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AT&T Fined $100 Million by FCC for Unlimited Data Throttling Practices

Good.

I've been throttled a couple of times to unusable speeds. And I'm still very bitter on their decision to end FAN discounts on the 3GB $30 plans. To me they're money-sucking leeches with all their changes to take advantage of the customer.
 
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Lets be fair, a lot of people have been abusing these plans for years. Streaming HD Netflix 24/7 or tethering to your computer so you can torrent 50-100GB a month over a cell signal? That's abusing the network and the abusers know it.

Unlimited plans were a poorly thought-out decision by the carriers, from a time where data demands were much lower and that demand rises exponentially every year. They share blame in this situation also no doubt about it, and they should have had the foresight to know their networks were going to get hammered more and more every year as smartphones exploded, but I can't blame them for trying to find ways to get the "heavy users" off of the unlimited plans.

I can't fathom how people could use up to 100+ GB over their phones. I manage to stay under my $80/month, one measly gigabyte limit every month (Telus in Canada). Do people really need to stream Netflix or whatever THAT much in a month? Or do they just do it out of spite, all the while saying "HAHA JUST TRY AND STOP ME" to the carriers?

Again, the carriers should have known better. But on the other hand as long as you keep your usage reasonable you shouldn't have to worry too much about the throttling. I thought I saw an example of a 5GB a month threshold somewhere in this thread and I would KILL to have a limit like that on my cell, and would likely never even come close to using it all.
 
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Nobody mentioned it (I checked). This is exactly what StraightTalk (and other MVNOs) got class-actioned for. I applied the day it was news, and still getting more NOTIFICATIONS and APPLICATIONS in the mail, as if I never did anything, and still NO CHECK. It's only a matter of time until #ATTfail is in the same boat, but yes, they are going to fight it longer and harder than the MVNOs.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/fast-talk-straight-talk-and-others-about-unlimited-data
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pre...e-provider-tracfone-pay-40-million-settle-ftc

if you had one of the MVNOs, file your claim now:
https://www.prepaidphonerefund.com
 
kdarling said:
Fines are bad because AT&T will raise its rates to cover the money required to give the government. No benefit to the user there.

Instead, a hard rule forbidding such throttling would be much more beneficial, along with a year or two of lowered rates for those who were affected.
Click to expand...

That would be the fair option for AT&T customers.
 
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kdarling said:
Fines are bad because AT&T will raise its rates to cover the money required to give the government. No benefit to the user there.

Instead, a hard rule forbidding such throttling would be much more beneficial, along with a year or two of lowered rates for those who were affected.
Click to expand...

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but if you think AT&T will raise its rates to cover the fine then wouldn't you also think that AT&T will raise its rates to offset the temporary lowering of rates for those affected?
 
SpasticPat said:
When does Verizon get fined? I'm an unlimited data user and it's much slower than others with the same phone in the same areas so I know they're throttling as well.
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Are you certain? I thought verizon stopped throttling a year ago or so. I am also a unlimited verizon data customer. And my speed seems really good, but I guess I haven't compared to other customers
 
So does this mean they're gonna stop throttling us grandfathered users??? Cause just the other day I got a text saying they're gonna throttle me cause I'm almost at 5GB for this month :confused:

I would've show it here, but I deleted it :mad:
 
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8CoreWhore said:
I got ripped off, but the govt get's 100 million. That money should go to those individuals affected, not the general fund and benefit everyone.

I payed the ETF to ATT, unlocked my iPhone 5S, signed up with MetroPCS and saved 50%. For $40/mo including taxes and fees, I get unlimited talk, unlimited text, up to 3GB data at LTE speed - then unlimited data at 3G speeds.

At ATT I paid $80/mo with taxes and fees. 450 minutes talk, "unlimited data" that was capped somewhere about 3GB then throttled so bad it was unusable. AND NO TEXT MESSAGES AT ALL. I refused to give them the additional $20/mo for SMS, and just relied on iMessages.

So my plan now costs half, and the services went WAY up. MetroPCS rides on T-Mobile network which has been fine for me.

Oh, and no contract at all.

And, MetroPCS just added FREE TETHERING up to my 3GB LTE speed. FREE.

So, yeah, goodbye ATT forever.
Click to expand...
so yea, I have a question? does MetroPCS slow you down so much as to NOT be able to watch Youtube videos? after the 3gb ?
 
norrismantooth said:
AT&T sent out notices informing customers of the class action suit regarding this very issue. I was notified via text message and again via email with my account statement. They sent multiple texts over the course of a few weeks. For each text received, I submitted a claim to be part of the class.
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This is something different... I know what you are talking about. the $9.99 thing right? this is not it.
 
Dopeyman said:
So does this mean they're gonna stop throttling us grandfathered users??? Cause just the other day I got a text saying they're gonna throttle me cause I'm almost at 5GB for this month :confused:

I would've show it here, but I deleted it :mad:
Click to expand...
Read your text closely. It depends on network congestion in your location... and it doesn't mean they will throttle you down to unusable speeds. I'm a grandfathered UDP users, and I'm over 50gb of data this billing cycle with 8 days left to go. Did some speed tests today. No signs of throttling at work 1:07pm (busy location) and home 6:54pm... :)
 
gramtrax said:
Awesome! At least the fine is substantial for a change, even though it will be a normal "cost of business" to a place like AT&T and they'll just roll it forward to all of us eventually.
Click to expand...

I read somewhere else that based on how much AT&T made last year, the $100Million fine is the equivalent of fining a minimum wage worker $15. Peanuts.
 
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Good!
I switched to AT&T when I bought a first gen iPhone on day 1 and have stayed with them since. I've never hit the limit so didn't really know about it until a couple days ago when I got a message from AT&T that I am close to the limit this month and at risk of being throttled. Pretty irritated.
I agree $100m doesn't sound like enough. How about just forcing them to truly live by unlimited?
I'd settle with being able to use tethering and add family to my plan if I can keep my grandfathered unlimited status.

FWIW, I sent the link to the FCC post back to the AT&T over limit message I got. ;-)
 
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How about fines for not allowing tethering on the unlimited plans? Unlimited means just that.....without limits, nowhere did they ever say in any documentation or contract (at least on business contracts when we signed up) that tethering would not be allowed with unlimited data plans, so why is AT&T being allowed to get away with this?
 
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Yipes.. AT&T in hot water from both corners of the ring.

Tom Wheeler must be boxing the pants of this one.
 
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