Top 5% data user message. Anyone else get one?

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

Anyone get the heavy data user message? I did, and I am furious! Like $230/month for two lines on my bill isn't enough! They are threatening to throttle down my Data speeds. Excuse me for living in the country, where we don't have cable, nor DSL! Most of the neighbors have satellite television, and I gave an at&t 3G modem to my mother BECAUSE that is the only to get decent online access.
Yes, I do lots of YouTube, video and audio streaming, etc. BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY PHONE AND BROADBAND THAT I HAVE. No cable, no television, NOTHING.
The outrageous response is "we have over 16,000 hotspots across the country. Well, the closest at&t wifi is SEVEN MILES AWAY. Closest wifi is three miles. This is a ripoff, bordering on fraud.
Please, comments on this post are appreciated. Thanks you.

bdechenne · ‎09-22-2011

Welcome to ATT

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

the reason they are doin this is because some people abuse the unlimited data and bo the servers down. youre still getting unlimited which is better than them taking it away completely.

i understand that it's your only means of internet but it was either this or give everyone 2GB .

this is the new policy set in place and it probably wont go away either.

“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

bdechenne wrote:

Welcome to ATT

Most if not all carriers have fair use policies with soft capping stated written into their terms of service, not just ATT. Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, enven the lowly cricket has them. To date the only one the strictly enforced was cricket. It could be worse, they could hard cap it and turn off data access until the start of the next billing cycle

Wild Banchi · ‎12-11-2009

Wow! How much data would you estimate that you use each month? I had heard about this policy earlier and had thought it would be interesting to hear from someone that would actually be in the top 5% category.

Just be sure not to use an over-excessive amount of data (more than you already are) and you should be fine. If you do start to experience slower speeds, you will know what is happening, unfortunately.

Remember that Wild Banchi... 1993-2010

belome · ‎10-27-2010

I'm just glad they are finally doing something about these people who feel their phone should be their dedicated internet connection. It was never designed to be that way and just makes my dataspeeds go down.

jamileh · ‎06-20-2011

Here's a tool you can use to calculate your estimated data usage - http://www.att.com/standalone/data-calculator/ and a support article about data usage http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB101555#fbid=Me-CyP2_YGo.

I understand your concerns. I hope the above information will help you manage your data usage.

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RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

Was this straight att data driven or were you using wi-fi at all to minimize usage? Like wild banchi, just how much did you hit this month to get the message?

Ann154 · ‎10-27-2010

It is only going to get worse once people have access to the LTE data network on ATT.

You can eat through data real quick!

RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

Right Anndroid154, and with this non-2Gig staunchy imaginary line to cross, that 5% boundary will change monthly, so it will be a fluctuating top 5% depending on the highest users for the billing cycle month.

Ann154 · ‎10-27-2010

If I was on ATT LTE and had that 2GB imaginary line to worry about, I would hit it before half the month was over. At eight days into my current billing cycle, I was almost at a gigabyte used for data transferred.

RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

I agree with you Anndroid154 100%. I.mean, lol, what a concept, right? Some stagnated specified line to cross over then youre throttled. Even after att policy itself says this number will change each month, making it even more a "worrywart" to deal with. Meaning one month your usage could be lelow this "imaginary feeble line" then , next cycle, due to recalculated top 5 users - this "imaginary stagnated line" suddenly shifts with your same amount of usage as from the prev month now gets counted as among the top 5. You see where I am going with this right? Depends on "overall usages" recalculated then somebody has to make up the top 5. No old stiff line that stays in one place to cross over.

aristizzle · ‎10-22-2010

belome wrote:
I'm just glad they are finally doing something about these people who feel their phone should be their dedicated internet connection. It was never designed to be that way and just makes my dataspeeds go down.

I completely agree. I personally feel that throttling the data connections for unlimited users is one of the best ideas AT&T has had. They have been generous allowing them to use as much data as they want at full speed. That data that costs the customer $30.00 a month, is costing AT&T ALOT more, and they can use that money to improve the network, etc. Not to mention having everyong using their phones as their main internet connection does clog the network, which means more dropped calls, slower data speeds, etc.. AT&T is one of the last carriers to implement this.

21stNow · ‎07-07-2010

aristizzle wrote:
belome wrote:
I'm just glad they are finally doing something about these people who feel their phone should be their dedicated internet connection. It was never designed to be that way and just makes my dataspeeds go down.
I completely agree. I personally feel that throttling the data connections for unlimited users is one of the best ideas AT&T has had. They have been generous allowing them to use as much data as they want at full speed. That data that costs the customer $30.00 a month, is costing AT&T ALOT more, and they can use that money to improve the network, etc. Not to mention having everyong using their phones as their main internet connection does clog the network, which means more dropped calls, slower data speeds, etc.. AT&T is one of the last carriers to implement this.

