FTC to get AT&T Unlimited Data back!

[Caesars]

If you were promised unlimited, you certainly can't get to it while throttled. They should force ATT to allow (advertised data speeds 24/7 in one month worth of allotment) and throttle after that.

You can't get anywhere near anyone's idea of unlimited once throttled.

 

[jpeg42]

If you were promised unlimited, you certainly can't get to it while throttled. They should force ATT to allow (advertised data speeds 24/7 in one month worth of allotment) and throttle after that.

You can't get anywhere near anyone's idea of unlimited once throttled.

But of course that has changed since LTE came out. What we then saw was people tethering their phones and using it for home Internet. That is a far different usage than the 2g and 3g days when the plan came out.

 

[tigress666]

That's not gonna happen.
They won't release customers etf free like that by dropping the plan they signed a 2 year agreement on.

Except in the terms they say they have every right to drop the plan (I noticed that when signing up again). So being in contract doesn't gaurentee you'll keep unlimited.

And even if so, it doesn't guarentee next time you sign up they'll say they no longer will grandfather it.

It really depends on if AT&T feels they will lose more money by either fighting the FTC or if they lose if they feel changing the plan to be "truly" unlimited (I agree with others, it is unlimited, they didn't guarentee speed, just that they won't stop it/charge for going over) will cost more than the customers they will lose.

As is before the FTC challenged it AT&T felt it was better to make the plan unappealing to convince people to change vs. outright kicking them off (and losing customers). But I'm not sure how advantageous it is to them to keep the ones on unlimited.. Verizon made the choice that they'd rather just risk people leaving. Granted, they have more of the market, but AT&T isn't small themselves.

 

[dkh587]

AT&T should unthrottle us but at the same time they need to weed out the people tethering and using massive amounts of data illegitimately through their phone.. Especially since we are such a small percentage of users

They can do it. They warned me a few years ago, that they could detect me tethering, so I stopped. I was jailbroken.

I mean I could understand throttling if I was a power user or something, but I literally just wanna use safari and my apps and the throttling is a BITCH when it slows down. AT&T doesn't need to be so petty

Oh yeah, and one last thing... If AT&T wants us off of our unlimited plans, they need to offer better single data plans.

Basically I'm getting 5GB+ unlimited 2/3G for $30 a month.

2GB is $40.. I think? Smh..

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

So since the verbiage is soooo explicit with terms and what they can do at any point, where is it specified about changing data speeds? Like I mentioned before, AT&T can do what ever they want, but they need to understand that there may be law suits waiting for them on the other side for suspect practices. Oh wait, there is a law suit in the works now.

You need to read the fine print more carefully https://www.att.com/shop/en/legalte...are&siteId=je6NUbpObpQ-2vaqsJUGBhWBsnKb69ZZPA

'AT&T may reduce your data throughput speeds at any time or place if your data usage exceeds an applicable, identified usage threshold during any billing cycle. AT&T will provide you with advance notice of the usage threshold applicable to your data plan, or any changes to the applicable usage threshold either by a bill insert, email, text message or other appropriate means;'

'Unlimited Data Customers. If you are a grandfathered AT&T unlimited plan data service customer, you agree that “unlimited” means you pay a fixed monthly charge for wireless data service regardless of how much data you use. You further agree that “unlimited” does not mean that you can use AT&T’s wireless data service in any way that you choose or for any prohibited activities, and that if you use your unlimited data plan in any manner that is prohibited, AT&T can limit, restrict, suspend or terminate your data service or switch you to a tiered data plan.'

Except in the terms they say they have every right to drop the plan (I noticed that when signing up again). So being in contract doesn't gaurentee you'll keep unlimited.

And even if so, it doesn't guarentee next time you sign up they'll say they no longer will grandfather it.

That's why a number of us think they won't ditch it until the next time we upgrade. Otherwise, too many people would get out of paying the ETF.

