AT&T To Start Throttling Heavy Data Users; Sends Warning Message
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AT&T To Start Throttling Heavy Data Users; Sends Warning Message
Back in July, AT&T had announced that it will throttle data speeds for top 5% of its smartphone users on unlimited data plans from October 1st.
Not surprisingly, it looks like AT&T is getting ready to start throttling the data speeds, as it has started sending out text messages to warn users who fall in that top 5% group.
Comments
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I hate to say it as its probably an unpopular opinion, but I have no problems with them throttling. 10+ GB per month.... seriously? I have been running some MMOs off the phone, pandora, emails, etc ... I barely exceed 1 Gb. And thats with probably a n hour of streaming video throne in here and there. If you need 10 GB or more a month buck up for an ISP or goto your nearest wi fi hotspot. I am paying the same amount as everyone else for my data plans. I want maximum speed. I don't want the network bogged down with peeps watching pimples popped on youtube or beating off to mobile xhamster all day.
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Really, where in my contract does it say unlimited data except when we think you are using too much.
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I agree. It is ridiculously difficult to use 10-12 GB of data in a month over your iPhone.. Stop being cheap and get a real internet connection.
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Playing devil's advocate, where in your contract does it specify you must receive full network speed?
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Why cant these cimpanys build there network to support there users. 10g a month is alot. But they should build out to handle it with all the money they charge us.
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What really sucks is that many ISP are thinking of doing the same thing for land line services so WIFI is close to being in the same boat. This is a common practice is some parts of Europe. So while the hardware and software guys are going cloud based more and more, the service providers cannot meet the bandwidth.
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Just curious what you all are going to say when the decide to throttle your "unlimited" dsl or cable broadband? Lets just hope they at least give you the option for lubrication before they violate your many orifices! lol Hello, you're paying for unlimited, you should expect UNLIMITED. Just curious what AT&T or Verizon would have to say if I decided to throttle my payment from $100 to $50? I won't answer that question, that's like asking what would happen if I stopped breathing for and hour, the answer's obvious. Its fine if you don't mind being denied something you're paying for, because I'm sure AT&T and Verizon have no problems charging you, just know that you're logic is fatally flawed!As side note, after reading so many nonsensical posts, I'm wondering if AT&T and Verizon have their employees troll forums across the internet to support their unfair policies and views, just something to think about folks?
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So basically everybody start using more so the limit of top 5% increases.
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Or maybe everyone starts considering sprint. Trottling an unlimited data is totally unacceptable. Who would sign up a snailed unlimited data plan in the 1st place? NO ONE !
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It wasn't part of the contract and those who don't like ATT policy should be allowed to leave without paying an ETF.
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Agreed!
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Yeah I bet no more than a year of Sprint selling the iPhone and they'll beDoing this type of **** too.
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I pay for a fixed bandwidth from my ISP.... If I am not getting it they do something about it.ISP bandwidth IS throttled! So you sir are the one with fatally flawed logic.Cable companies throttle all users, so all users can get decent bandwidth. If everyone was getting the max bandwidth available the Internet would be taxed down horribly by a very small percent of heavy users who generally are abusing the system. The only way most people reach 10-12 gb a month on a phone is if they are tethering like mad and bypassing tethering limits. Your phone was not intended to be your primary source of Internet! Plain and simple.
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It would be nice if AT&T released some numbers and demonstrated how these bandwidth hogs impact other users.
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@dakpluto: point exactly. ISPs all give unlimited data ...... At throttled speeds...... They throttle the speed so ALL users can share the same experience.... If the cell phone companies, who have considerably less bandwidth to work with, do not throttle speeds with the increased load on the system, it will end up being crap for everyone.
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I think the major issue with this is the fact providers are allowed to tout "UNLIMITED" anytime they want even though it's not true. UNLIMITED within confined limits is not unlimited. This is the main thing that needs to change. For example, if I have a steak restaurant and advertise all you can eat steak but after so many ounces say you are only allowed 1 ounce per hour for the rest of your meal, people would look at me like I'm crazy and ask well what's the point of unlimited steak? No different here.
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I lisent to radio from 8 to 4 everyday and my spending is about 6GB a month and that is only radio.
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Can't speak for you or anyone else as far as ISP throttling bandwidth goes. What I can say from my personal experience with AT&T as my ISP is that I've been receiving consistent download and upload speeds for the past four years. If it was being throttled it has never been noticeable. It has never been as fast as Cox Cable, but has always been consistent. This, coming from the same corporation that handles my phone data plan. If your ISP is throttling your data speeds, that's very unfortunate, maybe you should switch your ISP if other options are available. Not really my problem, its your hard earned cash, spend it however you wish. I"m not here to flame anyone, its just funny to me how people side with these greedy carriers who make misleading claims of high speed this and that, 4g bla bla bla, HSPA whatever, but in the end can't deliver on the goods and to top it off penalize us for expecting them to. I'm no Lawyer, but last time I checked, that's breach of contract and False advertising. I'm sure I could fault AT&T on legal and moral business practices, but I'm just a lowly Middle Class blue collar worker that lacks the time and resources to fight back, I'm stuck in a two year contract with little or no options. Its not the end of the world, but it sucks to know that the big corporations have triumphed over the little guy once again. Not sure what's happened with AT&T acquiring T-Mobile, but if they have their way things will only get worse. I love the IPhone, its an amazing phone and the only reason I chose AT&T over other carriers. Now that its available to other carriers I'll be severing my ties with AT&T for good as soon as my 2 year contract ends. AT&T sucks, not because of their service, but because of their outrageously overpriced plans. The playing field has been leveled and in my eyes they've become irrelevant. Goodbye and good riddance AT&T, you will not be missed.
