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

[Moonbaseone]

Anyone know how to setup automatic Data usuage notices? This might help some users out there.

[aBenjamin]

the myAT&T app is a big help if you use a smart phone (android, iPhone, blackberry, and windows phone) though I wish it included a home screen widget I could use to keep track of data usage live. 

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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aBenjamin wrote:

the myAT&T app is a big help if you use a smart phone (android, iPhone, blackberry, and windows phone) though I wish it included a home screen widget I could use to keep track of data usage live. 

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Prefer MyDataManager free for android

[CTYankee9]

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wingrider01 wrote:

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aBenjamin wrote:

the myAT&T app is a big help if you use a smart phone (android, iPhone, blackberry, and windows phone) though I wish it included a home screen widget I could use to keep track of data usage live. 

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Prefer MyDataManager free for android

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I use Traffic Monitor from the Andriod market. It has a widget for your home screen and the in-depth usage charts show your useage broken down by WiFi, Tethered trafiic, and what each of your other apps are using.

[aBenjamin]

I'll have to check those out.

[p3pp3r]

Shady, ambiguous stipulations in the contract which allows big bully, AT&T, to change the promised unlimited service at the initiation of one's contract, what an uncomfortable feeling  it leaves inside you, it's almost like being violated *screwed*. It's been difficult trying to get out of AT&T because of it's wider coverage but thanks to the progress of other providers' coverage that is not much of an issue now.

Imagine if AT&T was able to complete the purchase of T-Mobile, what a disaster it might have been.

Adieu my unfaitful friend...it was an expensive and shaky experience, that I hope no other consumer will have to endure.

[Moonbaseone]

I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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Moonbaseone wrote:
I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

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faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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p3pp3r wrote:

Shady, ambiguous stipulations in the contract which allows big bully, AT&T, to change the promised unlimited service at the initiation of one's contract, what an uncomfortable feeling  it leaves inside you, it's almost like being violated *screwed*. It's been difficult trying to get out of AT&T because of it's wider coverage but thanks to the progress of other providers' coverage that is not much of an issue now.

Imagine if AT&T was able to complete the purchase of T-Mobile, what a disaster it might have been.

Adieu my unfaitful friend...it was an expensive and shaky experience, that I hope no other consumer will have to endure.

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good luick where ever you go - sprint, t-mobile or cricket, they are just about the only carriers that have a unliited data plan anymore, with the exception of sprint, the other two already are capping their "unlimited plans"

Unlimited data was a added feature, not part of your contract, the requirement of a data plan for smartphone was a prt of the tos, neither verizon not att "changed" their contract.

[davidusr]

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wingrider01 wrote:

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Moonbaseone wrote:
I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

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faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

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The amount of data I consume hasn't changed. The reason LTE gets 2 more gig is this... Consider 3G a four lane highway, and LTE a 10 lane highway. LTE can handle far more traffic than 3G, therefore, less congestion.

[Bwolffdrums]

wingrider01 wrote:

faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

You were arguing against this exact point earlier in this ridiculously long thread.  Other people and I were saying that by limiting speed, you were limiting data consumption on unlimited plans, effectively making them NOT unlimited.  You were saying that you still could use as much data as you wanted, just at a slower speed.  Now you're saying that having a faster speed allows you to use more data.  So which is it?

[4sskyrocket]

If congestion truely was an issue for 3G a 5GB plan would not be available for a few more dollars. It is a marketing plan, plain and simple.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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Bwolffdrums wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:

faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

You were arguing against this exact point earlier in this ridiculously long thread.  Other people and I were saying that by limiting speed, you were limiting data consumption on unlimited plans, effectively making them NOT unlimited.  You were saying that you still could use as much data as you wanted, just at a slower speed.  Now you're saying that having a faster speed allows you to use more data.  So which is it?

