AT&T to throttle unlimited data plan users...

[ShaunMN]

Hi folks. I just want to remind everyone that legal discussion is not allowed per the Community Guidlines. That includes linking to stories about legal matters. Thank you

[StopUrEvilWays]

Did he just say the only good thing to cone outta t his is that ATT will end our unlimited plans?
Does he have stock in ATT?!?

[ijehan]

Recently I noticed my data being throttled so I decided to give the customer service at att a call. After much argument she told me the same generic MESSAGE. I AM THE 5 PERCENT OF DATA USERS. So i gave her a little analogy. Lets say you are driving down the highway and there is no speed limit, and suddenly a cop pulls you over and tells you that you are being ticketed for overspeeding and are in the TOP 5 PERCENT OF SPEEDERS. CLEARLY NOT.

SO HOW CAN ATT THROTTLE YOUR DATA WITHOUT PROVIDING YOU A REASONABLE DATA LIMIT????

Anyhow the pawns at ATT had a hard time refuting my logic. SO MY next LOGICAL STEP WAS TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE FCC. I provided them with a copy of my TOS in which there is no mention of  throttling. UNLIMITED IN THE PURE sense means unabated and unrestricted. EVEN THE NEW YORK TIMES DID AN ARTICLE ON ATT's lowball tactics on data throttling. The poor editor was throttled just under 2gb of data usage.the moral of the story is if you want to make a dent in ATT's future spectrum acquisition or any form for acquisition, file a complaint with the FCC  right away.

There are a few suggestions that I have provided below for ATT that can remedy or at least mitigate the problem att is having with its unlimited customers:

1. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR THROTTLE LIMIT AND MAKE IT A STANDARD. BEING TRANSPARENT is the best way out. Having a smoke screen while having a good PR Communications director can only go so far. 

2. IF THE UNLIMITED DATA USERS ARE SUCH A BURDEN BUY THEM OUT LIKE A GOLDEN PARACHUTE. PROVIDE THEM WITH 2GB LIMITED DATA AT A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED COST  OR FOR FREE FOR LIFE SO TO ENTICE THEM TO SWITCH OVER 

3. BUILD YOUR OWN NETWORK ( MORE TOWERS AND HOTSPOTS) AND GROW ORGANICALLY, THROUGH BETTER SERVICES AND DIFFERENTIATING YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE WAY.

I HOPE RANDALL STEPHENSON OR RALPH DE VEGA READ MY SUGGESTIONS.  THEY ARE NOT VERY COMPLICATED SUGGESTIONS BUT AS MY MOTHER USED TO TELL ME SOMETIMES THE EASIEST THINGS SAID ARE THE HARDEST TO CHANGE.

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Guru]

What (I think) he's saying is that the kvetching about throttling on the unlimited plan will stop, and we'll have a fair method of determining how much data people use - how much they want to pay for it. Perhaps, under pressure from Congress or government regulators, they'll also throw their customers a bone and up the plan to something a little more respectable for the $30/month they're charging us.

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StopUrEvilWays wrote:
Did he just say the only good thing to cone outta t his is that ATT will end our unlimited plans?
Does he have stock in ATT?!?

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[JFizDaWiz]

Especially since he tethered and lost his unlimited, should have never gotten it back and then he pulls this

[pucs]

Please remember, this has nothing to do with network congestion! AT&T simply wants to get out of the Unlimited Data Plans business and they are throttling to do it! If they just came out and said they are eliminating the plan then everyone that has it now would automatically have an out without an ETF! AT&T is being very dishonest about this whole situation and that is why they will have lots of problems with their stand they are taking. Next thing that is coming is family data plans, but you will have to give up any unlimited data plans on your account to get the family data deal.....

