Unlimited Plus: Deprioritization or Throttling?

@Enigma08

You just described reprioritization due to congestion.  The fact speeds go up in the middle of the night proves it.  Throttling has no abatement till the next bill cycle.  

True, true... having just switched my data plan specifically for the supposed ability to use a hotspot (?).  -sorry, but until I’m able to pose my own question  -  in the proper section(!), I won’t ask it... maybe. In the meantime... I have information to confirm this “throttling” you speak of, NicholasMassell, and it does, indeed, exist!  

Now, I changed my mind.  Since I have an iPhone 8 and the Unlimited Plus Enhanced Plan as of today, but I still am getting jerked around with the hotspot... what is tethering?  I would like to skip the tears about no On Demand for my HBO on Directv, and go straight back to my Roku, in the AM as I read earlier!   ANYONE???

I've been looking to see if others are having the same problems, with slow speeds on the unlimited plus plan.. I've been screwed over by AT&T many times so this shouldn't of surprised me, but I've also never spent as much as I am now, so I can have unlimited data that I can actually use. When I went with the unlimited plus plan, I told them I was looking for a data plan I wouldn't have much problems with, because we have gamers in this household, plus we mainly watch Netflix and other streaming services. I didn't want to worry about going over or having speeds too slow that we can't do anything. So I was told the unlimited plus was the best option, that it gave 22gb of high speed, then the speeds may slow after 22 in congested areas or times, but would go back up to normal speeds. I asked if 22gb was a lot, when it came to gaming and streaming, was told that it would be enough even if we spent 5-6 hours a day on multiple devices. So I said okay, was also talked into getting direct tv with it since there was a promotional offer.. Okay so everything seemed to work decent in the beginning, but now ive been on the plan for roughly a little over a year..and id have to say the last at least 7 months have sucked. First thing I noticed when speeds started to be slow all the time, was that somehow we were going through our 22gb within like 2 days, I called many times, talked to numerous people about the issue, got the run around and never got an answer of how we were going through it in 2 days when I was told it should last us most of the month if not all..so I said whatever, what can I do..but then more and more it seems or speeds just kept slowing, even when our cycle renewed with the 22, we still weren't getting "high speed". But still I put up with it, and tried to be okay with it...then more recently, I gave in and started calling again, because my wifi box that I was talked into getting also when I got my plan, because I wanted house internet and my house couldn't get the uverse, so they set me up with a homebase wifi box..anyways it wouldn't connect to the internet at all.. So there I go again being sent to person after person to get the simple question answered to why my box wasnt connecting, and they couldn't even send me to the right person, and somehow all seemed clueless as to even know what a homebase box was, till finally the last person that I talked to, just wanted to keep telling me that after 22 then your speeds may slow blah blah blah..ablah..and literally said this to me at least 10 times, while I'm trying to explain that I already know that, that slow speeds aren't the problem, the problem is its not connecting at all..then he just kept repeating the same thing, as I tried saying that I've had this service for over year, and told him to look at the average amount we use, because it's well over 22 and we've never had this problem before..well he checked, seen how much we use, then still repeated what he already said, so at that point I gave up and decided to wait it out..well it didnt start working again for 3 days.. So I'm just pretty fed up, because were paying close to 300 a month to not even have "high speed" at all.. Unfortunately where I live, I don't really have other options to switch to, so like always they just get to keep getting away with whatever...anyways sorry for the super long post, just feeling really fed up. And congrats to those of you that aren't having these problems, unfortunately there are quite a few of us that are.

It should be noted that the quote of 22 GB is per line.  If one device is over 22 GB then only it is subject to throttling/deprioritization.  The other devices on the plan should work normally if they have not gone over that limit.  Streaming Netflix is very high bandwidth and so does services such as Twitch.  If you have a Firestick I know that you can set the quality of the stream lower and you may find a similar setting on other devices or smart TV's.  There is no sense in downloading a show in 4k when you have a 1080p television is the point.  Likewise, streaming a 1080p video to a phone or tablet is usually overkill also which uses more data than needed.  

Once you hit the limit, your hotspot is useless! I purchased this “unlimited data” (Edited per community guidelines) plan a few months ago, because I’m a travel nurse and I’m always on the road & away from home. I was constantly going over on my data multiple times each month & was paying out the (Edited per community guidelines) or I should say, the price gouging fees, charged by my SOON TO BE FORMER cellphone provider, AT&T! 

