∞ AT&T confirms throttle for ‘unlimited’ users

As reported on Thursday by 9to5Mac, AT&T on Friday confirmed plans to throttle the data transfer speeds of smartphone users still on “unlimited” data plans.
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“Starting October 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage in a billing cycle reaches the level that puts them among the top 5 percent of heaviest data users. These customers can still use unlimited data and their speeds will be restored with the start of the next billing cycle. Before you are affected, we will provide multiple notices, including a grace period.”

AT&T says that such users transfer 12 times more data than the average user does. The company also reminds users that switching to Wi-Fi – even Wi-Fi hosted by an AT&T-branded hotspot – does not incur additional load on the cellular data network. The company encourages users of Wi-Fi enabled smartphones (such as the iPhone) to use Wi-Fi wherever they can to help reduce network congestion.

AT&T also used the service notice as an opportunity to plug their planned merger with T-Mobile.

“Nothing short of completing the T-Mobile merger will provide additional spectrum capacity to address these near term challenges.”

@CNJBrownBear on Twitter

Any idea what kind of cap or throttle they have in mind? How much usage do the top 5 percent use? Is that an annual average or each month will the number change? I have too many questions and too little confidence in AT&T.

Peter Cohen

They’re not talking in absolute terms, just relative terms, so I’m not sure what 12x of average is, because they don’t tell use what the average user uses.

The idea here is that if you hit that cap – and you should be warned first, repeatedly – you’ll find your speed reduced until the start of the next billing cycle. So while excessive users won’t be cut off completely, they will be cut *down*.

Anonymous

This needs a more dramatic headline: “Death Star Orders Users Throttled!!!”

Me

I find your lack of faith disturbing!
Me

I find your lack of faith disturbing!

http://ahotd.tumblr.com ahotd

I suppose the fact that “unlimited” is an English word with a particular meaning doesn’t factor into this discussion, but seems to me they shouldn’t be allowed to advertise it as such.
Anonymous

But at what threshold is this going to start?