AT&T throttling may make no difference Says Validas

[DroidRules]

Just another take on the AT&T throttling issue.

"....When we look at the Top 5% of data users, there is virtually no difference in data consumption between those on unlimited and those on tiered plans—and yet the unlimited consumers are the ones at risk of getting their service turned off. So it’s curious that anyone would think the throttling here represents a serious effort at alleviating network bandwidth issues. After all, Sprint gets by fine maintaining non-throttled unlimited data to its customers."

I hadn't seen these specific numbers and it's pretty shocking. I have said if you're in the top 2% and get throttled that's on you but if they're throttling at numbers below a tiered data usage simply to get a person to switch that's bunk. Any who, full story below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...rizon-pointless_n_1299310.html?ref=technology

 

[-aggie-]

As soon as they throttle me, I’m done with AT&T. You could be at the top 5% or even 2%, as you wrote, even if you weren’t really using that much, but just so happen to be in an area where your usage is higher than most others. The problem is AT&T is using this 5% vague crap, instead of an absolute number that you can easily judge where you’re going to be over the limit. Once you get the message, you’re screwed, and you might not even be over 1 GB for the month, but just so happened to have used more than most in the area.

 

[DroidRules]

Well I'm a convert for sure. You could find some of my posts not really siding with AT&T but not really having an issue with throttling. I know every market is different but I think they need to set a hard number. Maybe 20% over their highest tiered plan or something.... I really have no idea but basically they're trying to get people to go to tiered plans. I don't really see the advantage for AT&T because it doesn't look like the majority of users are going much over 3gig. (I know it would make a few $$ but I wouldn't think that much) I used to go up to 6gig when I tethered but I don't need to any more so my use is much lower. I'm sticking with AT&T even if I switch to a tiered plan at some point...... I really have no major issue with AT&T.... Yet lol.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I think you might want to look at it again with AT&T.

The teir group has data usage that is well below that of the non tiered group. It is very clearly different. Verizon yeah has no change but on AT&T very noticiable difference.

Also Verizon Teired data is 4Gigs on all their LTE devices so below the cap so no real effect.

 

[DroidRules]

If I understand you correctly you're saying AT&T's tiered plan is well below their unlimited? I wouldn't call 800mb well below but I guess we all interpret things differently.

I do think the poo storm that was started with the first suit brought against them will cause them to back down a bit. Seems like the publicity is just getting rolling and you know how that sometimes turns out.

 

[haulis]

It's really difficult for me to understand how they can throttle their unlimited customers once they hit a limit of 2GB (I know this depends on market etc.) but not throttle anyone on their 3GB plan.

So if I were in a specific market with an "Unlimited" plan and I cross the 2GB barrier AND was in the top 5% or whatever of data users I would get throttled but someone with the 3GB/month plan wouldn't? Is that how that works? If so how does that makes sense?

We could both be hitting 2.5GB a month but the "Unlimited" user would be the only one penalized even though we are paying the same for data.

 

[Pipper99]

It's really difficult for me to understand how they can throttle their unlimited customers once they hit a limit of 2GB (I know this depends on market etc.) but not throttle anyone on their 3GB plan.

So if I were in a specific market with an "Unlimited" plan and I cross the 2GB barrier AND was in the top 5% or whatever of data users I would get throttled but someone with the 3GB/month plan wouldn't? Is that how that works? If so how does that makes sense?

We could both be hitting 2.5GB a month but the "Unlimited" user would be the only one penalized even though we are paying the same for data.

This is why I believe that AT&T is being disingenuous about their reason for throttling: it's not about making the user experience good for all of their customers, it's about AT&T realizing how much money they're leaving on the table by not charging everyone for every GB used.

If we were all on tiered plans and paying $10 for each GB, AT&T should still throttle top 5% users down to unusable speeds if their stated reasons for throttling are genuine.

 

[TSX]

I average 5-6 GB a month, this last month i was throttled at 2 GB, only 11 days into my billing cycle, and I still ended up with 5 GB usage at the end of my billing cycle.

 

[lordofthereef]

If I understand you correctly you're saying AT&T's tiered plan is well below their unlimited? I wouldn't call 800mb well below but I guess we all interpret things differently.

800mb is almost 20% less. When you look at it as a percentage, it really is quite a lot less. Ironically, both groups are apparently using quite a bit more data than what ATT has decided to throttle at.

 

[cyks]

The article was posted a few days ago in the throttling thread, but, since people are talking about it here, I'll post the same answer.

Conversely, that same data could be used to promote AT&T's side as well.

It doesn't matter who is using more or less data or what they're paying for it.

The networks are over-saturated and AT&T is doing what it can to ease it's burden.... by throttling those it can. They can't stop someone who's paying for 5GB to stop using that much, but they can alleviate some of the system's stress by limiting those on unlimited plans.


Until the internal memo saying that they're simply doing this to get people off of unlimited data, to make more money, and that it has no bearing whatsoever on the network, nothing else matters.

 

[lordofthereef]

Conversely, that same data could be used to promote AT&T's side as well.

It doesn't matter who is using more or less data or what they're paying for it.

The networks are over-saturated and AT&T is doing what it can to ease it's burden.... by throttling those it can. They can't stop someone who's paying for 5GB to stop using that much, but they can alleviate some of the system's stress by limiting those on unlimited plans.


Until the internal memo saying that they're simply doing this to get people off of unlimited data, to make more money, and that it has no bearing whatsoever on the network, nothing else matters.

