Warning about Data Plan Overage

[teabeanery]

I got a message from AT&T saying that I am nearing my data plan allowance limit of 5gb.  I checked my account and it says so far I've used 3921.2MB of 5120MB.  There are only 3 days until my next billing cycle, so I should be fine, right? That seems like plenty to me for only 3 more days.

How accurate are those figures?  When I look at the data usage in detail, it seems to have logged it right up through today.  

I'm curious if AT&T only sends out that message if people really ARE dangerously close to reaching their data limit, or if they send it out as a "warning" even when you've got fair amount of usage left, considering the short time left in your billing cycle.  

Anyone else receive that message, and WERE you dangerously close to going over?

Just curious.  Thanks.

[enigma1944]

I am always close to the 5GB on a monthly basis and I have never received

a warning message like you have.

To make the issue a little more puzzling,  I exceeded my allotted usage last

May by 240MB.  I just received my July bill and there was no extra usage

Charges indicated. 

I can't believe the ATT data center will hold back extra charges for the time

Frame I explained above.

I don't know if it is legal or not to hold up payments for an indefinite period

of time. 

[teabeanery]

Thanks for your reply.  This is my first month of using AT&T Wireless Broadband, so I wasn't sure what was "normal" or not, in terms of getting these messages.

I just checked and as of today, I've used 3984.91MB of 5120M.  Still nowhere near the limit.  So I've decided not to worry.  However, I did accidently receive a text message on my account, and my account doesn't allow texting, so I'm not sure how and if they will penalize me for that.

You'd think that if your account isn't allowed to receive texts, they would just bounce the text back to the sender.  Oh well.

In terms of your over-usage in May, I've read on various forums/blog posts that sometimes they charge for over usage, and sometimes they let it slide.  Strange.  I suppose you got lucky!

Thanks again for your reply.

[enigma1944]

OK thanks

It seems to me the ATT puzzzle palace is approaching the level of MSN inferno

[shenanigans]

Your line probably has texting pay-per-use on it by default, since the LaptopConnect cards can send/receive sms messages. If you don't want to be able to send/receive sms, call customer care and ask to have it blocked.

[teabeanery]

Thanks, that probably is the default.  I was just confused though cause in my account it shows the usage of text as 1 out of 0, with a big red line.  It looked rather ominous.   

I may call Customer Service and do that, thanks for the suggestion.

[shenanigans]

I was rather startled by that on mine as well.  If I remember right, it's about $0.25 per text if you don't have a plan.

[wilcre ACE - Expert]

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shenanigans wrote: 
     I was rather startled by that on mine as well.  If I remember right, it's about $0.25 per text if you don't have a plan.

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     International sms is $0.25 per message sent, incoming domestic or sending domesticly is $0.20 per message.

[RodCab]

Hi, I too have a very serious complaint against  ATT, after having unlimited data access for over 15 years, I have been limited  to 5.0 GB, and incurring suspension of wireless internet service.

I am still trying to retain the grandfather unlimited service I always had.

The effect of this change in enormous, and demands a class action legal decission.

Hope to have other join me.

[kelseh]

I too got hooked into buying another plan that had me going unknowingly from Unlimited to Limited. I did not mind paying $10 a month more for the plan but to go from unlimited to limited? I would not have chosen that. I had never gone over til my son came home from leave and used my computer. They "forgave" those charges and I have been fine until now my useage has gone haywire. Somehow it says I in one hour I went over the usage already. I do not have the time or energy to sit and watch my usage and want to return to the unlimited. And I as now have my internet shut off til Aug 26th. In the meantime I was helped by a At&t rep that got my system to be alarmed so I can tell when the usage is happening. Of course that won't be helpful until the 26th when the billing period starts again and I can use my own connection. BTW can we charge for the hours we have to put in to straighten all this out too or for the inconvenience that we are put thru. I do believe a class action suit is in order also. I want my unlimited back.

[TalonDancer]

I'm confused (again).

I ususlly use nearly 5GB /mo on my Data Connect acount. Some months a little more but most a little less. I have never received a "Warning about Data Paln Overage" and never been charged extra when I've been over 5GB. My current status according to the AT&T web site is...

XXXXXX's Wireless Usage
Data Connect Including Unlimited MB
XXXXXX's  Current Usage Summary - Data
Data

5457.98 MB
5457.98 of
Unlimited
Current Usage displayed as of:
August 07, 2010
Important Information
Next billing cycle starts:  August 12, 2010

So is my account one of the fabled grandfathered unlimited data accounts?

Or is this what even those who get warnnings and extra charges see when they check their account onlne?

Thanks in Advance --Talon Dancer

[carsharon]

I have also had an unlimited plan for several years, and am fighting to keep my grandfather status. I made the mistake of asking for tech support for my aircard when out of town and suddenly my plan was changed. When the 5G cap was first put on they told me as long as I didn't upgrade my card or change my plan, I could keep my unlimited plan. Now they tell me grandfathering doesn't mean anything and everybody is being changed to 5G.

I live in the country with no DSL available or I would drop it immediately.

[Luckey]

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TalonDancer wrote:

I'm confused (again).

