AT&T Unlimited Data - How slow is it once you are throttled at the 22 GB limit?

[tx2005]

So I have DirecTV and since I was considering going up to the 15gb for $100 plan, I decided to just get on the new Unlimited Plan.

I haven't had an Unlimited Plan since about 2009, but I remember how once I hit that 5 GB limit, throttling barely allowed me to even load a website.

My question is, how bad is the throttling once you hit the 22 GB limit? Is video streaming completely out? Can you even load webpages/email?

Thanks!

 

[2298754]

Haven't been throttled in a long long time. Not an issue. Don't worry about it!

The old 5gb hard throttle was pretty bad, but streaming video did work fine at 0.5 mbps,

 

[imlynxy]

I do believe that Att has very little congestions now. Also they lost many customers. Thus this soft cap shouldn't be a problem at all. T-mo is way more congested, but they have 25 G vs 22G now. I have a line with 35 every month, never a problem since they implemented soft cap 5 G and later 22G

 

[maxsix]

I do believe that Att has very little congestions now. Also they lost many customers. Thus this soft cap shouldn't be a problem at all. T-mo is way more congested, but they have 25 G vs 22G now. I have a line with 35 every month, never a problem since they implemented soft cap 5 G and later 22G

Are you guessing or do you have a link proving "AT&T lost many customers?"

 

[maflynn]

Also they lost many customers.

Where did you see that?

From what I read, they added a lot of new customers last quarter (though not all the news below is good, they're not shedding the customers like you implied)

Link

Announcing its Q4 2015 earnings this afternoon, AT&T said it added 2.8 million wireless customers, though wireless-driven revenue was down compared to the year-ago quarter at $18.9 billion. AT&T is adding plenty of non-smartphone devices to its network, but it's also losing some postpaid customers, with postpaid sales dropping by 27 percent. That doesn't look so good compared to AT&T's rivals.

 

[barkomatic]

I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan which is identical to the new plans offered sans the direct TV requirement. I have exceeded 22GB on a couple of occasions and there has been no throttle whatsoever. I'm able to stream video in HD quality and there have been no other impacts to performance.

I think one thing that a lot of people don't understand is that the "hard" throttle policy is gone. That means that once you exceed 22GBs you will only be throttled *if* you are on a congested tower and *only* during the time its congested. When the congestion in the tower lessens or if you relocate and connect to a different tower the throttling immediately ends. You don't have to wait until another billing cycle. Essentially, you are just "de-prioritized" for awhile.

 

[Applejuiced]

We're not talking Q4 2015.
My guess is starting this month of February 2016 where all the AT&T unlimited data lines are free to go without ETF they did and will continue to lose lots of customers. I was with them for 18 years and pulled all 4 of my lines and many others I know did the same. Also those unlimited data AT&T customers have 60 days from receiving their bill with the increase in the data plan to switch without ETF so those numbers will surely keep increasing. And T Mobile is taking advantage of that situation at the perfect time by offering unlimited talk, text and data for $150 for 4 lines.
The exodus for Q1 and Q2 2016 will be considerable for AT&T.

 

[superevangelist1]

We're not talking Q4 2015.
My guess is starting this month of February 2016 where all the AT&T unlimited data lines are free to go without ETF they did and will continue to lose lots of customers. I was with them for 18 years and pulled all 4 of my lines and many others I know did the same. Also those unlimited data AT&T customers have 60 days from receiving their bill with the increase in the data plan to switch without ETF so those numbers will surely keep increasing. And T Mobile is taking advantage of that situation at the perfect time by offering unlimited talk, text and data for $150 for 4 lines.
The exodus for Q1 and Q2 2016 will be considerable for AT&T.

In my admittedly short time time on this forum I've noticed that you rarely miss an opportunity to bash AT&T or to question anyone's positive remarks about them. In those 18 years with them you must have had some very poor service. On behalf of those who've had AT&T as long as you did with the best service...I apologize.

 

[2298754]

On behalf of those who've had AT&T as long as you did with the best service...I apologize.

It's the Uncarrier effect. Almost as if T-Mobile is perfect and every other company sucks.

