FCC Questioning All Carriers On Unlimited Throttling Policies

[kenroberts83]

Part of me wonders if this is a ploy to get all the carriers to just stop offering unlimited entirely.

That ultimately will be the result, as I've mentioned before. The FCC is going to 'help' customers right out of their unlimited plans.

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I wouldn't be upset if the FCC dropped the hammer on ATT or Verizon for their throttling practices. Won't happen, but id like to see it.

So you'd like to see all unlimited plans cancelled? What purpose would that really serve?

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Like how deregulating the airline industry helped everyone?

Actually, yes. Only the rich flew on the airlines before deregulation, and accidents have plummeted. Perhaps you'd like to go back to the old days? Well, luckily for you, you can start up your own airline at any time and voluntarily abide by whatever regulations you wish.

 

[Dorje Sylas]

And they'll charge according to how much data you want to use.

And if you don't want to use any Data they'll charge you anyways.

 

[kenroberts83]

Seriously? At $60 per month, it should be at least 3GB or 4GB.

If that's the case, then the market is wide open for you to seize! Start your own cellphone company and take that business away from the greedy corporations.

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In Ireland you pay 20euro and have unlimited data on pre-pay - on bill pay it's a 55 euro with unlimited everything.. www.three.ie

You guys in US should catch up...

If we lived on an island as small as Ireland, I'm sure we would. That's like having cellphone service that only works in Rhode Island. If you received the same service in Russia as you do Ireland, that would be about the equivalent of our continent-sized country.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

I don't see how some people have a problem with them looking in to see if it's right for companies to throttle data and to call it unlimited when it appears it isn't.

Surely only the consumer will benefit from this?

 

[kaielement]

I don't see how some people have a problem with them looking in to see if it's right for companies to throttle data and to call it unlimited when it appears it isn't.

Surely only the consumer will benefit from this?

I think the point some people are making is that if the FCC got involved and started regulating the major carries would get rid of unlimited data and make everyone switch their plans. And we know that would make a lot of people unhappy (like the people on verizon who buy their phones out right to keep unlimited data).

 

[kugino]

i love how verizon says that it only affects a small subgroup of its customers...then their claims that those customers are ruining it for everyone else seems like made-up horse$hi+, huh?

 

[Michael Scrip]

And if you don't want to use any Data they'll charge you anyways.

They'll sell you a flip-phone instead.

Or you can get an iPod Touch

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

I don't understand the issue. Unlimited throughput and network transfer rate are two independent issues.

 

[jav6454]

Since it's a internet based world now, I can imagine them trying to over charge you.

Capitalism at its finest.

 

[CEmajr]

Fortunately I'm on T-Mobile and my unlimited data plan is completely unthrottled no matter how much I use (for now).

 

[SoAnyway]

About. Damn. Time.

But if history has taught me anything, I will not be holding my breath getting unthrottled unlimited data back from AT&T and will be jumping ship to T-Mobile as soon as my contract is finished this October.

 

[adeedew]

Wow even tmobile does it ha? Why the F do these companies even offer "unlimited"?! I hope the FCC goes to the wall with all of them cause they're too big to give a S on customers. FCC try cable and satellite packages next

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

BIGGEST BS EVER... Lets throttle someone because they have used a lot of gigs so far... So what if they signed up for Unlimited data.. And so what if its 3 am and no one else is using the towers.. Lets still throttle their data... But ey.. if u go over to this plan.. And pay for more of our amazing fast data.. U can get those fast speeds all day long.. Its just stupid... AT&T and all the other carriers are able to renig on their end of the deal.. But as soon as we want to.. We have to pay the penalty...

Unlimited data does not equate to unlimited SPEED. That should be obvious to anyone that can read the word "data" there not "speed". I mean your entire argument is absurd and nullified. Why should other users be slowed to a crawl because someone is downloading tons of illegal torrents while they're just trying to check their mail? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. Throttling under heavy loads so everyone can USE the Internet rather than one person HOGGING it makes sense and the only arguments I see from those against that seem to be, if I pay more money than those beneath my social/financial level, I should be treated like a King and they can weight to check their email until my movies are all done downloading a few days from now.

Now if they want to sell data plans that guarantee SPEEDS instead of "data", then you'd have a great argument. But data <> speed.

 

[H2SO4]

Bad example. Try this. You go to a buffet and the first plate the waitress brings is a platter then the rest of the plates on the actual buffet are 8" plates. You can STILL have unlimited food you just have to do it slower because you cannot fit as much on the 8" plate as the platter so it takes more trips. Perfectly OK and within their advertised parameters.