I have had Comcast or Xfinity as my home internet service & cable provider for many years & the basic & cheapest plan available that provides my high speed internet continues to increase every time I turn around & was costing me $138/month. I don’t use the cable portion of the plan & actually never even plugged in the cable box, because I don’t have any desire to watch regular TV. I strictly use the internet service with unlimited data, in order to stream movies, Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc... I decided that it made more sense for me to get rid of the Comcast/Xfinity, since I’m not normally at home more than one week a month. I figured that I could use my so called  “unlimited data” & use my hot spot for my internet service when I’m at home one week a month. (Edited per community guidelines)...little did I know that I would max my “hotspot data limit”....WAIT JUST A MINUTE, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE “UNLIMITED DATA” PLAN THAT I UPGRADED & PAY EVEN MORE MONEY to AT&T, ONLY TO FIND OUT that this SO CALLED “Unlimited Data” somehow has a LIMIT ON THE HOTSPOT DATA??? Two days ago I had my Comcast/Xfinity shut off and set everything up on my laptop, which I use mainly for the noise, during the day, when I’m sleeping. (I work night shift & try to maintain my normal sleep pattern, even on my days off). 

I received a text message at 1:46 am this morning that stated “you have used 75% of your standard 30GB of your Mobile Hot Spot high-speed data for this bill period. If you use it all, your mobile hotspot data will be slowed down to a max speed of 128Kbps, until 10/18/20”.

GET THIS ***At 6:27am this morning & only a few hours from the first message I received, I received another text message notification that stated “ you have used 100% of your standard 30GB of your Mobile Hot Spot high-speed data for this bill period. Mobile hotspot data will be slowed down to a max speed of 128Kbps, until 10/18/20”.

I was watching a series on Netflix or listening to it for the noise, but now that I have reached my 100% of my standard 30GB HOTSPOT DATA LIMIT...WAIT just a minute...How in the (Edited per community guidelines) is an “UNLIMITED DATA PLAN HAVE A DATA LIMIT???, OH, BTW, MY MOVIE WILL NOT PLAY AT ALL!!!

 I’m going to give a very generous estimation, that I played movies for 18 hours, which I know is much less, since I worked a double shift on Saturday starting at 2pm & I left my house at 12:30pm & I returned home at 8:00am Sunday morning. I turned on the Netflix series at 8:30am and I had to be up and back on the road by 12pm & I returned home at 12:30am Monday morning.

I use my USB cable to charge my phone on my computer & had my hotspot setup to use the USB, so it wasn’t running when I wasn’t plugged into my computer. 

1. AT&T has FALSELY ADVERTISED the “Unlimited Data”, which is illegal.
2. the whole claim of slowing the data speed down is a STRAIGHT UP LIE! Once you reach your limit, which is approximately two days of your billing cycle, you can kiss your “UNLIMITED DATA” GoOdByE until the next billing cycle!
3. Once you change your plan, you’re (Edited per community guidelines)ed until your agreed contract has been completed, unless you switch to another cellphone provider and pay AT&T more PRICE GOUGING FEES to terminate your contract or you can do what I’m considering on doing & that’s to switch providers and just not pay AT&T. Obviously, it will have an impact on your credit score, but in my case, my divorce destroyed my credit, so I seriously don’t care at this point & might even wipe everything out & file bankruptcy & start my NEW HAPPILY SINGLE LIFE debt free!😂🤣🤷🏻‍♀️
4. On a serious note, I’m going to ask my good friend, who happens to be an attorney if anything can be done, because like many of the people on this thread have indicated, including myself, that AT&T’s so called “customer support”, mislead us on how the “unlimited data” plan works. 
5. I’m very disappointed in AT&T for lying to me and apparently so many others. I’m paying $180/monthly for one cellphone (iPhone X Max), one very outdated iPad that I don’t even know where it’s located, & now I’m stuck with a so called “unlimited data” plan that only works for two days, at the maximum for the use I had intended to use or replace my home internet service. 
6. The ONLY thing GOOD about this is I FINALLY got rid of that horrible Comcast/Xfinity Cable & Internet Services. 
7. I had originally considered adding the AT&T Universe to switch everything over to one provider, but once I have been lied to, I NEVER TRUST a company or individual again! 
8. Shame on you AT&T for lying to long-standing loyal customers. I’m taking my business else!