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is your unlimited data plan unlimited ?

Tex-Twil

Tex-Twil

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 28, 2008
2,501
15
Berlin
Hi,
I live in Germany and I'll get myself soon the 3GS (waiting for JB). Here the official iPhone carrier is T-Mobile and they have different subscription. Almost all of them have "unlimited 3G data".

I read more carefully the little *, 1) 2) ** and so on and actually they say that "unlimitted" means
"beyond 300 MB/months, the speed is limited to 64 Kbps down / 16 Kbps up"

It's really a joke how the providers can scre... us. How is it with your carriers ?

Thanks,
Tex
 
300MB's a month is nothing on an Iphone.

I use that in a week, Here in Canada, Roger's offers 6GIGs for 30$..but, it is a limited time offer.
 
im pretty sure AT&T has a 5gb fair usage policy on their *unlimited plan*
a lot better than 300mb but still decisive.
 
applecheese said:
im pretty sure AT&T has a 5gb fair usage policy on their *unlimited plan*
a lot better than 300mb but still decisive.
Click to expand...
Even with constant usage, the highest I've ever used was about 1GB. For someone who uses the iPhone as their only internet connection, that might go as high as 2-3 GB. Anything higher and it's probably the result of tethering, which is not allowed.
 
yeah on average I only use 100mb a month. don't use safari a lot and the apps use barely any bandwidth.
 
Tex-Twil said:
Hi,
I live in Germany and I'll get myself soon the 3GS (waiting for JB). Here the official iPhone carrier is T-Mobile and they have different subscription. Almost all of them have "unlimited 3G data".

I read more carefully the little *, 1) 2) ** and so on and actually they say that "unlimitted" means
"beyond 300 MB/months, the speed is limited to 64 Kbps down / 16 Kbps up"

It's really a joke how the providers can scre... us. How is it with your carriers ?

Thanks,
Tex
Click to expand...

I suppose it depends to some extent on how they define "unlimited".

If they mean to say, "unlimited bandwidth" then they could never truly live up to that promise because the speed you can access is going to be physically limited by the wireless technology in use (limited to 21 Mbits/s for UTMS). Even if you let that slide, they cannot possibly sustain a dedicated 21 Mbit/s channel for each and every subscriber - the tower only has so much capacity available to share amongst all connected subscribers.

If they mean to say, "unlimited volume" then they would be physically incapable of living up to that promise either. Even if the full 21 Mbps link was available 24/7 for a full month, there would be a physical limit of about 6TB per month.

If they mean to say, "unlimited availability" (ie you'll never have any periods of downtime or periods of time where they'll start charging you a pay-per-use rate to access data) then, barring equipment failures beyond their control, they are perfectly living up to their promise.
 
iphone.aggie said:
I was wondering if anyone knew what AT&T does once we exceed 5GB?
Click to expand...

Read the iPhone TOS. There is nothing stating there is a 5GB limit. If there were, the iTunes store is useless.

Someone on another board was insisting that it was stated in the TOS that there was a 5GB limit. I copied and pasted the entire thing in the thread and well he was quiet after that.
 
SpaceKitty said:
Read the iPhone TOS. There is nothing stating there is a 5GB limit. If there were, the iTunes store is useless.

Someone on another board was insisting that it was stated in the TOS that there was a 5GB limit. I copied and pasted the entire thing in the thread and well he was quiet after that.
Click to expand...

Not that I'm lazy....:)

but could you give me a link to the TOS. A number of people have been quoting this 5GB as a fact, so I'm wondering where that came from.
 
AT&T here in the US doesn't have a cap and I sure as hell don't expect them to for as much as they charge for their service ($30 - up from $20 when I had 2G). Saying they have "unlimited" and then saying "up to 5GB" just sounds ridiculous and like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
 
iphone.aggie said:
Not that I'm lazy....:)

but could you give me a link to the TOS. A number of people have been quoting this 5GB as a fact, so I'm wondering where that came from.
Click to expand...