[Please keep it courteous]

[HPLouis]

You know what AT&T could have done to make is easy? Announce that they are throttling people but tell people that the throttle point will be the GB of their highest advertised plan (i.e. 4GB a few weeks ago and now 5GB). Then, to show people the benefits of staying on unlimited, they would tell people that the people on tiered plans pay for overages while the unlimited people get throttled. If you don't want to get throttled, then get a tiered plan. If you don't want to pay overages, then stay on unlimited. Setting the throttle point so low would just anger people, especially when you use the excuse of network congestion and you sell a 5GB plan.

[formercanuck]

I agree... if it had to do with network congestion, AT&T would sell an unlimited throttled plan and a tiered plan.

AT&T has stopped selling unlimited, and lowered the throttling point to below that of its standard (price equivalent) plan.  AT&T is using the fact that this plan is no longer available, and soon, I suspect that upgrades will not allow it either.

[cellphonebear]

ATT should offer all the unlimited data plan users a special deal like 4GB and tethering for exchange for the unlimited plan.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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cellphonebear wrote:

ATT should offer all the unlimited data plan users a special deal like 4GB and tethering for exchange for the unlimited plan.

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If you are talking about exchange server, tethering is not needed at all for that, you mail administrator and company can set that up is they allow you to have it. Just requires a few settings non your AD account

[9th Ward]

"Exchange" as in trading one plan for another...

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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9th Ward wrote:
"Exchange" as in trading one plan for another...

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unlimited is dead, it will not be coming back, guessing that the current grandfathered unlimited plan will be gone by the end of the year at the latest. They have it's replacement already if you want tethering

[4sskyrocket]

It is a very interesting concept. You own the hardware, "Your Phone". You purchase an internet connection that consists of 3-5gb. That is "all" the provider provides, but they have control over you tethering. It is the same data thru their connection. It is your hardware they are charging to use. 

[JFizDaWiz]

Yeah your hardware, typically not purchased through or for AT&T that you're tethering to

[zacb]

Anyone who has unlimited data plan must be a long time and loyal customer.  They should be rewarded and not throttled when using their unlimited data plan

[acemonster]

Does anyone have a copy of the original unlimited data plan contract circa 2006-7? If so, could you please PM me? Thanks.

[4sskyrocket]

Yeah, you saw the last reward we received for being long time and loyal.......

[JFizDaWiz]

it won't matter as that information is in the terms of service which does update and is up to you to keep on it. doesn't matter what it said back then to be honest

[JFizDaWiz]

You don't renew your contract you sign a NEW one. Also no talks of legal matters per guidelines. Might want to remove that link before its deleted again

[ijehan]

oh im sorry i am new and i didnt realize I cannot exercise my bill of rights on this forum ;-).  I will remove it right away.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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acemonster wrote:
Does anyone have a copy of the original unlimited data plan contract circa 2006-7? If so, could you please PM me? Thanks.

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why are you stil under it? Just read your current agreement rules those are the ones that apply now

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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ijehan wrote:

oh im sorry i am new and i didnt realize I cannot exercise my bill of rights on this forum ;-).  I will remove it right away.

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 private forum, private rules - same as with any forum, be it cell phone, gaming, or general discusion. besides they do not apply in this situation - read the wording closelyt and understand it

[pucs]

I truly feel sorry for the forum moderators and AT&T employees who are having to defend the indefensible policies of at&t. I also wonder if at&t actually calculated the increased expenses they would incur from implementing their throttling policy the way they did. Can they actually realize the damage that they have done to their Brand and image? It almost seems as if they truly don't care if 20% of their customers are unhappy. This seems to be the way a company that is run by number crunchers would be run.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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pucs wrote:
I truly feel sorry for the forum moderators and AT&T employees who are having to defend the indefensible policies of at&t. I also wonder if at&t actually calculated the increased expenses they would incur from implementing their throttling policy the way they did. Can they actually realize the damage that they have done to their Brand and image? It almost seems as if they truly don't care if 20% of their customers are unhappy. This seems to be the way a company that is run by number crunchers would be run.

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not quite sure how you are assuming they are "forced" to defend the carrier, with the exception of a few official att personnel everything is their own opinion, just like you have your own opinion. Bottom line - 103 Million wirless customers, the lowest churn rate in the industry seems to point that the carrier is doing something corectly no matter what you think.

