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ATT will throttle you for 2gb of Data or more
- Thread starter chakraj
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Of course it's about money. You are costing them more and more of it and it's no longer worth it to them to retain you. If you switch to tiered great--they would like that. But if this causes you to leave? They don't care. To them you are like the 800lb. gorilla at the all you can eat buffet--only worse (the buffet is only available for a set period of time).
Who suffers? Your fellow man whose speed and ability to also use the network suffers. It's a shared resource--not there just for you alone.
Stuck with tiered? Hardly. I had an iPhone since it first came out and of course had unlimited. But after years of averaging 300-500MB per month, with only one month over 1GB (1.1GB) I realized all I was doing was subsidizing those using far more than I did--often more in one month than I used in an entire year. So I voluntarily dropped unlimited and am very happy I did. Better yet I save a few bucks each month and don't live in fear of throttling.
Michael
I am looking for examples or testionials from people who have suffered due to my data consumption, or the "upper 5%". "Your fellow man" is a pretty stupid answer. Just the facts please, not vague retoric.
I also remeber reports several months ago of AT&T seriously over reporting the amount of data some people were using and overcharging accordingly. So if we look at these facts AT&T tried to get more money from teired users, they complained loud enough and AT&T eased off. Now they are going after UNLIMITED customers. I'm sure if we complain loud and long enough we can get them to ease off of us as well.
At some point the bad press will cost more than throttling our data speeds.
I can only go with what I have personally experienced, but I can say that data speeds in high population cities (talking Los Angeles and Chicago) are much better now than they were even two years ago. Of course, this can also certainly be a result of the network being built out over that same time frame. Not exactly sure what sort of hard evidence can be provided. no matter what is said, it's inevitably going to be picked apart.
Wow. If you call looking out for your fellow man "stupid" then... well, wow. Testimonials? C'mon now, grow up. I have certainly witnessed areas and times where 3G is obviously at or over capacity. I see it in my own city from 4-6 PM when many people are getting off work. You want me to definitively say the speed degradation was because of you? OK it was because of you. There's your testimonial.
Furthermore if you think mobile data is not a shared resource then nothing I will say will suffice.
And bad press? The more light that is shown on this issue the more people will see how such a small group felt entitled to so much.
As far as a money issue: it is. But it is about the expense and capital expenditure side of the balance sheet and not revenue generation.
For one thing, it only affects a small subset of customers. Some affected will leave, which of course is a reduction in revenue not increase. Some will go to the 2GB plan which is also a reduction in revenue. Some will curb their consumption and continue paying $30 per month--no increase in revenue there. I have seen people claim to be doing, or soon will be doing, all 3 of those options. What I have not seen are people saying they are moving up to the $45 4GB plan. It is not a stretch by any means to postulate that AT&T will lose revenue over this and not gain.
But where they gain is in providing adequate infrastructure for the core base of clients without surpassing capacity. Whether you want to believe it or not there is no chance the current mobile data networks could handle it if everyone used data like you do--or were, as it may. Yes they could go crazy building more and more infrastructure. And make no mistake they are. But to do that for a small subset of your customer base is foolish from a business perspective.
Michael
Bingo! We finally agree. I can't understand why you so strongly defend AT&T and their policy to reneg on deals they made with their customers. Unless you work for AT&T or just like playing "devils advocate".
Interesting
Good question, there's another "I'm leaving" post here, but by leaving without a fight, you let Att ... f you in your hole, without ky ...
In the contract, they offered us unlimited plan at extra cost, we upheld our end, by paying ...
If the tables were switched and we didn't pay, they surely would send their dogs after us to collect what's due
It's our duty to fight for what was promised to us, unlimited data.
Personally it gives me pleasure to go after doechebags and greedy corps, but I see many here that are afraid to flight or simply don't mind paying extra (yes, and trolls), just because Att feels you should and bluntly doesn't care about honoring their end of the agreement.
Good question, there's another "I'm leaving" post here, but by leaving without a fight, you let Att ... f you in your hole, without ky ...
In the contract, they offered us unlimited plan at extra cost, we upheld our end, by paying ...
If the tables were switched and we didn't pay, they surely would send their dogs after us to collect what's due
It's our duty to fight for what was promised to us, unlimited data.