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Agreed! I love your analogy, but now I'm hungry for Steak, with only leftover meatloaf in the fridge. Thanks a bunch, guess I'll be ordering take out.
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All ISP's give unlimited data? You should tell comcast they have unlimited data because they cut me off for going over mine. I had to sign up for a business line just to get rid of the damn data cap.
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i still have a couple more days till my billing period ends, i'm gonna download movies on 3g, it's so much faster than my wifi! hehe!
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I think the analogy of steak is slightly flawed. First of all, AT&T advertise Unlimited Data Plan. People are confusing this with Unlimited Speed. The two are not the same. Unlimited data plan mean you are not limited by how much data you can download. Basically, with the analogy of the steak, the restaurant does not limit how much steak you can each; hence the term "All You Can Eat.". But, with respect to speed, AT&T throttle the speed so that everyone has the same level of speed performance as everyone. They are not saying that the top 5% can no longer download their uusual 10-12 GB of data monthly. They are just simpling saying that the speed will be throttle for performance. Now, with the analogy of the steak, it is like someone standing at the steak counter getting their All You Can Eat steak but never leave so the next person can't get their steaks. In this case, the restaurant simple ask that you get your steak and then go back to table. After you are finish, come back for more. You cannot just stand at the counter all day letting no one else in line to get their share of steak. It bassically boils down to time allocation. With the steak, it is like saying you have 1 minute to get your steak each time. After that, you must leave and get back in line again. You can do it unlimited amount of time (All you Can Eat) but you are limited to 1 minute each time (Throttling). In the end, everyone get to eall all they can with no limit on how much they can eat. So, this is what AT&T is doing and I tend to agree with this approach. We live in a world full of limits; although we tend not to realize this. There must be additional rules in place to help control the flow of traffic so everyone has the same experience.
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Seems there's a lot of unlimited arseholes to go around but not enough poo.
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lol I used over 20 gigs a month
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i aint worried about att. straight talk from wal mart using my Iphone 4, only thing i dont have working is visual voicemail, 45 bucks a month, unlimited everything, calls, messaging, and most important, unlimited data. still running on att's network tho :-)
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Nice! thanks for the tip on a site to beat it too. I'm going there now so I hope its a good one. Just for you I'm going to turn off my wifi while I stream.....although it should only take a minute or two, so it won't take TOO much data....you wiener.....
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So much for unlimited data. Thanks AT&T for all your help. I think AT&T is all about the money and not the service. It's sad, that in this economy, no one wants to look out for each other. The Depression is coming back hard if the big dollar company's don't show any compassion. If we the people end up with no money cause of our economy then everyone loses in the end.
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I guess i'm the only one then. I AVERAGE about 30-40gb a month. Netflix and torrents pretty much take the bulk of that. Then there's mp3 mixtapes. All direct download using SDM. Guess i gotta use my wifi a little more.
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I say bullshit and everyone who is ok with ATT changing the terms of my contract just likes to be lied to. And for the guys saying that sprint will change their unlimited in a year to throttle usage after iPhone. That is already in the works; they released that addendum or whatever you wan to call it to their plans already. That's also why they are advertising the SH@$ out of unlimited data right now. Because they want you to switch right now, thinking you will have unlimited on your new shiny iPhone next month. Only to find out your being f&$)Ed like the rest of everyone on other networks. Because they are also changing their ETF to cost more starting next month so that you have to stay with them once they change their contract and you find out you changed to their service for nothing...... Typical large companies; GREAT marketing island timing to F over the little guys. Noone does the research before they rant. I hate it too, trust me but what are we gonna do about it? Boycott cellphones? HAHAHA yeah right. GL
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I'm in an unusual position where I am disabled I was told today by AT&T I'm only using 2-3 a month. But I'm unable to use a keyboard which is why I chose the iPhone because of the touch screen and now rapidly evolving voice technology built into the phone. I'm basically housebound without help 99% of the time. None of this meant anything to AT&T when I contacted them today because I had gone over 2g of data. In my case because of being on disability I have such a limited income I chose to put the little bit of money I could into the iPhone. I don't have a home Internet source or Wi-Fi because I can't type my keyboard even if I did. I'm not even in the very high ranges other people are talking about. This little damn devices literally my only contact to the outside world very much of the time. AT&T didn't give a crap. When I talk to their "slow speed" department they told me they were not allowed and refused to even escalate the call. I did talk to their assessability department which seem to at least care and I'm supposed to be receiving a call back from the top person there. I'm sure that the average text answers the phone doesn't have the ability to it just the data speeds. In my case much of what I do is medical research. The conditions I have are so rare there's less than five doctors in the world that specialize in them. So AT&T is not just taking away my Internet ability it's taking away my ability to possibly and hopefully receive better medical care and quality of life. I realize my case is outside of the norm. It's left me completely helpless. And it throttles me to the point that there have been moments where I couldn't even make a call or send a text message. So now my absolute need to have emergency 911 contact is also being taken away. I'm sorry but AT&T is doing me personally such a disservice. I have to find a way to fight back at this and of course have a new two-year contract. If anyone out there have any suggestions please forward them to me. Hey do you plan on contacting me Americans With Disabilities Act. Just to see if there's anything I can do to help. My email address is annaisa24@gmail.com.