The T-Mobile crew have surpassed the Apple apologists in terms of being borderline crazy.

Clearly their marketing team deserves all the praise in the world. They've done a great job at making people feel victimized over something so unimportant.

 

[Applejuiced]

In my admittedly short time time on this forum I've noticed that you rarely miss an opportunity to bash AT&T or to question anyone's positive remarks about them. In those 18 years with them you must have had some very poor service. On behalf of those who've had AT&T as long as you did with the best service...I apologize.

Lol why you apologize, you work for them?
My service with them was good, just had to switch cause it made sense for me that's all.
Please don't take it personally, if you're happy with them then that's great.
Don't be upset cause me and many others are happy with the switch to tmobile.

 

[bpeeps]

Lol why you apologize, you work for them?
My service with them was good, just had to switch cause it made sense for me that's all.
Please don't take it personally, if you're happy with them then that's great.
Don't be upset cause me and many others are happy with the switch to tmobile.

To me you seem out of touch because you always talk about an exodus from ATT with no data to back it up, besides your own personal anecdotal information of "you and many others".

 

[aneftp]

We're not talking Q4 2015.
My guess is starting this month of February 2016 where all the AT&T unlimited data lines are free to go without ETF they did and will continue to lose lots of customers. I was with them for 18 years and pulled all 4 of my lines and many others I know did the same. Also those unlimited data AT&T customers have 60 days from receiving their bill with the increase in the data plan to switch without ETF so those numbers will surely keep increasing. And T Mobile is taking advantage of that situation at the perfect time by offering unlimited talk, text and data for $150 for 4 lines.
The exodus for Q1 and Q2 2016 will be considerable for AT&T.

You realize ATT's churn rate is around 1.1% percent. Slightly behind Verizon's 0.96% churn rate.

They obviously aren't "growing wireless" as they did in the smartphone hey days of 2008-2012. That's why the movement to report "connected devices". It's all a marketing ploy by the carriers especially Verizon and ATT (I own stock in both companies so follow them closely).

The number of people on unlimited data cancelling....we will see. Remember most people have lines in all sorts of different contracts. So someone with 4 lines may have 2 tiered data and 2 unlimited or flip phone lines. And the tiered data lines and flip phone data lines are eligible for ETF WAIVERS.

I hope you are happy with T-Mobile. I have had all 4 carriers. T-Mobile for 16 years. I carry line carriers with me for the past 9 years. Now I have 3 carriers I use! Including sprint att and Verizon. So I kinda of know how things are going in the orlando area or washjngton DC area.

 

[Applejuiced]

To me you seem out of touch because you always talk about an exodus from ATT with no data to back it up, besides your own personal anecdotal information of "you and many others".

I'm just guessing for now. We'll see some numbers in the next 2 quarters and then we'll see if I was out of touch or not

 

[2298754]

You realize ATT's churn rate is around 1.1% percent. Slightly behind Verizon's 0.96% churn rate.
.

This is a valid point. People act like TMobile is stealing AT&T/Verizon customers left and right, but Tmo's churn rate is still way higher. They aren't RETAINING their customers, like AT&T and Verizon.

 

[Snide]

I've consistently gone well over 22GB lately, and have yet to notice any reduction in speeds - even in downtown San Francisco during rush hour. A far cry from the days of being throttled at 2GB!

 

[imlynxy]

Where did you see that?

From what I read, they added a lot of new customers last quarter (though not all the news below is good, they're not shedding the customers like you implied)

Link

Att added cars and M2M devices mostly mostly. My car is connected to Att, my security systems to Att. Also customers, but with low profit and network usage. They are loosing. May be that's why today Att works and T-mo is down.

Guys, we have what we pay for. T-mo is not perfect, but price is great. Att is more expensive, but network is better.


About throttling: One of my lines is about 30 Gb, just checked it in a crowded place 25down/15up
[doublepost=1456019479][/doublepost]

This is a valid point. People act like TMobile is stealing AT&T/Verizon customers left and right, but Tmo's churn rate is still way higher. They aren't RETAINING their customers, like AT&T and Verizon.

