Re: Top 5% Data Usage & Throttling

youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

Revenge Of DG wrote:

I thought the determining factor of what "g" a protocol was, was it's bandwidth, and in general and to WAY over simplify it, if it can peak at a 100mb/s for a mobile device, it could be called 4g.

Or am I totally confused (which I readily admit, I could very well be).

It is all based on what the standards board says and does. In the case of HSPA+, and LTE, techincally they were not true 4G until the standards board caved to the marketing world. LTE Advance which is the next generation of LTE is actually the true 4G as defined by the original standard.

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FJC320 · ‎03-17-2012

I have been a current customer since 2008 and several times over the years. I purchased Unlimited Internet on my phone and I foolishly thought Unlimited was exactly what it is. Today I received a message stating I have used 3MB of data and will be Throttle back. I call a customer service representative who would only read a prepared statement from her computer screen. I tried to ask a questions but she just continued to read the prepared statement. So I had to wait till she stopped reading to ask my questions. Her only answer was to go back and reread the prepared statement about throttling internet usage. When I asked to talk to a supervisor I was told there are none available to discuss this matter and I would be put on a list to be called back!!! She also stated that it would take 72 hours for a return call!!!

It seems that unlimited now means $30 internet plan and not unlimited.
AT&T Customer response is to use WIFI. I use 100% WIFI at home and I have Unlimited Plan??
Sprint and now WalMart are offering current unlimited plans.

Why should I stay with a company that has the worst rated customer service (multi year award), has only a unlimited voice plan (worst of all major carriers), and only 3G service. I have only stayed here for the unlimited plan, since this is no longer an option, I guess I will leaving after my contract is up. Maybe AT&T will learn something from the banking community and the $5 service charge mistake!

BTW: Still no return call from a manager. Why am I not surprised.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

You answered your own quesiton - you are not happy so pay any etf and go to another carrier, jusr be sure to resarch the carrier that you want by checking their forums and asking the correct question - the grass is not always greener. No t sure hat you expect a supervisor to do though, the throttling is a corproarate policy, 3GB (not MB) for 3G and 5GB for LTE, no manger or supervisor will have the authority to remove it. did you happen to ask if the 72 hours was business hours? If so that you be within 9 business days

with the exception of Sprint, t-mobile (they also throttle at caps), cricket and some regional carriers the unlimted data plan is gone. Verizon dropped it last year and made some other sweeping changes to their agreements.

graphite07 · ‎10-16-2007

thats why i am leavint AT&T soon. i keep getting harassing text msg's and email saying your in the top 5% high usage data users. if speeds are important to you please call CS support and change your data plan to maintain internet speed. what a crook AT&T want's me off the unlimited data so when i go over the 2 GB plan thye can **CHARGE ME EXTRA MONEY** I HAD unlimited data since 2007 and plan on keeping it until i change cell providers..

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

graphite07 wrote:

thats why i am leavint AT&T soon. i keep getting harassing text msg's and email saying your in the top 5% high usage data users. if speeds are important to you please call CS support and change your data plan to maintain internet speed. what a crook AT&T want's me off the unlimited data so when i go over the 2 GB plan thye can **CHARGE ME EXTRA MONEY** I HAD unlimited data since 2007 and plan on keeping it until i change cell providers..

you do realize that the "top 5%" for throttling was changed at the begining of this month right?

now it is 3GB for 3G and 5GB for LTE, if you swithc the only thing that will occur is rather then get throtled you will be charged additional for the extra usage. 3GB thottle limit for 30.00 or 3GB tiered for 30.00.

Hope you engoy spriint, since they aer the only one of the top 3 that still claom to have unlimited data, verzion no longer does, if you drop to the nexct tier of provider's t-mobile has throttle limits in place for their unlimited plan and if you go to eh bottom of the line - cricket, thye have throttle limits in place. Change now or change latter, going to be the same results

graphite07 · ‎10-16-2007

I am tired of getting the text and emails from them. Like I can't use my phone how I want to! With out being harassed about it.

youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

graphite07 wrote:
I am tired of getting the text and emails from them. Like I can't use my phone how I want to! With out being harassed about it.

What are young using? Do you ever hit wifi or are your streaming lots of video?

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graphite07 · ‎10-16-2007

Wifi at home and WiFi at work to watch movies. and i use the net a lot when i am out,but i do not always have WiFi. i have unlimited data. i try to use WiFi when i can.

anton697 · ‎02-24-2012

graphite07 wrote:
Wifi at home and WiFi at work to watch movies. and i use the net a lot when i am out,but i do not always have WiFi. i have unlimited data. i try to use WiFi when i can.

Although I can sympathize with your situation, what you really should be asking yourself is...what is it that you're using over 3G such that you apparently are using more than 3 GB of data in a month?

youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

anton697 wrote:

graphite07 wrote:

Wifi at home and WiFi at work to watch movies. and i use the net a lot when i am out,but i do not always have WiFi. i have unlimited data. i try to use WiFi when i can.

