bastards?

Can you give any other example of a business or service that you've been using for the past seven years that hasn't had a change in price or terms?

 

[FelixDerKater]

Unlimited or usage restrictions? Pick one. You can't have both, telcos!

 

[aristobrat]

So why don't carriers advertise "Unlimited until deprioritized"? Not as catchy? The marketing ploy of Unlimited is dishonest at best.

Honestly, every ATT unlimited ad I've seen on TV and the Internet clearly states that after 22GB, "AT&T may slow your speeds". So they're pretty much advertising it the way you're talking about...

Below is the mobile version of their website. That 22GB slowdown potential isn't in small print.

 

[lazard]

Using a term like Dynamic doesn't make throttling any more palatable. (i.e. live in the sonoran desert and power company dynamically throttles power when it's 104 C, no air conditioning, yay!) If a carrier promises me unlimited data with no caveats at a set rate, I expect unlimited data at the advertised speed. If the carrier can't deliver on what it promised and I'm throttled due to network congestion, I expect a refund/rate adjustment proportional to the less than advertised speed delivered for that period of time.

Except the carrier never promised unlimited data at LTE speed, nor did they advertise it as such.