Personally it gives me pleasure to go after doechebags and greedy corps, but I see many here that are afraid to flight or simply don't mind paying extra (yes, and trolls), just because Att feels you should and bluntly doesn't care about honoring their end of the agreement.
Yes finally someone who understands. Its the principle of the matter. You only have the rights afforded to you by a contract if you hold the other party to said contract, if you let them break it with no protest or fight then you are not entitiled to the bennefits. In this case unlimited data at normal network speeds.
Yes, the improvement on the network over the past 2 years likely has to do with them throttling Unlimited users... and probably nothing to do with them building a better network, users having more options on what carrier to go to for an iPhone, or many phones using LTE (where available) instead.
Its like this, ATT built a boat (their network) and started selling tickets, they said its 30$ for a boat ride and you can bring any amount of luggage you want with you.
Then one day they found out that their boat was getting full, so instead of spending the money to expand the boat (build their backhaul) they said OK from now on its 30$ but you can only have one peice of luggage.
Then the boat was still getting full, so instead of building their network they decided to throw the luggage of the people who had the "unlimited luggage" option off the boat. How is that fair, they paid for unlimited luggage and now they are being punished for choosing an option that was availalbe at the time. Its dirty dealing no matter how you look at it.
Then one day they found out that their boat was getting full, so instead of spending the money to expand the boat (build their backhaul) they said OK from now on its 30$ but you can only have one peice of luggage.
Then the boat was still getting full, so instead of building their network they decided to throw the luggage of the people who had the "unlimited luggage" option off the boat. How is that fair, they paid for unlimited luggage and now they are being punished for choosing an option that was availalbe at the time. Its dirty dealing no matter how you look at it.
I said that very thing. Proof was requested. Hard to give proof on something like this. For a single user, it is basically impossible. I would think it is twofold. Building out a better network and reducing the amount of bandwidth being consumed. There are two sides to this coin. Can you prove that the people using dozens of gigs a month were not adversely effecting those users who were not?
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I agree. What they need to do is stop grandfathering unlimited data. Simple as that. Would it be unpopular? Sure, but at least people couldn't claim they are not getting what they were told they were getting.
You agree with me! Hold on I have to write this date down.
Oh shoot, on second thought that must mean I am wrong, no JK.
If AT&T cannot provide its customers with the services they advertised and sold them, it is nobody's fault but AT&T. Nobody is suffering because of the usage of others. They are suffering because of AT&T's inability or unwillingness to deal with the demand on their networks. Period.
You agree with me! Hold on I have to write this date down.
Oh shoot, on second thought that must mean I am wrong, no JK.
I always thought that what they did was shady... I was never against you on that. I do believe what they are doing is technically legal though (and, if I recall, this is where we butt heads), which would make it within their right to do. Plenty of companies do this. My fiance's company flew them out to San Fran for a Christmas dinner as a tax write off. And it was perfectly legal to do. Unfortunately morality and legality don't always (maybe EVER lol) intertwine.
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ATT would argue that this IS them dealing with the demand on their networks. I don't necessarily agree with them, but I think all of the people shouting "build out" don't actually know what that even means, or what it entails, or even if it can be logistically done in all markets.
AT&T will argue that in order to provide its customers with the services they advertised and sold them, they can't provide their customers with the services they advertised and sold them? Makes sense. That it would come from AT&T I mean.
AT&T doesn't have to argue with anyone or provide any reason to throttle. The original contract has the stipulation that they could change the contract at any time and that, if one doesn't like the changes, they are free to leave within a certain time frame without paying the ETF.
They announced the change back in July that they would begin throttling on October 1st. That people didn't read between the lines on what was happening/ going to happen, and decided to wait to see how bad it was going to get isn't AT&T's fault. They did everything they needed to.
Shady and unfair? Sure, but that's big business for you.
It's just funny how so many people didn't think this would effect them since they 'only' use 5GB of data a month.
The ironic thing here is that it is not limited to AT&T. So your statement should read "Makes sense. That is would come from an American mobile phone/broadband provider".
Stop using video / music streaming applications (netflix, pandora, etc) and there is no way in hell someone could realistically use more than 2gb per month...
