AT&T sued for overstating iPhone, iPad data use

[asleep]

AT&T sued for overstating iPhone, iPad data use

By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Monday, January 31, 2011


A new class action lawsuit has been filed against AT&T, claiming that the company over bills for data usage, Courthouse News reports...

“AT&T’s bills systematically overstate the amount of data used on each data transaction involving an iPhone or iPad account,”...

Read more: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/att-sued-for-overstating-iphone-ipad-data-use/

 

[h1r0ll3r]

I have an unlimited plan so it don't bother me at all.

 

[MarximusMG]

Very interesting. Good find.

 

[kdarling]

I wonder if the "research firms" know about TCP/IP overhead.

 

[Applejuiced]

Interesting.
So the lawsuit aleges that they charge for more data than the customer actually used?

 

[Reefbone]

Interests me.... When the new plans came out I looked at my 3G data usage and I was below1gig every month that I had it. I held on to unlimited a bit but was looking forward to getting a 15$ breal on my bill. When I saw the data I was "using" on the iP4 I kept the unlimited. If they've been screwing me for a year I'll gladly take the 15$ x12months

 

[vong]

luckily i dont use 3g as much

 

[SAD*FACED*CLOWN]

meh...this case is a loser...I'm more interested in filing suit over the fee to enable tethering and wifi hotspot...that would be the class action suit to get in on

 

[thelatinist]

I wonder if the "research firms" know about TCP/IP overhead.

My first thought, exactly. There's going to be significant overhead for the HSDPA, even beyond the TCP overhead. And it will vary depending on signal quality, latency, etc. Can't imagine what it must be like in a marginal area on EDGE.

 

[Geckotek]

<snip>
I'm more interested in filing suit over the fee to enable tethering and wifi hotspot...that would be the class action suit to get in on

+1. If these carriers are going to go the route of tiered data, we should just be able to buy buckets and use them in any way we see fit.

My first thought, exactly. There's going to be significant overhead for the HSDPA, even beyond the TCP overhead. And it will vary depending on signal quality, latency, etc. Can't imagine what it must be like in a marginal area on EDGE.

However, users can't account for this. Therefore, the carriers that want to take that overhead into consideration should adjust their pricing accordingly. For example, if overhead is 10% then set a price that is 110% of their target price on the data used at the device level...the data the customer sees...not 100% of what is seen after passing through the carrier's systems.

 

[thelatinist]

However, users can't account for this. Therefore, the carriers that want to take that overhead into consideration should adjust their pricing accordingly. For example, if overhead is 10% then set a price that is 110% of their target price on the data used at the device level...the data the customer sees...not 100% of what is seen after passing through the carrier's systems.

No, they shouldn't. Data is data. You are as responsible for the cost of your TCP headers and ATM headers as you are for the MP3 you are downloading. What you describe is simply not the way data is sold. Anywhere.

 

[JRoDDz]

I have an unlimited plan so it don't bother me at all.

I have a $15 plan, so it bothers me a little.

 

[CosmoPilot]

meh...this case is a loser...I'm more interested in filing suit over the fee to enable tethering and wifi hotspot...that would be the class action suit to get in on

I argued this point in great detail a few months back, and the majority here at MR sided with AT&T's unethical practice of charging tiered users a tethering fee?

For the life of me, I cannot understand how it costs AT&T more money if I use 2GBs of data solely on my phone...or if I pump the same data to my computer.

Many argued till they were blue in the face that tethering uses more data...BUT failed to recognize that tiered plan users get charged for the extra usage on top of the tethering fee. I can see tethering fees for unlimited users...but not for tiered customers.

 

[neko girl]

@CosmoPilot, MyWi is your way of protesting this practice. If you think it's unjust, then do something about it.

In a way, your compliance is also your acceptance.

 

[kdarling]

For the life of me, I cannot understand how it costs AT&T more money if I use 2GBs of data solely on my phone...or if I pump the same data to my computer.

It's not about the total monthly amount. It's how quickly it's being used over a limited bandwidth connection shared by others.

As you know, phone cells are not infinite data transfer mechanisms. They have limits as to how much bandwidth can be used at any moment. A laptop can usually transfer more data than a smartphone within any particular timeframe. This reduces the bandwidth left for other users on that cell.

If your laptop reduces the transfer rate of other users, or worse, slows them to the point that they give up, you could be costing the carrier significant data plan revenue. Moreover, they might have to invest more in your cell locations to boost available bandwidth.

E.g. A cell could easily handle hundreds of devices that only transfer 100 bytes per second, and yet each will total 2GB in a month. OTOH, a single laptop could transfer the same 2GB in less than an hour at 6Mbps while using much of a cell's capacity for only a single paying customer.

It's a bit like having a bus pass good for 60 trips, but instead using it to take all the empty seats just for yourself on a single bus trip.

 

[Applejuiced]

I argued this point in great detail a few months back, and the majority here at MR sided with AT&T's unethical practice of charging tiered users a tethering fee?

For the life of me, I cannot understand how it costs AT&T more money if I use 2GBs of data solely on my phone...or if I pump the same data to my computer.

Many argued till they were blue in the face that tethering uses more data...BUT failed to recognize that tiered plan users get charged for the extra usage on top of the tethering fee. I can see tethering fees for unlimited users...but not for tiered customers.

In many countries you pay for a set amount of data then you can use it as you please and it includes tethering to your laptop or any other device.
Not in the US, carriers try to suck you dry and charge you twice for data.

 

[ThomasJL]

I was over-billed by AT&T

AT&T over-billed me many times for long distance charges. I had a discounted international calling plan that I paid around $5 for every month, but AT&T still charged me the full price for each call. This happened for four months in a row, and each of those months, I had to make around two calls to AT&T, each which would last around 45 minutes. After the fourth month, I finally got fed-up and switched to T-Mobile.

 

[Geckotek]

No, they shouldn't. Data is data. You are as responsible for the cost of your TCP headers and ATM headers as you are for the MP3 you are downloading. What you describe is simply not the way data is sold. Anywhere.

Really? So tell me where data is sold and how? Because I'm not too familiar with a lot of metered ISPs. Do you have some experience with some you can provide as an example?

And yes, they should, it's not a difficult concept. Charge the customer for a data measurement they can measure. The ISP can easily measure both.