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hmm, seems like there is a failure to communicate here - I was giving an example to the person that asked the question, in no way shape or form does a example indicate agree or disagreement with the policy,  the example does not in any way shap or form alter the statement that data is still unlimited no matter what the speed is.  The statemanet was inrelation to the advertised fact that 3g gets 3GB before it gets throttled, 4g get 5gb. I am still standing on the statement is unlimited = unlimited no matter what the speed. It was the carriers decision to give two different caps for throttling, my standing on this has not changed one iota. Nothing has changed wxcept for your incorrect statement

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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davidusr wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

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Moonbaseone wrote:
I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

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faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

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The amount of data I consume hasn't changed. The reason LTE gets 2 more gig is this... Consider 3G a four lane highway, and LTE a 10 lane highway. LTE can handle far more traffic than 3G, therefore, less congestion.

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If you are driving on a highway then you would be correct, other then that not a chance

[davidusr]

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davidusr wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

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Moonbaseone wrote:
I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

---

faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

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The amount of data I consume hasn't changed. The reason LTE gets 2 more gig is this... Consider 3G a four lane highway, and LTE a 10 lane highway. LTE can handle far more traffic than 3G, therefore, less congestion.

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Not a chance at what? LTE can't handle more traffic than 3G?

[Bwolffdrums]

wingrider01 wrote:

hmm, seems like there is a failure to communicate here - I was giving an example to the person that asked the question, in no way shape or form does a example indicate agree or disagreement with the policy,  the example does not in any way shap or form alter the statement that data is still unlimited no matter what the speed is.  The statemanet was inrelation to the advertised fact that 3g gets 3GB before it gets throttled, 4g get 5gb. I am still standing on the statement is unlimited = unlimited no matter what the speed. It was the carriers decision to give two different caps for throttling, my standing on this has not changed one iota. Nothing has changed wxcept for your incorrect statement

Yes, it's true, you fail to communicate with almost every post.  The problem is your example contradicts your statement that "unlimited is unlimited no matter what the speed is.".  It's simple logic, if the statement "faster speeds = more usage" is true, then slower speeds = less usage is true.  If by lowering speeds you are lowering data usage, you are LIMITING the data usage.  Your two statements are mutually exclusive.  It doesn't matter that you were using it as an example in relation to someones question.  Either one is true or the other.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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Bwolffdrums wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:

hmm, seems like there is a failure to communicate here - I was giving an example to the person that asked the question, in no way shape or form does a example indicate agree or disagreement with the policy,  the example does not in any way shap or form alter the statement that data is still unlimited no matter what the speed is.  The statemanet was inrelation to the advertised fact that 3g gets 3GB before it gets throttled, 4g get 5gb. I am still standing on the statement is unlimited = unlimited no matter what the speed. It was the carriers decision to give two different caps for throttling, my standing on this has not changed one iota. Nothing has changed wxcept for your incorrect statement

Yes, it's true, you fail to communicate with almost every post.  The problem is your example contradicts your statement that "unlimited is unlimited no matter what the speed is.".  It's simple logic, if the statement "faster speeds = more usage" is true, then slower speeds = less usage is true.  If by lowering speeds you are lowering data usage, you are LIMITING the data usage.  Your two statements are mutually exclusive.  It doesn't matter that you were using it as an example in relation to someones question.  Either one is true or the other.

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Not going to argue with you over this, the example gives nothing on the simple statement that unlimited data <> unlimited speed, you  are still getting your unlimited data, just not a speed that you feel you deserve, it was an example to give a simple, straight forward example on the theory on why the carrier gave the true 4G users a 2GB higher cap then the 3G users, seems like they once again over engineered the solution, should have been 3GB no matter what you connected at, please, simple and clean - no need for the "why do they get more then I do" posts that are popping up.

The "statements" are not "muttually exclusive" once is a example, the other is a statement, of opinin, for them to be mutually exclusive the first requitement would be for them to be both the same type of rhetoric, but since one was used as an example it is not the same no matter how you hope to bend it around.

bottom line - unlimited data does NOT equate to unlimited access speed, no matter what speed you are obtaining somethinf at if they do not hard lock at a specific level it is still unlimited data - end of statement.

