FCC Questioning All Carriers On Unlimited Throttling Policies

[alexgowers]

If the carriers can prove networks are actually congested because of these high data users, then they should be able to implement throttling so low data users are getting higher priority.

But just throttling down a user based on their high usage should be illegal based on the term UNLIMITED.

Often I suspect the networks are just limiting the data that can be used rather than for any network congestion reasons and that is not right or fair. The FCC should totally investigate this further.

Data itself doesn't cost anyone anything, but if the infrastructure is the issue then bigger questions need to be asked as to why the network refuses to upgrade congested areas and even areas of poor/weak service.

I also think that there is chronic underinvestment in new tech by these networks causing new technology like 4G/LTE to operate a basically the same speed as older networks but charging more for them. I personally think ping times are far more important than speed and suspect those are also being manipulated for heavy users.

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

You are not getting unlimited now so how is it any different? The ceiling still exists whether it's a number or throttled.

Tiers for data is more important than minutes or texts both of which don't even require fancy LTE etc and can work on old equipment they can pick up for nothing. The data tier is now the only part operators can market.

 

[Tech198]

my god, this sounds exactly like what standard DSL plans do, except this is for mobile carriers..

I like it, but they should be more up-front with "We will slow you down after x gig" and NOT just mention "unlimited" since it is somewhat, but not at full speed after the fact. Thus, most people would either bundle more data on, or leave it.

People will get the wrong idea otherwise. So, i dunno why they are not up front, without it being buried in their Terms users must go look for.

Other than that, i see nothing wrong.

U can't actually expect a mobile carrier to let a user use as much data as you want without limiting can you ? It would bosh the network

 

[mac.cali]

They should make all data unlimited and charge by speed like the cable companies do. The higher the cost, the faster you get.

 

[Tech198]

Wouldn't that kinda be like 'Net Neutrality' ?

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

First, if it's only the top 5% using massive amounts of data, then what is the problem? The carriers already have PAID plans for large amounts of data, so it seems if you're willing to pay for it, then it's OK, but if you're on unlimited plans, then it's not. So, their excuses of network congestion are untrue.

Second, if it turns out that the throttling is illegal (which is unlikely), I wonder of all of us who HAD unlimited plans and switched can get our unlimited plans back or some sort of compensation?

Lastly, AT&T started doing this years ago. Why is this, all the sudden, something the FCC has an interest in? What is special about Verizon customers?

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Apple should start a carrier service

Consumers are already being ripped off and overcharged. Last thing we need is insanely overpriced service from Apple.

But then again, just think...I'd be the envy of all my friends because I have Apple Wireless (which I presume would only work on Apple hardware as there would be blocks for any other manufacturer hardware!). I'd be ELITE again!!

 

[mac.cali]

First, if it's only the top 5% using massive amounts of data, then what is the problem? The carriers already have PAID plans for large amounts of data, so it seems if you're willing to pay for it, then it's OK, but if you're on unlimited plans, then it's not. So, their excuses of network congestion are untrue.

Second, if it turns out that the throttling is illegal (which is unlikely), I wonder of all of us who HAD unlimited plans and switched can get our unlimited plans back or some sort of compensation?

Lastly, AT&T started doing this years ago. Why is this, all the sudden, something the FCC has an interest in? What is special about Verizon customers?

What if Verizon said top 5% use only about 3gb? The number they provide is what we have to go by. They aren't proving if it's fact or not.

Second, you received a new phone to drop you unlimited data. The users on unlimited data had to pay full retail price. Huge difference bud.

Lastly, att did start throttling. However they weren't bind by the terms verizon is for purchasing block c. Which verizon is using for their lte which the public owns and verizon is leasing. Might want to educate yourself a bit.

 

[DeafMacMobile]

Illegal Throttle

Verizon haven't told you that majority of Deaf and HH are on Grandfather Unlimited plans. Verizon doesn't want to reveal this to FCC and anyone else.

We rely on our Video calls thru Video Relay Service (VRS) and Point to Point calls.

We must stress that it is illegal for any wireless carriers to put throttle on our video calls due to the protection of life, health, safety or property. (911 calls)

How would you feel that if they put throttle on your voice calls? How about VoLTE? Both Verizon and AT&T want to use VoLTE to be a bill as voice calls not the data usage at all. The problem is that both LTE and VoLTE are on same data line (internet based). That is net neutrality violation!

We want to make sure that we must have video interoperability that need to have LTE and VoLTE to be integrate as interoperability.

You guys have all voice interoperability on every telephone and mobile devices, but we still do not have video interoperability yet.

For this reason, we must have video interoperability so that we have choices to call either video call or voice call. Video interoperability is for everyone. We must tell FCC and wireless carriers that throttle is illegal to use on Video & Voice calls on LTE/VoLTE.

Bless to have iPhone in our hands!

 

[C DM]

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?

Except they aren't saying that. They are saying that out if everyone that is the group they would throttle to help ease the congestion. Since the choice is either throttle everyone or some group they are going with a group and that is the group they decided to use.

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Nope. It’s your example that’s bad.

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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.

Where in contract (or essentially terms and conditions) does it say something in particular about speeds?