I agree with you , most (not all) T-mobile customer are with a low income. Now I really know after my Lynn trip yesterday From Micro- to Macro- economics approach here

 

[cousintim]

you always talk about an exodus from ATT with no data to back it up

AT&T's postpaid churn has increased in each of the last two quarters. Considering the ETF waiver available to UDP users and the abolition of subsidies, it seems reasonable to expect the increase to continue in 1Q and 2Q 2016.
[doublepost=1456032293][/doublepost]

most (not all) T-mobile customer are with a low income.

Without a source, this is total BS.

 

[bpeeps]

AT&T's postpaid churn has increased in each of the last two quarters. Considering the ETF waiver available to UDP users and the abolition of subsidies, it seems reasonable to expect the increase to continue in 1Q and 2Q 2016.
[doublepost=1456032293][/doublepost]
Without a source, this is total BS.

Source?

 

[maflynn]

Source?

The churn has increased as reported in my link

but it's also losing some postpaid customers, with postpaid sales dropping by 27 percent. That doesn't look so good compared to AT&T's rivals.

Link

 

[cousintim]

Source?

So I call BS and ask for a source and your response is ask me for a source?! OK.

2015 Postpaid Churn (from AT&T filings)
2Q 1.01%
3Q 1.16%
4Q 1.18%​

Either he should document his claims or stop making stuff up.

 

[imlynxy]

AT&T's postpaid churn has increased in each of the last two quarters. Considering the ETF waiver available to UDP users and the abolition of subsidies, it seems reasonable to expect the increase to continue in 1Q and 2Q 2016.
[doublepost=1456032293][/doublepost]
Without a source, this is total BS.

Source? , may be we also need an app? : look around, ask people. We don't need "CNN talking heads" to understand what is around us. I said most, not all of them. I'm also T-mobile customer. I know some well established guys using T-mo. A lot of my friends, brokers, use it. But network is more often congested in "low" income neighborhoods (may be because they don't have sq. miles for one family). This is reality. Walmart plan , etc. I don't talk about class difference and politics here.

 

[cousintim]

Source? [...] look around, ask people. We don't need "CNN talking heads" to understand what is around us. I said most, not all of them.

Your personal anecdotes and "understandings" are not data. Facts talk; $#!t walks.

As I said, stop making stuff up.

 

[imlynxy]

Your personal anecdotes and "understandings" are not data. Facts talk; $#!t walks.

As I said, stop making stuff up.

Ok, ok, " I said" , I shut up.

 

[aneftp]

Since I am an investor in both att and Verizon. I have to follow both companies (also customer of both companies)

This is the official link (not the verge summary) of ATT Q4 2015 report

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/Externa...yfFBhcmVudElEPTUyMTM2ODR8Q2hpbGRJRD02MDc2MTg=

Read page 9. That's the real data everyone must analyzed. Att is still add post paid customers. The issue with "sales being 27% down" is that they aren't growing as fast as they were at the same time last year. But they are still adding post paid customers.

Like people sayings Apple iPhone sales are "down" but overall Apple is still selling more iPhones than ever.

Churn rate is 1.18% post paid. That is the key number. It's low. Sure it can flutucate from 0.86% a few quarters ago. "The sky is falling" saying att bleeding customers. It's far from the truth. Why? I can say Verizon was 0.90% last year and now it's 0.96% q4.

Bottom line is ATT isn't hemorrhaging customers like T-Mobile was in 2012 (their churn rate was close to 3% post paid) or sprint losing customers in 2013/2014 with about the same 3% churn rate.

Any quick google search "post paid churn rate" will show ATT's churn rate the past 9-10 years for post paid has been less than 1.3% and Verizon has been less than 1.2%.

While T-Mobile post paid and sprint post paid average close to 2% (with lots of flux between as low as 1.3% to as high as 3.1% (2012))

 

[bpeeps]

So I call BS and ask for a source and your response is ask me for a source?! OK.

2015 Postpaid Churn (from AT&T filings)
2Q 1.01%
3Q 1.16%
4Q 1.18%​

Either he should document his claims or stop making stuff up.

I think you're confusing the auto merge of your replies here. You said ATT was losing customers and I asked for a source. That's all I'm referring to.