My buddy at work and I have been having this same discussion. He is on the unlimited plan and got throttled (6.5 GB last month used). I am on the tiered plan. He is very upset about it and we've been discussing it for the last few days. Here's something that I haven't seen brought up in this thread:
When AT&T offered you guys an unlimited plan, most were with an iPhone 3G or 3GS, am I right? Back then, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, etc. did not exist and AT&T did not foresee these things coming. They expected data use to be for downloading songs, checking email, etc. As the phones have gotten more technologically advanced, the network has not. The phone capabilities are advancing faster than the network can upgrade.
Now I know many of you with unlimited plans will say, "but that's their problem, not mine." However, the reality is, it is ALL our problem. I do believe that they are trying to get you guys to go to a tiered plan because from a business perspective, it makes great sense. The few of you who are left will either move to it, or move to a different carrier and AT&T doesn't care which one you do as long as you do one or the other.
It's kind of like having a job and you are a great worker. However, it doesn't make financial sense to keep you around. The workplace can't fire you, but they can make your job so miserable that you quit.
When AT&T offered you guys an unlimited plan, most were with an iPhone 3G or 3GS, am I right? Back then, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, etc. did not exist and AT&T did not foresee these things coming. They expected data use to be for downloading songs, checking email, etc. As the phones have gotten more technologically advanced, the network has not. The phone capabilities are advancing faster than the network can upgrade.
Now I know many of you with unlimited plans will say, "but that's their problem, not mine." However, the reality is, it is ALL our problem. I do believe that they are trying to get you guys to go to a tiered plan because from a business perspective, it makes great sense. The few of you who are left will either move to it, or move to a different carrier and AT&T doesn't care which one you do as long as you do one or the other.
It's kind of like having a job and you are a great worker. However, it doesn't make financial sense to keep you around. The workplace can't fire you, but they can make your job so miserable that you quit.
The funny/ sad thing is that they CAN 'fire' those grandfathered in. They could simply not renew the contracts. Within 2 years, the problem is solved.
What? Let's just assume AT&T has 1 million smartphone users (it's more than that, but this is for ease of use). 5% of 1 million is 50,000. Have you seen 50,000 individual complaints? I sure haven't. And that number is much smaller than it actually should be. I would say it should be at least five times that, perhaps more.
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They certainly can. If I were them (which I am not, and they irrefutably know better than I do) I would just put this thing to bed and shut down unlimited altogether.
You have a very realistic view, something which most people here don't seem to have. I commend you for that. A few corrections and thoughts.
Pandora certainly has been around for a while. Maybe not at the launch of 3G, but shortly after. I have logged thousands of hours since its launch. Thing is, it also doesn't use a lot of data. I can quantify this by saying that I can run it all day and only accrue somewhere between 100-150mb of data for the day. This can EASILY be surpassed on netflix in a single hour.
To a point, I can agree with the unlimited sentiment. To be completely fair to the customer, I personally feel that they should just get rid of unlimited all together. Either that, or not throttle the data to the ground. Once people get hit with the throttle (often times right around 2GB) the net is basically unusable. So... what's the point? Clearly the point is to pressure people into jumping ship for a tiered plan and feel like they did it themselves. This is fine, I guess, except the whole time they are claiming that they are doing this to better the customer experience.
Lastly, and this is something most people don't realize, the US is one of the few countries that even offers unlimited data. So we literally went from extreme value with the unlimited plan, to just about the worst value globally. Many countries offer the same tiered plans (and many offer more data) for a smaller cost. Let's expound on these fees and take a look at the minutes plan that they tack on. Many people aren't using the minutes they are paying for, and these minutes are also something we are grossly overpaying for, compared to our friends overseas. I think people would certainly be more open to these packages if they were a bit cheaper. Hell, I am on unlimited and have never been throttled, but I would be open to paying maybe $15-$20 for the first 2GB and then maybe $5 per GB after that. But the base pricing is ridiculous as are the overages, especially compared to what we were given not so long ago.
They certainly can. However, it is easier for a person to quit and to fire them. When you fire a person without just cause, it opens yourself up to discrimination suits and also paying unemployment benefits. However, if you quit, you lose all of those privileges.
The same goes for all of those people on unlimited plans. If AT&T terminates their contracts, it could open themselves up to a lawsuit or at least a large public relations backlash. However, if people just leave or move over to another carrier, then very little comes out of it.
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