 

[bushman4]

Regardless of how this ends with the FTC. it will be a few years for an outcome. But eventually these unlimited plans will disappear or be subject to a huge price increase

 

[mdlooker]

'AT&T may reduce your data throughput speeds at any time or place if your data usage exceeds an applicable, identified usage threshold during any billing cycle. AT&T will provide you with advance notice of the usage threshold applicable to your data plan, or any changes to the applicable usage threshold either by a bill insert, email, text message or other appropriate means;'

'Unlimited Data Customers. If you are a grandfathered AT&T unlimited plan data service customer, you agree that “unlimited” means you pay a fixed monthly charge for wireless data service regardless of how much data you use. You further agree that “unlimited” does not mean that you can use AT&T’s wireless data service in any way that you choose or for any prohibited activities, and that if you use your unlimited data plan in any manner that is prohibited, AT&T can limit, restrict, suspend or terminate your data service or switch you to a tiered data plan.'

They are contradicting theirselves all over the place!!

In one hand I agree to pay a fixed monthly fee NO MATTER the amount of data I use, then I'm not to partake in PROHIBITED practices THEN if I do I can be limited and so forth to include changed to a tiered plan. Magic question: what contractually am I doing that is explicitly prohibited??

I don't remember seeing verbiage in my contract that states my unlimited is only 5GBs and anything more is PROHIBITED.

I don't remember seeing an email or text message telling me that I'm approaching 5GBs so beware of throttling.

See they're hinting around the contractual language and veeery careful not to place unlimited and 5GB in the same document. And to say me using anything above 5GB is prohibited activity is non-sense. But if I wasn't grandfathered, I wouldn't be penalized as I paid the higher fees.

There is nothing to this but punishment for those that have remained loyal to the carrier. It's crap.

AT&Ts service is good, not better than Verizon, but good. The only reason I've remained is the "potential" unlimited and how their customer service is generally good. Furthermore, the only time I go over 5GBs in a billing period is when I leave my area a few times a year; and even then it's 7-8GBs in that billing period. So by no means am I a power user.

 

[Zwhaler]

Perhaps you have unlimited messages on your plan. So when you hit 2000 messages, your messages will be throttled and maybe just MAYBE your recipient will receive your message by the next day. See how silly that sounds??!! Unlimited is unlimited is unlimited. AT&T advertises LTE speeds with able devices ON THEIR NETWORK so why cut it short? No grounds.

You're right, and it is silly, and the term unlimited is misleading, but technically it is unlimited albeit throttled, that's why they were able to do it, and are now being sued for that misleading discrepancy. I'm not defending AT&T, I'm only saying that because they operate legally and not morally, they'll probably get their way in court or even after this is settled by preventing users from keeping unlimited with a phone upgrade, or something along those lines.

 

[Applejuiced]

True, the FTC should have been on it since the day it first started.
Not 3-4 years later.
Doubt anything will change but would be nice.

 

[EDiTOR9]

True, the FTC should have been on it since the day it first started.
Not 3-4 years later.
Doubt anything will change but would be nice.

Right. If anything AT&T will get a fine and MAYBE they'd have to "refund" everyone a couple of bucks.

 

[mdlooker]

lol..I know I'm fussing a lot. But it's more of the technical/conceptual standpoint. Honestly, I just want it to A direction so we can decide what direction to go as I'm not really hinged on a refund. If they say unlimited, let it be that, if they don't want to provide it, make it official and let it be.

I, for years, have thought okay the other carriers are changing their ways through new policy and allowing true unlimited, surely AT&T will do the same. As mentioned, I'm not a power user so no great loss to me from month to month.

 

[Applejuiced]

Right. If anything AT&T will get a fine and MAYBE they'd have to "refund" everyone a couple of bucks.

Yes, pretty much that's as far as it will probably will go.

 

[dmcwally]

Here's a interesting article to read http://anantitrust.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/the-fatal-flaw-in-atts-throttling-argument/

 

[Kirb112]

If they do that then I'd pay full price for an unlocked phone so an upgrade isn't necessary.

Which is what I do every year anyways. Good deal!