[Moonbaseone]

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wingrider01 wrote:

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Moonbaseone wrote:
I'm just wondering one thing. If you get throttled at 3GB on 3G but they bump it up to being throttled at 5GB at LTE speeds, I guess I'm just curious why all of a sudden I would start using an extra 2GB a month just because my phone is faster, if my usuage habits stay pretty much the same. As far as I know, using LGE still uses the exact same amount of data as using 3G right? Yeah sure I guess if I spend say, an hour on youtube every day and use X amount of data eaxt time while on 3G, I may watch a couple of more videos on LTE in the same about of time because the lose faster?

---

faster speeds = more usage, for example - the movie that takes 10 minutes to download in 3g and 5 minutes in 4g gives you the ability to grab two in the same time frame doubling the amount of data you download. As much as every stats their usage would stay the same if it was faster, it does not, usage will expand due to the faster speed

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Yes, I get the ideal that you would use more data if you now have the ability to access more data at twice the speed for example, but, videos aside, lets say for those who stream music 1+ hours a day. Wouldnt streaming Pandora for, say, an hour, use the same amount of data on 3G as it does on LTE??? Again, I can understand that if you can now download/stream and watch 2 movies twice as fast as one, you might watch 2 if your stuck in a snowstorm for 4 hours, and even with pictures, but would your data usuage pretty much stay the same or increase a little if you don't stream music or DL a ton of pictures? Because surfing and streaming still uses the same amount of data on 3G as it does on LTE?

[Bwolffdrums]

wingrider01 wrote:

Not going to argue with you over this, the example gives nothing on the simple statement that unlimited data <> unlimited speed,

Yes, it does, and I already showed why.  There's really nothing to argue there.

 you  are still getting your unlimited data, just not a speed that you feel you deserve, it was an example to give a simple, straight forward example on the theory on why the carrier gave the true 4G users a 2GB higher cap then the 3G users

Exactly my point, your "example on the theory" was that faster speeds allow for more data usage.  If your theory that speed correlates to consumption is true, your theory that "you are still getting your unlimited data, just not a speed that you feel you deserve", simply can't be true.  

, seems like they once again over engineered the solution, should have been 3GB no matter what you connected at, please, simple and clean - no need for the "why do they get more then I do" posts that are popping up.

 Agreed, but I would have made it 5GB across the board.  Which is still a clear limit to an unlimited plan, but at least that way a lot less people would complain.  I think we still both agree that the ultimate solution is just to get rid of the grandfathered plans all together.

The "statements" are not "muttually exclusive" once is a example, the other is a statement, of opinin, for them to be mutually exclusive the first requitement would be for them to be both the same type of rhetoric, but since one was used as an example it is not the same no matter how you hope to bend it around.

Whatever word you want to use to describe it, it's still just your opinion.  The context in which your opinion is used doesn't change the fact that it's still your opinion.  It certainly doesn't change the fact that they contradict each other.  You said both things, and they can't both be true. 

bottom line - unlimited data does NOT equate to unlimited access speed, no matter what speed you are obtaining somethinf at if they do not hard lock at a specific level it is still unlimited data - end of statement.

Well, that isn't really the BOTTOM line, as your theory on this can still be argued and you've been shown to be wrong by at least one person with the authority to decide.  However, IF it was the bottom line it would show that the 3GB and 5GB limits are just arbitrary numbers with no real meaning attached to them because access speed wouldn't affect the amount of data someone could consume making your example to the other poster untrue and pointless. 

[Captain Quantum]

@Bwolffdrums

My friend you do a great job at articulating the sentiments that have been on the tip of my tongue, but unable to express as clearly and coherently as you have. Keep it up, and thank you. 

