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Estimator334's profile

Tutor

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2 Messages

Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 8:08 PM

Limiting Data Usage

I have 4 phones in my plan.  Two have unlimited data plans and I am not willing to give those two up.  One of my kids uses data wisely, and is always within his plan.  The other son uses data like crazy.  I installed the "Smart Limits" product and that let me cut off his data when he used his plan.  A few weeks ago AT&T took away this part of the "Smart Limits" product.  This month my son is on his fourth additional GB, at $10 each.

 

Today I went to the AT&T store.  The person at the store told me that I should give up both unlimited data packages and get a family plan with 10 GB shared.  Meanwhile my one son has already used over 6GB with a lot of time left this month!  When I said I was not willing to give up the unlimited data plans, he told me that I needed to download the myAT&T app, and then I could go in there and easily turn off his data usage when my son apporached his limit.  I didn't like relying on a manual process, but told him I'd download and set this up when I got home.

 

Later I downloaded the app.  There is no way to turn off my son's data usage.  So I called AT&T customer service.  The person I spoke to said that I couldn't do it in the app, only in the full website.  I went into the website, and at just as I was asking him how to actually turn off my son's data usage either the call dropped or he hung up.

 

I used the live chat online at that point.  The person there told me that there is no way to limit my son's data usage, and suggested that I just be extra vigilant about how he uses data.

 

I cann't believe that AT&T does not have a way for a parent to limit his child's data usage.  They had one, but turned it off a few weeks ago - were too many parents limiting iverage charges?  What should a parent do, other than to switch to another carrier?  Doe anyone have any real suggestions?

Professor

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3.2K Messages

7 years ago


@JavierTexas wrote:
Your point is precisely my point. It is completely unethical.

Then why is your school teaching it? You said "We are taught....." as in, "this is how to get around it".

 

Not only unethical for a business to practice, but also for a business school to teach it.

Contributor

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2 Messages

7 years ago

Isn't it obvious, the more data being used, the more money they pocket, why the blood sucker will give that up?

Contributor

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2 Messages

7 years ago

Isn't that obvious, the more data your son would use, the more bucks they will put in their pocket, why would any corporation would wanna give it up. 

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

7 years ago


@fahmad wrote:

Isn't that obvious, the more data your son would use, the more bucks they will put in their pocket, why would any corporation would wanna give it up. 


This would be the same ATT that offers no overage plans, unlimited plans and a way to turn data off?   Horse feathers.  If a customer goes over it is not ATT fault.  

 ATT has always allowed customers to turn off data on a line in the My ATT app.  

They added  Stream saver to reduce data use. 

In August 2016 the offered a ZERO overage plan with half price data for the larger plans and since January of 2016 offered unlimited data options again.   People would rather blame the carrier than take responsibility to manage their data.   ATT doesn't control your phones or apps - that is entirely on us customers. IMG_5294.JPG

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Tutor

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4 Messages

7 years ago

I have a similar problem with my home services.  Grandkids come over with their xbox and go 100GB OVER lol seriously in two days.  I get online chat with tech support, first one didn't know squat and lied aka b s . Finally I had to figure it out the hard way and got it done through my modem. Long story short, AT&T will NEVER want to save you money, no self respecting megacorporation will EVER save their consumers money. You might need to take the phone when he goes over, just saying. I didn't want to hurt my grands feelings, but I had to squeeze out the 5ghz devices that was slopping up our 1024 data in huge gulps.  If I couldn't eliminate that, I would have had to block the device from having any data.... hmmm, maybe that's an option for you? I look forward to hearing what you do. Good luck!

Tutor

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4 Messages

7 years ago

?? How is this ATTs fault? You know you only have so much data and then
allowed kids XBox access to the data. Let them play games not requiring
internet. My daughter had home internet of 30gb and it was better than
Hughsnet but not unlimited cable internet.
Btw , ATT offers home now as an addon device to their unlimited plan
(possibly throttled back after 22gb) .

Contributor

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1 Message

7 years ago

We have three "adults" sharing 15g of data. Every month I use between 1 and 2, my mother uses between 2 and 4 and my nephew (who is 25) uses between 12 and 15. When we get the notice, guess who grandma tells to slow down? (Hint - it isn't the nephew; it's the most responsible one.) It isn't only teenagers, who can actually be controlled by parents physically taking their phones away, that can abuse a shared plan. Selfish millennials and grandparents buying love can be a problem, too. How amazing it would be to designate in advance that the three lines that share the plan ALSO share the data equally! When line 1 hits its limit of 1/3 of the total, then the person who owns line 1 makes the overage payment separately. If grandma chooses to make his payment that's on her but it doesn't screw other parties out of a fair share that a 75 year old and a 25 year old can't seem to muster up. And before you comment that I'm expecting a corporation to fix a fisfunctional family -1. Tell me something I don't know, and 2. I can name 3 other family plans with the same issue in addition to the 47 others posting on this single thread!

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

7 years ago

@datachokermom   

Online gaming doesn't use up as much data as you think.   Xbox live online is interactive and consumes about 50-100 MBs an hours.   The kids would have to play 1,000 hours to hit 100 gigs of data.

On the other hand, HD video streaming uses 4 gigs an hour.   Only 25 hours of streaming TV would add up to 100 gigs.  

 

Tutor

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4 Messages

7 years ago

And your point? Poster stated data is exceeded when grandkids are visiting.
Maybe they are streaming movies, face timing, etc?? Either way how is ATT
responsible for this or last poster issues?? My grandson uses over 10gb of
our old 30 gb plan. His parents shut him off the rest of the month.
Typical today's society is blaming someone else for what you should do or
don't do yourself. 🤔

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago

@userinfla You're not implying we should teach kids and adults to be responsible for their own data use are you???

 

 

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