To this, I say "get rid of the 5GB data plan then." Give everyone a 3GB data plan. Make EVERYONE on the unlimited plan either convert or get out ETF free. Seems to me that would be problem solved. It would open up more bandwidth and make everyone happier.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

It's really difficult for me to understand how they can throttle their unlimited customers once they hit a limit of 2GB (I know this depends on market etc.) but not throttle anyone on their 3GB plan.

So if I were in a specific market with an "Unlimited" plan and I cross the 2GB barrier AND was in the top 5% or whatever of data users I would get throttled but someone with the 3GB/month plan wouldn't? Is that how that works? If so how does that makes sense?

We could both be hitting 2.5GB a month but the "Unlimited" user would be the only one penalized even though we are paying the same for data.

You have to look at it in percentages. Hard numbers is not the key fact.

As lordofthereed pointed out 800mb is 20% less which is a rather large differences. haulis you are comparing two different groups in terms of size so you need to use percentages. 5% difference can be saying to be statically insignificant as with the case on Verizon which I also already addressed.
You will be hard press to try to convence anyone that 20% is not significant difference. It is crystal clear that the top data users on AT&T unlimited are a lot hire than Tiered.

800mb is almost 20% less. When you look at it as a percentage, it really is quite a lot less. Ironically, both groups are apparently using quite a bit more data than what ATT has decided to throttle at.

bingo. You got it right there. It just seems some people do not know how to read and interpret the data.

 

[haulis]

You have to look at it in percentages. Hard numbers is not the key fact.

As lordofthereed pointed out 800mb is 20% less which is a rather large differences. haulis you are comparing two different groups in terms of size so you need to use percentages. 5% difference can be saying to be statically insignificant as with the case on Verizon which I also already addressed.
You will be hard press to try to convence anyone that 20% is not significant difference. It is crystal clear that the top data users on AT&T unlimited are a lot hire than Tiered.


bingo. You got it right there. It just seems some people do not know how to read and interpret the data.

Makes sense.

 

[zephxiii]

It is crystal clear that the top data users on AT&T unlimited are a lot hire than Tiered.

Oh i've seen some data usage screen shots from some of those really high usage users....10GB and beyond lol.

 

[ChrisTX]

Whenever I get throttled, and it's usually at 2gb, my phone simply becomes unusable. They don't just slow me down they make it so things become unresponsive all together. If I didn't have family on my plan I'd leave for VZ right now.

 

[takeshi74]

It's really difficult for me to understand how they can throttle their unlimited customers once they hit a limit of 2GB (I know this depends on market etc.) but not throttle anyone on their 3GB plan.

Pretty simple, really. There are limits either way.

We could both be hitting 2.5GB a month but the "Unlimited" user would be the only one penalized even though we are paying the same for data.

You're not paying the same. Even if you're both paying $30 the limited user is limited. That's not the same. A la carte != all you can eat*.
* not really all you can eat

Whenever I get throttled, and it's usually at 2gb, my phone simply becomes unusable. They don't just slow me down they make it so things become unresponsive all together.

Not sure what you mean. They can't make your device unresponsive. If it's unresponsive because of features that rely on data that has been throttled then, of course, responsiveness will be affected.

 

[a17inchFuture]

this is unbelievable ... i have unlimited data plan, never got any message about my data consumption, and yet i literally havent been able to load a single webpage via 3g since days ago ... it just sits and spins endlessly... and best of all ... the phone stalls and wont connect to the network if i dont have wifi on ... in other words, there is like no data getting to my phone other than via wifi.

I barely use it other than to surf the web and check email, and the majority of my time is spent at home or the office, where it uses wifi ....

if this doesnt stop, and like in the next month (and not just me, for the whole network), i will happily cancel, pay any one-time fee, and then never be a customer of att again ... They think they can take record profits and screw their entire customer base (--oh excuse me, only the ones who pay well and use it the most!) they are wrong ....

... and oh by the way, i will be taking my whole family plan for 6 with me, so enjoy the loss of business, att, I'm sure i am only the beginning!

 

[dylanursula]

this is unbelievable ... i have unlimited data plan, never got any message about my data consumption, and yet i literally havent been able to load a single webpage via 3g since days ago ... it just sits and spins endlessly... and best of all ... the phone stalls and wont connect to the network if i dont have wifi on ... in other words, there is like no data getting to my phone other than via wifi.

I barely use it other than to surf the web and check email, and the majority of my time is spent at home or the office, where it uses wifi ....

if this doesnt stop, and like in the next month (and not just me, for the whole network), i will happily cancel, pay any one-time fee, and then never be a customer of att again ... They think they can take record profits and screw their entire customer base (--oh excuse me, only the ones who pay well and use it the most!) they are wrong ....

... and oh by the way, i will be taking my whole family plan for 6 with me, so enjoy the loss of business, att, I'm sure i am only the beginning!

Its funny you mention this as my wife and I have had the same issue. We have not been throttled (weve only used 400 and 800Mb on each line with 7 days to go) yet 3G is unusuable mostly.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I'm done with AT&T forever. 6+ years and 4 phones, all gone now.

Throttling would have been the last straw for me. What really pissed me off was that they didn't care about my needs as a customer (I went over their 'limit' one time), but they expect me to care about their bandwidth issues as a provider.

They are a utility service. I found a different provisioner for the utility I needed. End of story.