The fact that at&t even still calls this unlimited is beyond me, and starting to bug me even more then the arbitrary throttling. Yes, I know *technically* in their world, it is unlimited. But those of us who bought these plans when they sold them, we were told unlimited, the wording is clear but the policy is not. They sold too many plans that crunched their network, so they used a buried clause to limit us. Do they have the right? Surely. But IS IT RIGHT? Surely NOT. Go up to any person on the street and ask them what unlimited means, and well, it's certainly not this. 

And no, other carriers throttling policy isn't the same at AT$T. Verizon, Sprint and T-mobile's are much clearer, and MUCH better imo. Verizon is only on congested cell tower, and as evidenced by the Verizon boards and lack of any media attn, no where near the number of Verizon customers are so up in arms about getting throttled. Sprint only throttles those who are blatantly abusing, like using tethering as your primary home internet.

[slook76]

Its no different thnt airlines overbooking a flight now is it?? They have the money and yes you paid for it, but oops we are sorry you can't have what we sold you. 

Its all about money, a company that has billions in PROFIT can't say that it isn't.  They claim that their infrastructure is overloaded, and is, then put all of their hopes in closing the Tmobile deal to support the overselling and usage of the infrastructure they are now claiming is overloaded leading to throttling, whose fault is that?? Yet instead of lowering cost, the plans are now tiered, constantly get changed to get less for more and now the loyal customers that grandfathered in with the original plans before greed and backtracking for overselling their network got in the way are screwed, NOT to mention customers are charged "recovery" fees to make up for past lawsuits that att has to pay restitutions on...interesting.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

[slook76]

Im assuming you are a employee of att with that answer...I only say that because I was previously too.  While your right they are not related, and you are right on the DSL/Uverse usage limits you can't tell me that the idea to throttle customers, especially existing customers, is a good business decision.  They put too much into the hopes the Tmobile deal would go through, overloaded their towers data capabilities, and now have to back track.  [Edited to comply with Guidelines] yet still clear billions in straight profit and still think that throttling is a good idea.  Its really time to stop advertising the fact you can surf the web WHILE on calls considering once the throttling kicks in you can't even surf the web effectively whether your on a call or not.  Corporate greed isn't becoming of a national icon.

[golfgreg74]

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Captain Quantum wrote:

@Bwolffdrums

My friend you do a great job at articulating the sentiments that have been on the tip of my tongue, but unable to express as clearly and coherently as you have. Keep it up, and thank you. 

The fact that at&t even still calls this unlimited is beyond me, and starting to bug me even more then the arbitrary throttling. Yes, I know *technically* in their world, it is unlimited. But those of us who bought these plans when they sold them, we were told unlimited, the wording is clear but the policy is not. They sold too many plans that crunched their network, so they used a buried clause to limit us. Do they have the right? Surely. But IS IT RIGHT? Surely NOT. Go up to any person on the street and ask them what unlimited means, and well, it's certainly not this. 

And no, other carriers throttling policy isn't the same at AT$T. Verizon, Sprint and T-mobile's are much clearer, and MUCH better imo. Verizon is only on congested cell tower, and as evidenced by the Verizon boards and lack of any media attn, no where near the number of Verizon customers are so up in arms about getting throttled. Sprint only throttles those who are blatantly abusing, like using tethering as your primary home internet.

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I agree with the both of you (@Bwolfdrums & @Captain Quantum).  ATT really left a bad taste in a lot of our mouths and may have lost customers over it.  There are those who will say that it is right, we are luck to still have the "unlimited" plan, etc, but in actuality what we have is a large corp who thinks that they can redefine a word in the English dictionary.

Thank you both for keeping on ATT for their poor service.  As many have stated, this is not what we signed up for or told we were going to receive when we were offered "unlimited"...

