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Top five percent of AT&T smartphone usage and Bandwidth throttling

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ZipZap said:
But they sell a 2GB and 4GB plans....so are they now saying that if you use your allotment, you abusing their system?
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Nope. The throttling policy explicitly excludes any customers who have signed up for any of the tiered data plans.

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=20535&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=32318&mapcode=corporate

Customers who sign up for a tiered data plan can go above their tiered limit, and rather than getting throttled, instead they'll be required to pay overage fees. Personally, if the choice is between throttling or overage fees, I would prefer throttling, hands down.
 
OneMike said:
9 days to go and I'm at 3.1GB, no slowdown.

I can see if they throttle the person in this thread that used 15GB+, but I don't see 5GB as a lot.
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Its not 5GB, its supposed to be anything over 2GB.
Maybe if you dont get a text or email they dont bother?
Or maybe if you keep using lots of data month after month they start noticing you?

Tinmania said:
I would not interpret that to mean the top 5% are being throttled.

But knowing how much some people use each month, and I mean FAR more than 2GB, then the top 1% is skewing that average. A lot.

Those are the ones likely to get throttled.

Also, that figure includes people on unlimited and metered plans. No way they are going to throttle at 2GB if they are either paying for 4GB or going to be hit with another $10 for an extra GB (if they are on 2GB plan).

I would venture they are, or soon will be, throttling unlimited users using somewhere around 7-12GB per month. No way will they throttle at 2GB.
Michael
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I hope you're right Mike.
2GB does seem too low to start slowing us down.
But if they do they will only do it to unlimited data users, everyone else gets full speeds they will just end up paying more per month for their usage.
 
Applejuiced said:
Well according to this link below when AT&T mentions the top 5% they mean 2GB's.
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No, it does not. Read again:

As of August 2011, the average data use across the country by the top five percent of AT&T smartphone customers was 2GB per month.
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Average means average. Average does not mean "top 5 percent". There's nothing on that page that indicates what the typical data usage for the top 5 percent was.

PlaysARobin said:
How do you abuse 'Unlimited'? One might ask...
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Being in the top 5 percent.

chakraj said:
Unlimited is Unlimited!!
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People can keep parroting that but it really doesn't matter. The TOS you agreed to says otherwise.
 
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takeshi74 said:
No, it does not. Read again:

Average means average. Average does not mean "top 5 percent". There's nothing on that page that indicates what the typical data usage for the top 5 percent was.
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Maybe I'm a little slow today but my read is that is EXACTLY what it DOES say.
As of August 2011, the average data use across the country by the top five percent of AT&T smartphone customers was 2GB per month.
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If you break that down it is explicitly saying that the " typical data usage for the top 5 percent was" on average, 2GB/month.

It's NOT saying average of ALL users, but specifically average of top 5%.

Now that, of course, isn't saying what the exact data usage threshold is to put you in the top 5%, because that obviously varies (as the page states). But it gives 2GB and an as of date to give you a guideline.

Heck even the bolded question at the linked page spells it out:

How much monthly data usage is typical for someone in the top five percent of smartphone customers?
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Going over 2 GB got me this message this month. I am at 2.2 now. I am I really the 5%? Interesting if true.
 
boredandlonely said:
I tether with MyWi.
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AT&T has always worked great for me (But I don't violate my contract by tethering)

I don't use MyWi tethering (but if I did, I'd probably get a similar message from AT&T)

I prefer iOS to other phone OS's (can you us MyWi on those?)

I'm an atheist, but I believe it was Jesus who said "Let those who do not tether against their contract cast the first stone"

I'm a Democrat, but rarely is the question asked: Is our children tethering?

I'm also straight (but would be curious for a little free tethering)
 
I think the issue with the OP's acct is that AT&T flagged it b/c it has detected mywi or wimy is installed.
 
OP, be grateful that they are only throttling your speeds instead of taking your unlimited plan away, because thats what usually happens when they catch you tethering. Anyway, I used 15.3 gb last month, no messages about throttling or anything. The most I've ever used was 31gb which was in may i think.
 
Yes, using mywi is going to cause this and you shouldn't be surprised. That aside however, what OS are you using on your computer? If you're using Windows, then you may have a virus (well, a virus other than Windows :D).
 
MyWi doesn't "cause" extra data to be used. It could allow him to use more than he expects though.

OP, try running something on your computer that you are tethering to see how much data it is really using. Also, reset the stats on the phone and see what the data counter in Settings says (I think there is one there).

That should be a good way to see if it's your actual data or if they are misrepresenting it somehow.
 
parseckadet said:
Yes, using mywi is going to cause this and you shouldn't be surprised. That aside however, what OS are you using on your computer? If you're using Windows, then you may have a virus (well, a virus other than Windows :D).
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I agree. If the op seriously can't figure out how he is even using a fraction of that data, he either is not very aware or else his home network is seriously compromised.
 
Interstella5555 said:
AT&T has always worked great for me (But I don't violate my contract by tethering)

I don't use MyWi tethering (but if I did, I'd probably get a similar message from AT&T)

I prefer iOS to other phone OS's (can you us MyWi on those?)

I'm an atheist, but I believe it was Jesus who said "Let those who do not tether against their contract cast the first stone"

I'm a Democrat, but rarely is the question asked: Is our children tethering?

I'm also straight (but would be curious for a little free tethering)
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lolled
 
AT&T is just looking to maximize profit. They know that their 2GB plan may last people now in the present, so it looks very appealing, but in the future when there are apps we can't even imagine yet and everything is digital, 2GB isn't going to last very long so they will be able to charge their customers a heck of a lot more if they want to use their mobile devices.

They hate people with unlimited data so they will do everything they can to make things difficult for them because there's more profit in charging people for what they use than their is in letting people use however much they want for one monthly fee.
 
Airforcekid said:
Im averaging 30GB a month no tether they will not slow me down till around 20-25GB on a family plan.
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i for the 1st time did 8 gb and got TXT and email from at&t .... where my wife on unlimited too hardly do over 2 gb .... u sure its based on family share ?
 
AT&T top 5%

Just received my warning. Checked data usage and I'm at 2.6gb. There's no way in hell that's the top 5%..
 
Xgm541 said:
Just received my warning. Checked data usage and I'm at 2.6gb. There's no way in hell that's the top 5%..
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Actually I think when they introduced the tiered plans they said 95% of the users were under 2 GB. Hopefully the threshold will go up over time. Are you on a family plan or individual plan?
 
There was another thread a few days ago or so where the person got a notification and they used over 5GB.

I'm curious where you are in your billing cycle as well.
 
It depends on your data over the course of time. If you use 2Gb over the course of your billing period (67Mb/day), then you're probably not going to be in the top 5%. If you use 2Gb in 2 days (1000Mb/day), then you probably are going to be in the top 5%!
 
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