Although I can sympathize with your situation, what you really should be asking yourself is...what is it that you're using over 3G such that you apparently are using more than 3 GB of data in a month?

I have to agree. With wifi around in so many places, I find it hard to see how going over 3Gb happens so often? I know I curb myself from watch videos unless I am on wifi and I sure do not feel that I am missing out on my use and enjoyment of the iPhone.....

_____________________

For service or support questions including existing order status, call:
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Information on iPhone unlocking can be found here by copying this link into your browser:
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wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

FJC320 wrote:

I have been a current customer since 2008 and several times over the years. I purchased Unlimited Internet on my phone and I foolishly thought Unlimited was exactly what it is. Today I received a message stating I have used 3MB of data and will be Throttle back. I call a customer service representative who would only read a prepared statement from her computer screen. I tried to ask a questions but she just continued to read the prepared statement. So I had to wait till she stopped reading to ask my questions. Her only answer was to go back and reread the prepared statement about throttling internet usage. When I asked to talk to a supervisor I was told there are none available to discuss this matter and I would be put on a list to be called back!!! She also stated that it would take 72 hours for a return call!!!

It seems that unlimited now means $30 internet plan and not unlimited.

AT&T Customer response is to use WIFI. I use 100% WIFI at home and I have Unlimited Plan??

Sprint and now WalMart are offering current unlimited plans.

Why should I stay with a company that has the worst rated customer service (multi year award), has only a unlimited voice plan (worst of all major carriers), and only 3G service. I have only stayed here for the unlimited plan, since this is no longer an option, I guess I will leaving after my contract is up. Maybe AT&T will learn something from the banking community and the $5 service charge mistake!

BTW: Still no return call from a manager. Why am I not surprised.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

might want to investigate walmart closer, appears that they are using t-mobile who already has caps on their "unlimited everything plans"

Myrtlemaye · ‎12-24-2008

I'm about to find out what happens. As I've mentioned before, I stayed with the unlimited plan as a "just in case" measure, if I were to get in a situation without access to wi-fi for an extended period. That has now happened. I was in a remote area without wi-fi for 3 weeks, from Feb 21-March 14.

I'm perilously close to 3GB and for good measure, AT&T changed my billing date from the 26th to the 2nd, putting my high usage entirely within the billing period. I have also been locked out of my online account. According to *DATA# I've used about 55 MB since I got back home on the 14th, so I'm clearly being careful. I don't see any way to keep from hitting 3GB and getting throttled except by turning off data every time I go out. Even in my house, there are spots that don't have wi-fi coverage and I find my phone using 3G.

This is no way to live. I'm basically throttling my own self. I'm thinking of exchanging my new AT&T iPad for a Verizon model, if I could figure out a way that they would be aware of it.

kleigh4 · ‎03-19-2012

Sure, AT&T may Throttle your speeds after 3GB's but remeber, att still has the fastest data speeds out of all providers, normally downloading at about 3.4 Mbps, while Verizon and Sprint download at about 700kbs per second and 2.22 mbps at the best and fastest.

AT&T is also the only provider that allows you to talk and surf the internet at the same time, multi tasking that is. Even though they do throttle, so does everyone else with unlimited(except sprint), and no one is truly unlimited, and sure Sprint does have unlimited, but think about what your not getting for the same if not a little cheaper service. Their speeds are only a fraction of ATT's on a normal day.

Remember if this happened the month you didn't have wifi where you normally do, it won't happen every month, and they will normally warn you just in case in every situation.

Also, maybe you should think of getting a new router cause I live on a three store apartment, and I can pick up my wifi connection from in my car and it isn't even a really expensive router, just the standard priced one.

MJB0188 · ‎05-23-2011

^Exactly. Though, you're forgetting T-Mobile can do everything AT&T can do. GSM Technology allows this and that's why I stick with AT&T. Anyway, what I want to know is the speeds at which one is throttled? I heard they bumped them up with the latest revision at 3GB?

Lzareus · ‎03-21-2012

Was wondering when throttling took effect because as of right now they're giving me way more than 3GB on my unlimited 3G plan. I'm halfway through my billing cycle and had about 300mb to go till I thought I was going to be throttled so I went ahead and proceeded to just get it over and downloaded a TV episode from the cloud on my itunes account. Well to my surprise the throttling never came. I thought that maybe the system hadn't caught up yet and waited 24 hours and thought for sure I'd be getting the usual text about "the top 5%" but it didn't happen. I'm currently at 8.5 GB and no throttling. Why? I'm sure my happiness will be short lived because I was contemplating moving to another network but for me ATT has great coverage and speeds where I live. I still have to ask why am I able to get more than the 3GB they announced?

anton697 · ‎02-24-2012

Lzareus wrote:
Was wondering when throttling took effect because as of right now they're giving me way more than 3GB on my unlimited 3G plan. I'm halfway through my billing cycle and had about 300mb to go till I thought I was going to be throttled so I went ahead and proceeded to just get it over and downloaded a TV episode from the cloud on my itunes account. Well to my surprise the throttling never came. I thought that maybe the system hadn't caught up yet and waited 24 hours and thought for sure I'd be getting the usual text about "the top 5%" but it didn't happen. I'm currently at 8.5 GB and no throttling. Why? I'm sure my happiness will be short lived because I was contemplating moving to another network but for me ATT has great coverage and speeds where I live. I still have to ask why am I able to get more than the 3GB they announced?

