AT&T to Soon Throttle Unlimited Data Plan Speeds

[arh5103]

I wonder what the data threshold really is. 5% is roughly 4.5 mil users (according to released ATT wireless subscriber count) that's a lot of angry customers to create. I do like that last paragraph though. If we you let us buy T-mobile we'll be nicer....for a little while.....

 

[Guest]

That's stupid ------------------> BYSTANDER, that's like a Millionaire complaining that the oil changes are more expensive on his Lambo.

 

[sykozis]

Ok, I'm lost here. AT&T owns considerably more "spectrum" then they're using....yet, they're experiencing a "spectrum shortage"....

[citation][nom]bystander[/nom]You have to feel for these companies. With the explosion of smart phones, they are having difficulties keeping up. I believe I saw in another one of these articles that data usages has increased by 800% over the last 2-3 years. It's hard to keep up with that kind of increase.[/citation]

I don't feel sorry for any company that has a long standing track record of monopolization and abuse of market position. Buying T-Mobile won't solve their network problems. Updating and expanding their network will in fact solve their network issues though. It doesn't matter how much "spectrum" they own....if they don't actually use it.

 

[sykozis]

Wish you could edit posts here.....ugh

Current customers should start looking very closely at their contracts. If it's not stated within their contract at the time the service was activated that AT&T may throttle service for heavy usage, AT&T may not legally be able to throttle service for those paying for "Unlimited data".

 

[shanky887614]

sy, they will just send them a notice of change of contract that they will add a fair use policy if there isnt allready one there and there fine and its legal

 

[ti1706]

[citation][nom]whysobluepandabear[/nom]WELCOME TO FABULOUS CAPITALIST AMERICA - LAND WHERE CORPORATIONS ARE FREE, AND POLITICIANS AND THE PEOPLE ARE YOUR SLAVES TO DO THY BIDDING! But seriously, I'm slowing starting to see no difference between Communism and Capitalism. Communism, the Government runs the show. Capitalism the corporations run the show - and also buy out the politicians.[/citation]

Greed vs. Greed.

When the fear of God is lost, all nations begin to fall.

 

[hoofhearted]

AT&T is trying to increase our "speculum" capacity.

 

[JamesSneed]

wtf If you pay for a certain unlimited plan you should be able to use that bandwidth 100% 24/7. Just greedy as hell.

 

[mayne92]

I love it when the marketing ploy term "unlimited" is really NOT unlimited. Plus to say that users could jump from "unlimited" to a tiered pricing scheme for better service just sounds to me like ATT is wanting to drive those customers from "unlimited" to the cap b/c they want to live with the same network infrastructure...longer. Think about this, if there are lets say 10s of millions of users who aren't excessively using the network but the top 5% are...I don't understand how they are such a burden to the network when everyone relatively get the same streamed bandwidth but just accumulated more of it. It is because the network is weak to the demand that is needed. The top 5% is miniscule compared to the other 95%. What will happen is that it will be a continuous "top 5% of heavy data customers"; a never-ending cycle of throttling customers who just happen to make it to the top 5%...they drop off while others take over. So to me, this is just a ploy to save network infrastructure...longer while just taking control of those "unlimited" users because the cycle will be never-ending until everyone is down to tiered pricing form. "Unlimited" brought in customers to the "smartphone" arena...now it is time to tame them...

 

[lamorpa]

You either throttle the connection or you limit its speed. You cannot throttle speed. The phrase doesn't make sense. Are you going to limit the speed of the speed?

 

[ares1214]

So...basically...AT&T sucks. End of article.

 

[cadder]

[citation][nom]bystander[/nom]You have to feel for these companies. With the explosion of smart phones, they are having difficulties keeping up. I believe I saw in another one of these articles that data usages has increased by 800% over the last 2-3 years.[/citation]

They sell them and are actively trying to sell even more of them. The unlimited plan that I have is $30 per month, that's $720 over the life of my contract. They talk about selling millions of iphones, that's billions of dollars in additional revenue for them. So should they just put it in their pockets and then complain that the customers want to receive something for their money, or should they actually spend part of it to provide some service to their customers?

What they need is a class action lawsuit to teach them what the definition of "unlimited" really is.

I don't think the problem is with 5% of people using more data, the problem is that they want to throttle everybody and this is their justification. In my area the problem is the sheer number of phones in any given cell. I'm next to a major freeway that is constantly congested, and all of those people are on their phones while they are sitting in traffic.

 

[pocketdrummer]

[citation][nom]jamesmoore4[/nom]At least corporations have to get you to GIVE them your money. The government just TAKES it.[/citation]

You forgot about insurance companies... The government forces you to ensure your vehicle through an insurance company. Who do you think sank that deal?

Insurance companies, banks, and the oil industry own this country.

 

[danwat1234]

I should probably shut off the bittorrent client on my iphone..

 

[jblack]

So now that the top 5% will be slowed down, does this mean we will get a lower rate on our data plans? ---- I bet not.

 

[enforcer22]

What a bunch of shit. You make lines faster give more and more reasons to use these lines sell them as you can watch this stream that upload this. Then when people utalise it as such you say wait a second we didnt want you to actualy use it just pay for it. Bunch of shit.

 

[danimal_the_animal]

LOL

ATT acts like the data is going to get all used up.

So stupid....all marketing and there never was a problem with high data users before so why now!

 

[nebun]

[citation][nom]bystander[/nom]You have to feel for these companies. With the explosion of smart phones, they are having difficulties keeping up. I believe I saw in another one of these articles that data usages has increased by 800% over the last 2-3 years. It's hard to keep up with that kind of increase.[/citation]
how hard is it to upgrade the hardware??? really....this is really stupid...companies need to invest more of the profits on their infrastructure, if they did this we would not have these problems

 

[memadmax]

AT&T dsl sucks so bad. The network is ALL OVER the place in terms of speed. One minute its at almost full, the next its a trickle....

 

[matm347]

at&t needs to get off their high horse. Prices go UP for LESS service...this is NOT progress! But look at the oil&gas companies doing EXACTLY the same. 44 gallon barrels vs 55 and the price is still going up?? Too bad I cannot set my own salary to whatever I wanted...much less keep pace with the cost of living that is going up across the board! Say goodbye to the American middle class!!