I ususlly use nearly 5GB /mo on my Data Connect acount. Some months a little more but most a little less. I have never received a "Warning about Data Paln Overage" and never been charged extra when I've been over 5GB. My current status according to the AT&T web site is...

XXXXXX's Wireless Usage
Data Connect Including Unlimited MB
XXXXXX's  Current Usage Summary - Data
Data

5457.98 MB
5457.98 of
Unlimited
Current Usage displayed as of:
August 07, 2010
Important Information
Next billing cycle starts:  August 12, 2010

So is my account one of the fabled grandfathered unlimited data accounts?

Or is this what even those who get warnnings and extra charges see when they check their account onlne?

Thanks in Advance --Talon Dancer

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Talon,

Based on why you have posted, it would appear that you have an unlimited plan.  The alert simply informed you of how much data you have used with 5GB being the likely trigger for your plan. 

[TalonDancer]

Thanks. BTW the info I posted wasn't an "alert". It was simply what my online account read that day. I have never received an alert, warning, etc from AT&T.

Talon Dancer

[bgre000]

there was an unlimited plan years ago and as long as you tell them NOT to take it off and they listen to you, you will have the unlimited. the 5G cap was added i think about 18 months or so ago. so even though it said unliomited it was capped. .. troubleshooting sometimes have to remove the plan and add back on and if this is done and it changes the plan there will be issues putting it back on. 

 If you have a tethering pla and pay the 60 a month I believe they should double the cap. but I am not the one who makes those decisions..

 when you get close to your limit you are supposed to get a message saying you are near the cap. then when you hit the cap you are to be shut down. this was implemented due tot he hundred sof people whop had outrageous chasges fr data. thin of it as a safety net.

[TalonDancer]

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TalonDancer wrote:

....So is my account one of the fabled grandfathered unlimited data accounts?....

---

Follow up....

My most recent  bill shows Data Access of over 5,900,000 in the KB/MB USED column with a total charge of $0.00. So apparently I do have one of the fabled unlimited accounts

But interestingly in the graph of prior usage on the AT&T site, this month's usage is shown as 5.6 GB. This makes sense if the graph is based on 1024KB/MB --  5,900,000/1024/1024 is roughly 5.6 GB. Which begs the question....

How does ATA&T compute usage for accounts with a 5GB limit? Does it use 1000KB/MB or 1024KB/MB ?

Talon Dancer

[swannyj]

I have had my data plan 2+ years and have never used the full 5gb.  Last month, I received a warning I was nearing my limit.  I had used 3700mb and had only 1 day left before the start of my new cycle.

That night I attempted to watch a netflex movie but was unable to do so.  Netflex indicated there were connection problems.  The next day I was able to watch with no problem.

I am forced to use data connect as my primary.  I live 10 miles outside a major city so not exactly in the boonies.  Meanwhile our tax dollars are being used to build infrastructure in other countries when there are huge areas in the US that cannot freely use broadbanc. 

[TalonDancer]

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swannyj wrote:

I have had my data plan 2+ years and have never used the full 5gb.  Last month, I received a warning I was nearing my limit.  I had used 3700mb and had only 1 day left before the start of my new cycle.....

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FWIW we got our AT&T Data Connect USB modem in Sept of 2007. And as I reported previously, we exceeded 5GB last blling cylcle without any warnings or charges.

Could you verify whether your online account reads likes our does...

"XXXXXX's Wireless Usage
Data Connect Including Unlimited MB
XXXXXX's  Current Usage Summary - Data
Data

5457.98 MB
5457.98 of
Unlimited"

Thianks in advance - Talon Dancer

[swannyj]

For several months after I signed up (06/08) it read "unlimited" then one month it read 5gb.  I called to complain about the change but the rep would not acknowledge that it had been unlimited.  Unfortunately I did not pursue it and let them make the change.

[TalonDancer]

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swannyj wrote:

For several months after I signed up (06/08) it read "unlimited" then one month it read 5gb.  I called to complain about the change but the rep would not acknowledge that it had been unlimited.  Unfortunately I did not pursue it and let them make the change.

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Thanks for confirming the wording on your account. At least those of us who still have an "unlimited" accounnt can monitor the wording for changes.

Talon Dancer

[wayytoomuchfun]

I received pop-up warnings from my USB Data Connect card data-management software and finally an email message after midnight last night indicating I was very close to my 5-GB limit.  Interesting though....  The first 3.5-GB went fairly accurately...  The last 1.5-GB was indicated to be used up in about 500-KB of my estimated data usage....  ((Hum?))....  Guess AT&T wanted to get me warned with the "red" graph indicator right away....   (Knowing it is best to be pre-warned than post-warned....  Possibly it is the way I measure data sent and received; as compared to AT&T's computations....  There is a difference between our measurements)..... Since I am new to AT&T..... I still may have much to learn....  I am just trying out AT&T's wireless data network... See how it compares to other limited data connection methods....  (=??)...  Seems dependable that is a good thing!!!   Data through-put per second seems very variable.   Anyway.... I do agree I am getting off topic a bit here with data rates... Sorry and bye for now...  Thanks for reading!

[ShaunMN]

I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to post your comments and opinions related to this topic. This topic has been thoroughly discussed and will now be closed.