Not sure what to use anymore for that term..."unlimited" or unlimited*

[Jamus75]

I can't believe there are still people out there trying to say that throttling is not affecting our unlimited plans. {keep it courteous}Listen here's an analogy for you, so your water company told you that you have unlimited access to water 24/7 at a certain monthly price, you agree to pay said price for your water service. Come to find out after about 7 days of using your water , taking showers and so on, the water comes to a drip. Guess what. You still have unlimited water service don't you but it really don't matter cause you can't take showers or wash clothes or anything. But it's still there dripping without limits. Do you think that is fair? Would you be ok with it and not be outraged? Would you not call customer service and complain. Also what if your job required you to use that water or what if you bought an expensive sprinkler system which doesn't work with a drip. Well thats what I have. I have an expensive phone with apps like Netflix that I cannot use because my data drips.

[tazmannusa]

 I guess the term Unlimited has lots of meanings, My laptop connect card that I pay $60 a month for unlimited still clearly states unlimited on my account but if I hit 5 gigs gets suspended till I agree to pay .05 cents a meg overages .

 Then watching the races on tv last sunday AT&T addvetizing getting 4 gigs for the price of 2 for new phone customers.

 Shaft the old and reward the new must be a new slogan.

 On another note addvertising 4g and showing 4g on the coverage maps in my area but it is still 3g, something doesn't seem quite right there.

 Soon to be X customer 

  Tom

[seajohn]

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Jamus75 wrote:

I can't believe there are still people out there trying to say that throttling is not affecting our unlimited plans. {keep it courteous}Listen here's an analogy for you, so your water company told you that you have unlimited access to water 24/7 at a certain monthly price, you agree to pay said price for your water service. Come to find out after about 7 days of using your water , taking showers and so on, the water comes to a drip. Guess what. You still have unlimited water service don't you but it really don't matter cause you can't take showers or wash clothes or anything. But it's still there dripping without limits. Do you think that is fair? Would you be ok with it and not be outraged? Would you not call customer service and complain. Also what if your job required you to use that water or what if you bought an expensive sprinkler system which doesn't work with a drip. Well thats what I have. I have an expensive phone with apps like Netflix that I cannot use because my data drips.

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That's probably the best analogy yet.  However, I'm sure somebody will fly in and say that AT&T's throttling is nothing like that.

[Dellman87]

This is the best thing I've ever seen!

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Jamus75 wrote:

I can't believe there are still people out there trying to say that throttling is not affecting our unlimited plans. {keep it courteous}Listen here's an analogy for you, so your water company told you that you have unlimited access to water 24/7 at a certain monthly price, you agree to pay said price for your water service. Come to find out after about 7 days of using your water , taking showers and so on, the water comes to a drip. Guess what. You still have unlimited water service don't you but it really don't matter cause you can't take showers or wash clothes or anything. But it's still there dripping without limits. Do you think that is fair? Would you be ok with it and not be outraged? Would you not call customer service and complain. Also what if your job required you to use that water or what if you bought an expensive sprinkler system which doesn't work with a drip. Well thats what I have. I have an expensive phone with apps like Netflix that I cannot use because my data drips.

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[Moonbaseone]

Ok. I did some math. 3GB/Month comes out to 100kb/day. Last few days I have been under 100Kbkb/day. Yes, I do have wifi at home. Also, I've changed my habits a little bit by not watching as many YouTube videos and not streaming Pandora as much as I use to. 4 days into my billing cycle and I an I am at 90kb. 

Point is, for me, the 3gb, so far, is doable. ALSO, I should note that I have downloaded the App Onavo. It's supposed to help save on your data usuage. It's FREE. And it seems to be working. I've heard good things about it. And, it's FREE. 

So, while I agree that it does suck to have to worry about throttling, the ONLY reason I am still with AT&T after this fiasco is because I will never have to worry about overages on my bill for data. Yes, it sucks that I can't use my data as much as I want on an "unlimited" plan, but it is what it is. Might as well make the best of it or leave.  

hope this helps.

[Dellman87]

I still can't get over the fact that "unlimited" isn't true unlimited anymore.  If Verizon can still stand by it, why can't AT&T?

[dirtyharry]

AT&T are THIEFS & LIARS!!!! Stay away from them and you should all boycott ALL AT&Ts PRODUCTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!