Don;t asume they did not go through the entire gambit of charting and determining what the fall out would be, corproatation of this size do not do anything without planning down the the last detail, the ROI was to the postive for this, sory to disappoint you but any successful company is run by "number crunchers" especially if they answer to a board of directors and stock holders. The grave yard is littered with the bones of companies that did not take this simple fact into account. Contrary to popular believe - successful companies are not run by people that do not know what they are doing. At the end of the day they will still be in the top 3 providers

[acemonster]

It does. Terms of service do not modify contracts. Terms of service are also arbitrarily set. Agreeing to terms of service doesn't trump agreements made when signing a contract, especially under the pretense of information given during the act of the signing.

[acemonster]

This is not true. When you update your plan to incorporate a phone upgrade, the contract terms are carried forward. You agree to new terms that govern the use of the upgraded hardware only.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

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acemonster wrote:

This is not true. When you update your plan to incorporate a phone upgrade, the contract terms are carried forward. You agree to new terms that govern the use of the upgraded hardware only.

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You do not "upgrade your contract" when you get a discounted phone, you enter into a brand new 2 year contract with all new etf's and signed tos/fup/aup.  Not sure where you got that idea but it IS a brand new contract

[LTRwithFitChaser]

I read that article on the study that was performed on AT&T throttling and their conclusion that AT&T's clam of network congestion is false.  Wonderful that the truth is out and AT&T's true intentions have been made public. It is shame what they are doing and wow, I have never seen so much bad press regarding this as I have the last couple or so weeks.  I know I have tried to do my part by writing everyone from tech companies to mainstream media about this subject and referring them to this forum and AT&T's Facebook page which is full of customer complaints. I am sure it is a full time job for someone to delete all negative posts here and on FB, but censoring loyal customers because they are speaking the truth will no longer work. The cat is out of the bag and i am sure the CEO is trying to figure out how to contain this public relations  train wreak!  

[eelbrooks]

I have also noticed that my I phone has really slowed down, and I have even had some things timeout because it takes too long to boot up. I also am grandfathered into unlimited data use and get very frustrated when I have to open things up two or three times to get it to boot up. [Per Guidelines:  Keep it Relevant and Appropriate].This is another big corporate decision being made to save them money and to make people get frustrated and do something about their data plans. IF YOU GIVE UP YOUR GRANDFATHER DATA PLAN YOU WILL NEVER GET IT BACK, I WAS TOLD THIS BY AN ATT SERVICE TECH. SOMEONE MADE THIS DECISION AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I don't know about anyone else but I am fed up with this kind of logic , I bet you that the people making these decisions are not being throttled back.

[pucs]

wingrider01 wrote:

not quite sure how you are assuming they are "forced" to defend the carrier, with the exception of a few official att personnel everything is their own opinion, just like you have your own opinion. Bottom line - 103 Million wirless customers, the lowest churn rate in the industry seems to point that the carrier is doing something corectly no matter what you think.

Don;t asume they did not go through the entire gambit of charting and determining what the fall out would be, corproatation of this size do not do anything without planning down the the last detail, the ROI was to the postive for this, sory to disappoint you but any successful company is run by "number crunchers" especially if they answer to a board of directors and stock holders. The grave yard is littered with the bones of companies that did not take this simple fact into account. Contrary to popular believe - successful companies are not run by people that do not know what they are doing. At the end of the day they will still be in the top 3 providers

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thank you for pointing out the low churn rate AT&T has enjoyed prior to this Throttling debacle. I appreciate you pointing out that the best way to get the message to AT&T that the way they are doing their throttling is wrong is to go to another carrier.  It appears that you are under the impression that because AT&T has a board of directors and stock holders that they can do no wrong when it comes to how they run their business.... The grave yard is littered with the bones of companies that took this arrogant approach to their customers.... successful companies are not run by people that ignore their customers.......