Nope. It’s your example that’s bad.

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Unlimited data does not equate to unlimited SPEED. That should be obvious to anyone that can read the word "data" there not "speed". I mean your entire argument is absurd and nullified. Why should other users be slowed to a crawl because someone is downloading tons of illegal torrents while they're just trying to check their mail? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. Throttling under heavy loads so everyone can USE the Internet rather than one person HOGGING it makes sense and the only arguments I see from those against that seem to be, if I pay more money than those beneath my social/financial level, I should be treated like a King and they can weight to check their email until my movies are all done downloading a few days from now.

Now if they want to sell data plans that guarantee SPEEDS instead of "data", then you'd have a great argument. But data <> speed.

B.E.C.A.U.S.E. that’s what their contract says.
They are connected and always will be. If you limit my speed to a rate of 10MB per hour you have just limited my data quantity. Please tell me you can see that?
Please tell me you have the nous to work out that my monthly cap would be somewhere in the region of;
10 x 24 x 31 MB. I’ve paid for unlimited so give it to me. If you can’t manage that don’t advertsise it as such.
It’s not to do with how much I paid it’s to do with what I signed up for and that applies to all contracts not just my unlimited but your limited one too.

God I have no idea how people are so shortsigted.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I would have to read my contract again but I'm pretty certain that speed is NOT guaranteed in any way, shape or form. It's physically impossible. No one would open themselves up to such an easy lawsuit like this. - That applies to any kind of speed as a matter of fact. Anyone offering a product that involves speed, whether it's bandwidth, a car or your coffee machine, it will always be denominated with "UP TO whatever speed".

My issue is the intentional interference to artificially slow the data speeds. By "throttling" the data speeds, the carriers are taking an overt action to slow the data transfer speed. That is vastly different from publishing a guaranteed speed. No one is asking for guaranteed speed in this context. But, personally, I have a problem with the carriers interjecting artificial means of reducing the speed.

I pay for unlimited data. You have a capped plan. Why should my data speed ever be lower than yours if all other circumstance is equal (location, data service (3G, LTE, etc))?

The issue that the carriers are facing is that they offered a service that, now, they deem unsustainable (more likely, just not as favorable to their bottom line). But the problem is they offered the service and many took them up on their offer. Now that their profits are not AS obscene and they want them to be, they are monkeying around with the secret recipe. That’s not right.

 

[H2SO4]

My issue is the intentional interference to artificially slow the data speeds. By "throttling" the data speeds, the carriers are taking an overt action to slow the data transfer speed. That is vastly different from publishing a guaranteed speed. No one is asking for guaranteed speed in this context. But, personally, I have a problem with the carriers interjecting artificial means of reducing the speed.

I pay for unlimited data. You have a capped plan. Why should my data speed ever be lower than yours if all other circumstance is equal (location, data service (3G, LTE, etc))?

The issue that the carriers are facing is that they offered a service that, now, they deem unsustainable (more likely, just not as favorable to their bottom line). But the problem is they offered the service and many took them up on their offer. Now that their profits are not AS obscene and they want them to be, they are monkeying around with the secret recipe. That’s not right.

Glad to see I’m not the only one that can work that out.
If the carriers want out then that’s fine. They are under no obligation to extend a contract beyond the minimum period. They can say, “I’m sorry Sir/Madam that contract is no longer available, please choose from……...”. But whilst in contract they should abide by the terms they set and not redefine the word unlimited.

 

[kenroberts83]

Glad to see I’m not the only one that can work that out.
If the carriers want out then that’s fine. They are under no obligation to extend a contract beyond the minimum period. They can say, “I’m sorry Sir/Madam that contract is no longer available, please choose from……...”. But whilst in contract they should abide by the terms they set and not redefine the word unlimited.

The throttling actually only applies to customers without a contract. So you're free to switch at any time if you don't like the new terms.

Don't you see that potential FCC action will ultimately give you *fewer* options? Currently you can either keep throttled unlimited data, or switch to a tiered plan. If the FCC bans throttling, all unlimited plans are going to come to an end. Is that a victory? What are you trying to do, save customers from themselves?

 

[H2SO4]

The throttling actually only applies to customers without a contract. So you're free to switch at any time if you don't like the new terms.

Don't you see that potential FCC action will ultimately give you *fewer* options? Currently you can either keep throttled unlimited data, or switch to a tiered plan. If the FCC bans throttling, all unlimited plans are going to come to an end. Is that a victory? What are you trying to do, save customers from themselves?