LOL now that you've let the cat out of the bag, so to speak....watch someone here be a boy/girl scout and inform AT&T about it...

TerraPhantm · ‎09-24-2006

I'm at about 4GB this billing cycle. When I hit 3GB, I got a message saying something to the effect of "You've used 3GB of data this month. Using 3GB in future billing cycles will result in reduced speeds. Use wifi to reduce data usage" - so I guess they're letting first-time offenders get one last month of truly unlimited data.

sandblaster · ‎08-15-2006

The recent change that no one will get throttled at less than 3GB does not mean anyone who goes above 3GB will get throttled. Throttling is intended to relieve network congestion so if you happen to live somewhere where network congestion is not a problem, you may not be throttled. I do not state this as fact but rather this is my understanding on how it is supposed to work.

I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s positions, strategies or opinions.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

anton697 wrote:

Lzareus wrote:

Was wondering when throttling took effect because as of right now they're giving me way more than 3GB on my unlimited 3G plan. I'm halfway through my billing cycle and had about 300mb to go till I thought I was going to be throttled so I went ahead and proceeded to just get it over and downloaded a TV episode from the cloud on my itunes account. Well to my surprise the throttling never came. I thought that maybe the system hadn't caught up yet and waited 24 hours and thought for sure I'd be getting the usual text about "the top 5%" but it didn't happen. I'm currently at 8.5 GB and no throttling. Why? I'm sure my happiness will be short lived because I was contemplating moving to another network but for me ATT has great coverage and speeds where I live. I still have to ask why am I able to get more than the 3GB they announced?

LOL now that you've let the cat out of the bag, so to speak....watch someone here be a boy/girl scout and inform AT&T about it...

the poster just did After all this is a ATT moderated forum, so know they know

GeekBoy · ‎11-06-2008

Lzareus wrote:
.... I'm currently at 8.5 GB and no throttling. Why? I'm sure my happiness will be short lived because I was contemplating moving to another network but for me ATT has great coverage and speeds where I live. I still have to ask why am I able to get more than the 3GB they announced?

I've not been paying real close attention, but didn't you say that you were traveling and away from wifi for several weeks? If that's the case, then it is quite possible that the "roaming data" hasn't been reported to AT&T yet, so they don't know how much you've actually used (or perhaps they aren't including that it your usage totals for throttling snce it isn't on their network). There are a few possibilities that could explain how you could get over the "limit" and still not be throttled...

dsenier · ‎04-09-2012

Throttling to 256kbps is insane why not just turn off my service? For anyone going over 3GB data a month with iPhone that says its 4G makes anything you did to get their impossible to use anymore when throttled. I have no option for 4G LTE in Harrisburg, PA so I cannot even upgrade to get the 5GB of data not that Apple has an iPhone that can do it...

So because of the AT&T inferior network causing congestion in my area they are stating that they have to throttle me so the other 95% can still have access? I cannot remember when if ever I have even gotten the full advertised speed on my iPhone of the "4G" fake or HSPA+ network, my max thus far has been 2.2mbps with my average at 1.8mbps.

The worst part is calling them and they keep repeating over and over to use wi-fi... Seriously? If I didnt have wi-fi at all my data useage would be tripple...

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

dsenier wrote:

Throttling to 256kbps is insane why not just turn off my service? For anyone going over 3GB data a month with iPhone that says its 4G makes anything you did to get their impossible to use anymore when throttled. I have no option for 4G LTE in Harrisburg, PA so I cannot even upgrade to get the 5GB of data not that Apple has an iPhone that can do it...

So because of the AT&T inferior network causing congestion in my area they are stating that they have to throttle me so the other 95% can still have access? I cannot remember when if ever I have even gotten the full advertised speed on my iPhone of the "4G" fake or HSPA+ network, my max thus far has been 2.2mbps with my average at 1.8mbps.

The worst part is calling them and they keep repeating over and over to use wi-fi... Seriously? If I didnt have wi-fi at all my data useage would be tripple...

you can upgrade to get 5GB, you just pay more for it, you always have the option of switching to the tiered plans and just paying for your overages - you will never be throttled on the tiered plan

dsenier · ‎04-09-2012

So as of right now I have unlimited service, lets get this straight your saying that I should "upgrade" to the 5GB service? In my world unlimited is an upgrade to limited 5GB services... Have you read the contract included in both the unlimited and the 5GB services? They both read the same in regards to their right to deny over users services. So how do they get away with this???