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ATT will throttle you for 2gb of Data or more

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ap3604 said:
Did you seriously just compare smartphone data to oxygen we need to live? :rolleyes:
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Yes, apparently for some 24/7 access to Netflix is now a life-or-death situation.

I do find it amusing how all-of-a-sudden a smartphone is now only about streaming--on 3G--and useless for anything else.

Never mind the the fact that when the iPhone debuted and was a hit it didn't have any apps other than those pre-installed. The only streaming app was Youtube. And when that was run on EDGE, and later 3G, it delivered reduced-quality streams to lessen the effect on the network and allow smoother playback.

Ironically I chuckled when Steve Jobs said in 2007 that Apple would not allow 3rd-party apps on the iPhone as they didn't want an app to wreak havoc on AT&T's network. Well here we are nearly 5 years later and that app is here: Netflix.

I think the mobile data networks will catch up as newly opened spectrum is more utilized, as well as other improvements. But it is not here yet and we must deal with the situation as it is now.

Perhaps some of the companies who benefit from us using their services need to step up and help. Let's take Netflix. They take our money but only exist because other service providers get the data from Netflix's servers to us--and that puts additional strain on those other service providers.

Here is one simple solution that could benefit a lot of people who want to use Netflix on 3G when away from WiFi: Have a 24-48 hour period where Netflix content can be downloaded on WiFi for later viewing. A scheduler would be nice too--sort of like a Netflix DVR. After 24-48 hours downloads are deleted (although a longer time period would be nice). Of course due to the %$@#$ movie studios this solution is probably not possible. But it would behoove Netflix to push them for something like this.



Michael
 
Tinmania said:
Here is one simple solution that could benefit a lot of people who want to use Netflix on 3G when away from WiFi: Have a 24-48 hour period where Netflix content can be downloaded on WiFi for later viewing. A scheduler would be nice too--sort of like a Netflix DVR. After 24-48 hours downloads are deleted (although a longer time period would be nice). Of course due to the %$@#$ movie studios this solution is probably not possible. But it would behoove Netflix to push them for something like this.
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I like this idea. I think you also hit the nail on the head as to why it likely won't happen. I think we could also use some optimization. I can't speak for video, but I know some audio streaming is terribly optimized. Pandora will eat maybe 100mb over 6-8 hours. Google Music and iTunes Match will eat something like 100mb an hour. I get that it is sound quality, etc, however that is a huge desparity, IMO. We are in the age of HD, HiFi, etc. but it would be nice to slightly decrese the quality of the content in order to save a TON on bandwidth.
 
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ap3604 said:
Screenshot showing this?
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Here you go. I do hate the "Pics or it didn't happen" thing. I even high lighted it for you, btw.
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AT&T gave its customers a reasonable expectation of unlimited data when it's customers signed up and agreed to fork over $30 a month. Never was it mentioned that we would be throttled or restricted or whatever. "Use your phone however you want without worring about it". That was the expectation.

I, for the past year, have consistantly used about 12-15 gigs a month. I never noticed that the network was slow or strained or anything that resembled being over worked. At times, in my house with the highest speed available, I have noticed that it reacts a little slower at peak times (my home computer). Between the hours of 5 pm and 7pm. I have never noticed this on the 3G network.
 
pooleman said:
AT&T gave its customers a reasonable expectation of unlimited data when it's customers signed up and agreed to fork over $30 a month. Never was it mentioned that we would be throttled or restricted or whatever. "Use your phone however you want without worring about it". That was the expectation.

I, for the past year, have consistantly used about 12-15 gigs a month
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People getting throttled at 2GB or less should be b1tching at you not AT&T. It's the above kind of consumption that brought this on.

Regardless, this is reality now. The days of using 12-15GB per month for $30 are over on AT&T. Either curb your data, pay for tiered, or move on to a different carrier. Good luck.





Michael
 
No way thats BS, 10 to 12 gigs a month is not abusive. 150 gigs a month is abusive. 10 to 12 is just using the network as designed.
 
Tinmania said:
Quit dreaming, kid. Time to face reality.



Michael
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Your funny, you make me smile. I was a kid 30 years ago.

I am facing reality, I am at 7 gigs and not even half way through the month. But I fired ATT and have a Verizon 4g LTE plan and phone now. So I voted with my dollars and left ATT after more than six years.

But thanks for the compliment, I have been working out so the kid comment is apreceated. ;)
 
Tinmania said:
People getting throttled at 2GB or less should be b1tching at you not AT&T. It's the above kind of consumption that brought this on.

Regardless, this is reality now. The days of using 12-15GB per month for $30 are over on AT&T. Either curb your data, pay for tiered, or move on to a different carrier. Good luck.





Michael
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Or AT&T and other wireless carriers could start giving people unlimited data.
 
eric/ said:
Or AT&T and other wireless carriers could start giving people unlimited data.
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Not AT&T as long as there is such a disparity between the top 5% and those below it.

If you push you can most likely have the ETF waived and then are free to try another carrier.




Michael
 
Tinmania said:
People getting throttled at 2GB or less should be b1tching at you not AT&T. It's the above kind of consumption that brought this on.

Regardless, this is reality now. The days of using 12-15GB per month for $30 are over on AT&T. Either curb your data, pay for tiered, or move on to a different carrier. Good luck.





Michael
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This throttling issue is like a car company offering a "10 year/100000 mile warranty" and then not honoring it after 50,000 miles or 5 years because "too many people are using the warranty".
 
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chakraj said:
Your funny, you make me smile. I was a kid 30 years ago.

I am facing reality, I am at 7 gigs and not even half way through the month. But I fired ATT and have a Verizon 4g LTE plan and phone now. So I voted with my dollars and left ATT after more than six years.