Since I doubt that the heaviest data users are using the 2G speeds, how does excessive data use by a few cause dropped calls? My understanding is that calls go over 2G and data will go over 3G, where available. This is why we can talk and use data at the same time.

aristizzle · ‎10-22-2010

Towers have a limit of how many connections they can have at one time. If that limit is reached, it can cause calls to be dropped, it can cause people trying to connect to get call failures, or error messages when trying to connect to data, etc. I'm no network specialist, but believe me having the constant flow of data being transmitted does cause the network to have problems. I think thats one reason AT&T got rid of the unlimited smartphone data plans, but that I'm not 100% sure about.

JFizDaWiz · ‎10-27-2010

21stNow wrote:
aristizzle wrote:
belome wrote:
I'm just glad they are finally doing something about these people who feel their phone should be their dedicated internet connection. It was never designed to be that way and just makes my dataspeeds go down.
I completely agree. I personally feel that throttling the data connections for unlimited users is one of the best ideas AT&T has had. They have been generous allowing them to use as much data as they want at full speed. That data that costs the customer $30.00 a month, is costing AT&T ALOT more, and they can use that money to improve the network, etc. Not to mention having everyong using their phones as their main internet connection does clog the network, which means more dropped calls, slower data speeds, etc.. AT&T is one of the last carriers to implement this.
Since I doubt that the heaviest data users are using the 2G speeds, how does excessive data use by a few cause dropped calls? My understanding is that calls go over 2G and data will go over 3G, where available. This is why we can talk and use data at the same time.

nope calls can go over 3G as well. because your phone can actually be locked to use 3G only and voice/data will still 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.”

RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

While AT&T is set out to throttle the unlimited plan users when they reach the top 5% heaviest usage per month, are they also planning to start charging them a percentage as well when they "go over" their unlimited limits?

Makes me wonder , "if" the tmo deal goes through and ATT sells off a percentge fo customers to appease DOJ, is the top 5 tht they will be pawning off? - just a thought.

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

Sorry,that is a poor excuse. UNLIMITED DATA IS UNLIMITED DATA,PERIOD. I understand that Android phones are like the crackphone;ALWAYS ON AND ALWAYS USING DATA. I used about 10GB because of video streaming,e-mail etc. I DO NOT,REPEAT,DO NOT HAVE CABLE,DSL OR OTHER BROADBAND OPTIONS OTHER THAN WIRELESS BROADBAND!

WIFI is not convient;the closest wifi is three miles away. I live in rural upstate New York,in an area hit hard by Irene. People 20 minutes away from me lost EVERYTHING! To claim that wifi is the solution is BOGUS. WIFI is NOT secure;people can steal your identity and other crucial,personal data from WIFI.

at&t needs to build up its network,but not on the backs of people like myself who have high phone bills,yet are punished using this service.

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

RUBBISH! I have ALWAYS used my phones as I currently do,as a modem. I have,however,viewed movies over the network from Google movies.

Sony Ericsson has software that uses any of their phones,past and present,as a broadband modem. I have,of average,used 5-7GB/MONTH of data. And that is BEFORE going to an Xperia X10a.

Sir,I think you need to to more research on this topic before you comment.

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

I used about 10 GB or less. I do use WIFI,but it is not convenient for me,unless I travel. I have turned of the data by using a data switch on my Xperia mobile.

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

Very true! I have read other posts,and a friend of mine,who has a crackphone,had to up her data package to 2GB.

frothe3 · ‎07-01-2006

Give me a break!! We just got 3G out here just a year ago. There are some places down south on I95 that are STILL ON EDGE!!!
The main REASON FOR THE CLOGGED DATA IS THE CRAPPLE CRACKPHONE!! Would only have an Android,a Sony Ericsson,that I like very much.

Irish Rose · ‎11-30-2008

frothe3 wrote:
Give me a break!! We just got 3G out here just a year ago. There are some places down south on I95 that are STILL ON EDGE!!!
The main REASON FOR THE CLOGGED DATA IS THE CRAPPLE CRACKPHONE!! Would only have an Android,a Sony Ericsson,that I like very much.

Sorry, but this is incorrect. No one phone on AT&T's network is responsible for the data overload problem. It's people who are tethering illegally for one, and others who are on an unlimited data plan using 25+GB every month on their devices simply because they can. This is the cause of the network congestion and the reason why AT&T is cracking down on this issue. Actually, AT&T are not the only ones with the problem, Verizon has also started to crack down on their smartphone customers data plan when the amount that they use reaches 5%. Verizon has also claimed to throttle customers data speeds when they reach 2GB of data for the month. Androids and the iPhone have the potential to consume a lot of data and the fact that people tether without being on an appropriate plan doesn't help...

Ann154 · ‎10-27-2010

frothe3 wrote:
RUBBISH! I have ALWAYS used my phones as I currently do,as a modem. I have,however,viewed movies over the network from Google movies.

Sony Ericsson has software that uses any of their phones,past and present,as a broadband modem. I have,of average,used 5-7GB/MONTH of data. And that is BEFORE going to an Xperia X10a.

Sir,I think you need to to more research on this topic before you comment.

I can't even tell who you are replying to in your last batch of posts since you didn't bother to use the quote function.