It's very hard to find on AT&Ts site. The iPhone is the only phone on AT&T that has a separate terms of service. About a year ago when people were bringing up this "5GB" limit, they were all upset till someone pointed out that the 5GB limit was for phones that have a tethering plan added on. If and when the iPhone does get tethering, it will probably have that 5GB limit but not for the iPhone data plan.
 
Razeus said:
AT&T here in the US doesn't have a cap and I sure as hell don't expect them to for as much as they charge for their service ($30 - up from $20 when I had 2G). Saying they have "unlimited" and then saying "up to 5GB" just sounds ridiculous and like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Click to expand...
The service I described (advertised as unlimited, limited from 300 MB) cost here 45€ / months !

Here is the illustration:

On the screenshot, the "HSPDA Usage" is advertised as
- limited to 200 MB/months then 0.5€/MB on the 1st one
- as "unlimited" ("unbegrenzt" ) on the others but actually limited by speed after 300 MB.

I'm really sick of those tricky ads. One is never sure he is signing for.
 

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SpaceKitty said:
It's very hard to find on AT&Ts site. The iPhone is the only phone on AT&T that has a separate terms of service. About a year ago when people were bringing up this "5GB" limit, they were all upset till someone pointed out that the 5GB limit was for phones that have a tethering plan added on. If and when the iPhone does get tethering, it will probably have that 5GB limit but not for the iPhone data plan.
Click to expand...

I found this on the TOS:

"If you are on a data plan that does not include a monthly MB/GB allowance and additional data usage rates, you agree that AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 GB in a month; provided that, prior to the imposition of any additional charges, AT&T shall provide you with notice and you shall have the right to terminate your Service."

However, this was under the subject, "DATACONNECT PLANS," so it was a little confusing. I still haven't found where it says iphone is unlimited in a TOS, to see if there was any fine print.
 
iphone.aggie said:
I found this on the TOS:

"If you are on a data plan that does not include a monthly MB/GB allowance and additional data usage rates, you agree that AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 GB in a month; provided that, prior to the imposition of any additional charges, AT&T shall provide you with notice and you shall have the right to terminate your Service."

However, this was under the subject, "DATACONNECT PLANS," so it was a little confusing. I still haven't found where it says iphone is unlimited in a TOS, to see if there was any fine print.
Click to expand...

However, see this link:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10211311-233.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=iPhoneAtlas

It essentially says that streaming video on the the 3G network violates the TOS.
 
-aggie- said:
I found this on the TOS:

"If you are on a data plan that does not include a monthly MB/GB allowance and additional data usage rates, you agree that AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 GB in a month; provided that, prior to the imposition of any additional charges, AT&T shall provide you with notice and you shall have the right to terminate your Service."

However, this was under the subject, "DATACONNECT PLANS," so it was a little confusing. I still haven't found where it says iphone is unlimited in a TOS, to see if there was any fine print.
Click to expand...
A Data Connect plan is not the same as a data plan on a cell phone.
Data Connect plans are for laptops using EDGE/3G data services.

The 5GB soft cap has been well known on those for a long time.
 
O2 you get 1GB over here in the UK.

i go over it every month though maybe 4-5 gigs, nothing has ever been said to me though.
 
doubleatheman said:
OUCH....

I do like AT&T's 5gb "fair use" i've never hit it, I used 2gb in one month once....I disagree with any cap, but a throttling (a fair one) is acceptable.
Click to expand...

I think it's been pointed out that that 5GB soft cap doesn't even exist for the iPhone. Their TOS are pretty convoluted though with the different services they offer.
 
M-5 said:
I think it's been pointed out that that 5GB soft cap doesn't even exist for the iPhone. Their TOS are pretty convoluted though with the different services they offer.
Click to expand...

I reread the thread, and edited my post :)

Im actually happy to see this is absent from the tos.
 
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