But thanks for the compliment, I have been working out so the kid comment is apreceated. ;)
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You are welcome! :)

And if you moved to Verizon that is great. You actually did something productive about it. It's the "why can't AT&T just give us what I want" whining, along with YACCA that is pointless (Yet Another Crappy Car Analogy :)).



Michael
 
Tinmania said:
You are welcome! :)

And if you moved to Verizon that is great. You actually did something productive about it. It's the "why can't AT&T just give us what I want" whining, along with YACCA that is pointless (Yet Another Crappy Car Analogy :)).



Michael
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How is the analogy pointless?
 
The whole point is he shouldn't have to move to Verizon! AT&T is slowly lowering the data we can use. Hellvalley is proof that the 2GB is getting lower and lower. When it gets to the point where you cant even check your email then maybe more people will take notice.

Sorry but AT&T is flat out wrong on this and if there intention is to go after abusers then just go after them and not people who are using there phone as intended. Yes that may means we can use 2-4GBs each month. As long as there's no tethering then it should be allowed based on our UNLIMITED data plan.
 
I think the best analogy is the pay in advance all you can eat analogy that I just made up.

ATT is a all you can eat restaurant, they charge 5$ for all you can eat per meal (as many plates as you can eat) They have a yearlong pre paid contract where you pay $1,825.00 in advance each year and you can eat their once a day all year long.

So you eat there every day, some days you only have one plate, some days you have two or three. You do this for three years in a row.

Then half way through the fourth year they decide that they will change it to all you can eat as long as it is on one plate. They still charge five $ for the service. But you can no longer have more than one plate. However that was not the service you signed up for or payed for so they are reniging on your yearly contract and they owe you remunerations as per contract law.
 
chakraj said:
I think the best analogy is the pay in advance all you can eat analogy that I just made up.

ATT is a all you can eat restaurant, they charge 5$ for all you can eat per meal (as many plates as you can eat) They have a yearlong pre paid contract where you pay $1,825.00 in advance each year and you can eat their once a day all year long.

So you eat there every day, some days you only have one plate, some days you have two or three. You do this for three years in a row.

Then half way through the fourth year they decide that they will change it to all you can eat as long as it is on one plate. They still charge five $ for the service. But you can no longer have more than one plate. However that was not the service you signed up for or payed for so they are reniging on your yearly contract and they owe you remunerations as per contract law.
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LOL! Another ridiculous analogy. Good luck using that one in court to make them give you "remunerations." This is better than comedy hour! :D



Michael
 
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Not to mention, the above analogy doesn't work because ATT doesn't require you to pay for your service in advance, much less a full year in advance.

And by the way, there have been multiple documented cases of people being kicked out of an all you can eat buffet for eating too much. I believe some cases even when to court, and lost.

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Armeniandave said:
The whole point is he shouldn't have to move to Verizon! AT&T is slowly lowering the data we can use. Hellvalley is proof that the 2GB is getting lower and lower. When it gets to the point where you cant even check your email then maybe more people will take notice.

Sorry but AT&T is flat out wrong on this and if there intention is to go after abusers then just go after them and not people who are using there phone as intended. Yes that may means we can use 2-4GBs each month. As long as there's no tethering then it should be allowed based on our UNLIMITED data plan.
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You are right, but Verizon is doing virtually the same thing. If we want to point fingers at ATT, we must do so at Verizon as well.
 
These at&t throttling threads are so irrelevant it's not even funny. This is an IPhone forum not a wireless forum. The fact is AT&T throttles along with VZW and there is nothing anyone can do about it. People need to stop their complaining and and be thankful for what they have. There are starving children in the world and people are complaining about slow speeds.... WOW.

If its such the issue everyone makes it out to be then switch your plan to 2GB or 4GB and pay for unthrottled data.


Have a nice day!!!!!
 
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I think you miss the point. People are mad because ATT has changed the rules of the game in the middle of the game. By your logic everyone should just take people changing or reniging on contracts and be happy.

I will tell you that should you sign a contract with me I will hold you to it. That is my right under the U.C.C. and you can take that to court.

I dont see how holding a corperation to a contract has anything to do with the inequalities of the world. Infact I think holding a large coperation to the contracts they agree to may be in the best intrest of the "people" in this case the "customers"

And I as someone who fired ATT am not crying about it. I am actually very happy with my decision. My internet speeds have increase 10 fold and I have unlimited.
 
For your reading pleasure....

Data Hogs at the All You Can Eat Buffet

Something's got to give.

20 years ago I sat down at a Sushi bar in LA where for $25 you could order all of the sushi you want over the course of an hour. Seemed like a good deal.

Not 5 minutes into lunch about 12 players from the local football team came in and sat down for the same deal. In short order they effectively shut the place down cleaning the restaurant out of everything fresh and worth eating. I left the restaurant hungry and unhappy, never to return again.

With the All You Can Eat data plans available in mobile, carriers/operators face a challenge similar to those running a buffet. How to satisfy the needs of the power eaters without impacting the experience of everyone else?

A recent study cited in the New York Times points out that a mere 1% of all mobile subscribers are using 50% of all data bandwidth!
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http://blogs.keynote.com/mobility/2012/01/data-hogs-at-the-all-you-can-eat-buffet.html




Michael
 
The way I see it, mobile broadband was never meant for a DSL replacement. People who tether are responsible for this throttling. If you're using above 5GB of data, you're either tethering, torrenting, or you're watching too much #$% on your phone, that's what computers/home DSL was meant for.

Yes, AT&T is lowering the limit. We all need to stop whining on this forum and take action. (That is, if it really matters to you that much.) Complaining about it, and doing something about it are two totally different things.

On the bright side, they still have not throttled me (yet). So hopefully it was a system glitch.
 
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