However if you are using your phone as a modem, you NEED to have the correct tethering plan on your account.

RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

frothe3 wrote:
RUBBISH! I have ALWAYS used my phones as I currently do,as a modem. I have,however,viewed movies over the network from Google movies.

Sony Ericsson has software that uses any of their phones,past and present,as a broadband modem. I have,of average,used 5-7GB/MONTH of data. And that is BEFORE going to an Xperia X10a.

Sir,I think you need to to more research on this topic before you comment.

Your usage as described here, unfortunately will potentually put you in the top 5. If you have noother means for lowering the use via wifi...might check the other carrier"s availability

Wild Banchi · ‎12-11-2009

RicoLX wrote:
frothe3 wrote:
RUBBISH! I have ALWAYS used my phones as I currently do,as a modem. I have,however,viewed movies over the network from Google movies.

Sony Ericsson has software that uses any of their phones,past and present,as a broadband modem. I have,of average,used 5-7GB/MONTH of data. And that is BEFORE going to an Xperia X10a.

Sir,I think you need to to more research on this topic before you comment.

Your usage as described here, unfortunately will potentually put you in the top 5. If you have noother means for lowering the use via wifi...might check the other carrier"s availability

5-7GB of data usage is not what I expected to hear; I actually anticipated to hear even a little more than that. While it is a large sum of data being consumed, I am sure there are many other users out there who are burning through 5-7GB in a couple days to a week.

The only carrier left with a truly Unlimited Data plan is Sprint. But I think I've heard that even they have begun throttling the speeds on some of their users' phones and other devices. There really is no problem with the OP sticking with AT&T - it's just that he might experience slower data speeds. The data plan would still be unlimited.

Remember that Wild Banchi... 1993-2010

RicoLX · ‎05-29-2008

The problem is the top 5 will fluctuate so you may not hit the "bucket list" this month then may hit the list next month with the same amount as last if no one used as much or within the same range.

To me 5g doesnt seem that much....but whadayagonnado? Unfortunatey for sprint, the very moment they are ready to debut the iphone, ironic they wil also throttle or end their unlimited. Everybody wants a piece of the apple pie

frederick3rd · ‎03-01-2004

Sprint sucks, PERIOD! Yes, I have a friend who uses Boost mobile, because it was cheaper than a contract with at&t. But Sprint does NOT work where I live, and I remember they just dropped customers who "complained "too much about their crappy service. And their is NOTHING in my monthly bill that states they will cut back data speeds. I feel cutting back speeds is NOT FAIR, I AM PAYING FOR THE USE OF UNLIMITED, FOR A TOTAL OF OVER $204/MONTH.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

frederick3rd wrote:
Sprint sucks, PERIOD! Yes, I have a friend who uses Boost mobile, because it was cheaper than a contract with at&t. But Sprint does NOT work where I live, and I remember they just dropped customers who "complained "too much about their crappy service. And their is NOTHING in my monthly bill that states they will cut back data speeds. I feel cutting back speeds is NOT FAIR, I AM PAYING FOR THE USE OF UNLIMITED, FOR A TOTAL OF OVER $204/MONTH.

you are paying for data use that fits within the terms of service and fair use policies that carriers have had in affect for years. Nothing unfair about it at all, it is documented and if you exceed the designated limit you will be informed.

Look at it this way, they could have followed a hard cap rule where they either terminated communications until the start of your next billing cycle or turnd off all service except for email and text messaging - which as a not at least one provider is already using this method.

Your cost of the grandfathered unlimited is only 30.00 that is what the feature costs, these rest you would have to pay irregardless of what ever data plan you have.

BadBadLeroyBrown · ‎07-12-2011

No, it's really not. This has been a topic that has been hotly debated here, and AT&T has laid down the law. Unlimited data is NOT completely without limits. You can't use 25GB of data a month without reprisal, you can't use your phone as a cellular modem UNLESS you have a plan that permits it. There are many phones that, via a hack, can tether without the appropriate plan. When AT&T catches up to you they will stop that behavior (and it sounds like they have).

Unfortunately for you, the fine print on even the 3G modems states that they are not to be used as replacements for home Internet.

Also, the Quote button in the upper right-hand corner would help us understand who you're responding to.

frothe3 wrote:
Sorry,that is a poor excuse. UNLIMITED DATA IS UNLIMITED DATA,PERIOD. I understand that Android phones are like the crackphone;ALWAYS ON AND ALWAYS USING DATA. I used about 10GB because of video streaming,e-mail etc. I DO NOT,REPEAT,DO NOT HAVE CABLE,DSL OR OTHER BROADBAND OPTIONS OTHER THAN WIRELESS BROADBAND!

WIFI is not convient;the closest wifi is three miles away. I live in rural upstate New York,in an area hit hard by Irene. People 20 minutes away from me lost EVERYTHING! To claim that wifi is the solution is BOGUS. WIFI is NOT secure;people can steal your identity and other crucial,personal data from WIFI.

at&t needs to build up its network,but not on the backs of people like myself who have high phone bills,yet are punished using this service.