So what. I’m on unlimited too, what I’m saying is give me what I paid for. I’m talking about throttling in general. It happens here in the UK too on unlimited plans.
If the regulators can get it regulated properly I don’t care if U/L is a thing of the past as I’m then is a situation where I know exactly where I stand.
It’s a victory for plain english. As long as these people that write contracts can get away with interprting them how and when they like we’re all in trouble. It means they do things how and when it suits them, not you.

 

[AZhappyjack]

The throttling actually only applies to customers without a contract. So you're free to switch at any time if you don't like the new terms.

Don't you see that potential FCC action will ultimately give you *fewer* options? Currently you can either keep throttled unlimited data, or switch to a tiered plan. If the FCC bans throttling, all unlimited plans are going to come to an end. Is that a victory? What are you trying to do, save customers from themselves?

I don’t understand your point about throttling only applying to customers without contracts. I have a contract with AT&T that gives me unlimited data. It’s no longer offered to new customers, but they continue to honor that contract for those of us who do have it. And they can and do throttle our data.

It will be a victory in the sense that they stopped the carriers from screwing around with the secret formula. If a plan/option/program is not (as) profitable for a provider, they are under no obligation to continue to offer (or in this case, forbidden from stopping) it. Just be honest with your customers and stop the shenanigans.

And as far as having "fewer options" if the FCC does something to intervene in this situation, I would argue that there are already fewer options. You can no longer walk into a VZW, Sprint or AT&T store and get an unlimited data plan. Not sure about TMO, but the bottom line is that tiered service is ALL you can get today anyway.

 

[kenroberts83]

So what. I’m on unlimited too, what I’m saying is give me what I paid for. I’m talking about throttling in general. It happens here in the UK too on unlimited plans.
If the regulators can get it regulated properly I don’t care if U/L is a thing of the past as I’m then is a situation where I know exactly where I stand.
It’s a victory for plain english. As long as these people that write contracts can get away with interprting them how and when they like we’re all in trouble. It means they do things how and when it suits them, not you.

Like I said, contracts aren't in question here. There are no throttled contract plans. Period.

You're aware of the change, in advance of actually being throtted. If that's not plain English, then I don't know what is. You haven't paid for truly unlimited data. The price you paid is far below what truly unlimited data would cost. Now you know the truth, so go change your plan if you wish. Quit trying to screw over others who like their plans.

 

[mtneer]

It will be interesting if the FCC actually bans the carriers from throttling. Then for everyone that quit the unlimited plan due to throttling, what do they get?
Could the FCC force the carriers to reopen the unlimited option to anyone that had the unlimited for a small amount of time, 1 month or so?

Not a chance. If the FCC bans throttling, I believe that all carriers will immediately drop renewing any unlimited contracts. The carriers are under no obligation to renew any contract once the term is up.

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Indeed. I remember too well how few minutes were included in plans, and how much overages of talk-time cost. Knew many people that didn't pay attention and ended up getting $500 phone bills. Fortunately, talk and text is all unlimited usually now. I would expect at some point all data will be as well.

That's when the next cash cow shows up for the carriers. In a resource scarce market with enormous barriers to entry, the carriers own the customer.

 

[Fant]

I think the issue isn't that they are throttling .. The issue is that they are choosing who to throttle based on financial reasons and not purely on technical reasons. If I'm hogging bandwidth I should be throttled regardless if I'm on an unlimited plan or 10gb plan. But in fact they are choosing to throttle only those with unlimited plans while letting those with X gb plans to go beyond what the unlimited user had used up. That sounds legally wrong.

 

[JimDeGuz]

I've been throttled by AT&T for years. I use about 6-8gb a month. I hope they know that when my phone can't be used for anything such as streaming video and audio services because it's down to dial-up speeds, they are no longer providing unlimited service.

 

[Gutwrench]

Bad example. Try this. You go to a buffet and the first plate the waitress brings is a platter then the rest of the plates on the actual buffet are 8" plates. You can STILL have unlimited food you just have to do it slower because you cannot fit as much on the 8" plate as the platter so it takes more trips. Perfectly OK and within their advertised parameters.

Not a good analogy. I'd say a better one would be paying for all you can eat shrimp. The server brings your first plate with ten pieces. Then you wait and wait and wait for the server to ask if you want more and then finally brings a second plate with just one shrimp.

While it may comply with the letter of the agreement but not with the spirit.

 

[whirldy]

Unlimited throttling for everyone!