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Verizon haven't told you that majority of Deaf and HH are on Grandfather Unlimited plans. Verizon doesn't want to reveal this to FCC and anyone else.

We rely on our Video calls thru Video Relay Service (VRS) and Point to Point calls.

We must stress that it is illegal for any wireless carriers to put throttle on our video calls due to the protection of life, health, safety or property. (911 calls)

How would you feel that if they put throttle on your voice calls? How about VoLTE? Both Verizon and AT&T want to use VoLTE to be a bill as voice calls not the data usage at all. The problem is that both LTE and VoLTE are on same data line (internet based). That is net neutrality violation!

We want to make sure that we must have video interoperability that need to have LTE and VoLTE to be integrate as interoperability.

You guys have all voice interoperability on every telephone and mobile devices, but we still do not have video interoperability yet.

For this reason, we must have video interoperability so that we have choices to call either video call or voice call. Video interoperability is for everyone. We must tell FCC and wireless carriers that throttle is illegal to use on Video & Voice calls on LTE/VoLTE.

Bless to have iPhone in our hands!

Wouldnt the majority be on special plans like that and not just regular ones?

 

[britboyj]

How about we make all the carriers offer an unlimited package to new consumers first, eh?

 

[Macboy Pro]

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...

Here is the deal. Verizon and AT&T have allowed the Unlimited plans to continue, not because they have to but as a courtesy. They can cancel them ANYTIME, it is in the contract. Instead, they have let the customer retain their plans but are limiting the leeching at a certain threshold. Seems reasonable.

Just like everything the short sighted government gets their hands on, as soon as they are forced not to throttle, then the notices of canceled unlimited plans will start arriving. Law of unintended consequences.

As the CEO of AT&T honestly admitted, the unlimited plans were a poor decision and that is why then ended the offering immediately. Carriers can not keep up with demand and the changing market. Back in 2007, no one really anticipated that the entire country would want to stream video (HD in many cases) over mobile devices. In 2007, the bandwidth was not there.

By the way, unlimited data does not equal unlimited bandwidth No one is purchasing unlimited bandwidth.

 

[C DM]

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...

In the case of Verizon it's not happening when it's 3 AM and no one is using the tower, the whole point is that it only would happen when on a congested tower and only for the duration of the congestion.

 

[lwood]

By the way, unlimited data does not equal unlimited bandwidth No one is purchasing unlimited bandwidth.

This. Read every contract, it has the term "up to" in your speed. No carrier can guarantee speeds, that's just insanity. So it doesn't matter if you're throttled, your bits can still access the network, so therefore your data is still unlimited, and the carrier is still within the terms of their contract.

 

[Renzatic]

This. Read every contract, it has the term "up to" in your speed. No carrier can guarantee speeds, that's just insanity. So it doesn't matter if you're throttled, your bits can still access the network, so therefore your data is still unlimited, and the carrier is still within the terms of their contract.

Yeah, but when they throttle you back to near 0.2mbps connection after going over your data cap, and it takes you 5 minutes just to load up a webpage, then it seems less like a necessity, and more like they're abusing their position to inconvenience unlimited data subscribers so they can shunt them over to the tiered data plans.

 

[krravi]

IF they throttle your speeds can we throttle our monthly payments?

 

[iolinux333]

Nevermind

 

[winston1236]

Isn't this a political thread?! Sounds like a state interference policy to me.... And that's coming from someone in the UK...

Sounds like necessary regulation to me, if Verizon doesn't want to follow our laws they can close down. They obviously won't and like all corporation they need to be forced to follow the rules.

 

[JoshGlzBrk]

The original article is incorrect at the end. Verizon edited their network optimization page and removed any text that gave the impression that being under a contract would result in no throttling.

 

[AZhappyjack]

The original article is incorrect at the end. Verizon edited their network optimization page and removed any text that gave the impression that being under a contract would result in no throttling.

So, as the carriers are prone to do, VZW a changed the rules in the middle of the game. Classy.

 

[macosxuser01]

unrelated Question: Does anybody know when LTE-Advance is coming to the United States? Do you think LTE-A will be on iPhone 6?

 

[iolinux333]

Nevermind

 

[dannyyankou]

I thought this was a new story for a second, but it looks like macrumors moved their newest article to Wasteland. :lol


Edit: Nevermind, it was moved to the iOS forum, but taken off the front page.

 

[tigres]

I suppose the term unlimited is what gives me pause.

All you can eat = 2.125 trips to the salad bar, not really all you can eat.

 

[kdarling]

The original article is incorrect at the end. Verizon edited their network optimization page and removed any text that gave the impression that being under a contract would result in no throttling.

I don't believe there ever was any such text in their online policy.

Nor does it make sense that there would be, since the policy is not in effect yet.

The only mention of it was in their press release, which said the policy was planned to start in October.

 

[iolinux333]

Nevermind

 

[unplugme71]

And so the carriers can finally get rid of any grandfathered contracts once and for all. There is no commitment by the carrier to indefinitely extend the contract every 2 years.

Seriously - just stop providing it and switch everyone to another data plan already. I'm tired of hearing this crap. I stopped last year and I'm actually saving $40 a month with AT&T family plan.

And now that there are a ton more WiFi hot spots, I don't even reach the 10GB shared.