AT&T to throttle tablet data speeds of grandfathered unlimited plans

AppleInsider

AT&T on Friday warned users with grandfathered unlimited tablet data plans that they might see transmission speeds throttled when consuming more than 22 gigabytes of data in a single billing period.

Like past efforts to curtail continued use of grandfathered unlimited plans, specifically those tied to smartphones like iPhone, the latest attempt by AT&T puts an artificial cap on high-speed data transmissions to free up its congested 4G LTE network. Set at 22GB per billing cycle, the new threshold could mark a slowdown in data speeds in certain vaguely defined circumstances.

In an email to grandfathered tablet data customers, AT&T says, "We hope you're enjoying surfing, streaming, downloading, gaming, watching, and more on your iPad. Heads up: Starting on May 24, 2017, when you use more than 22GB of data in one bill period, we may slow down your data speeds during periods of network congestion for the rest of your bill period."

The change brings AT&T's tablet data services in line with the carrier's unlimited smartphone plans, which launched in February with identical throttle limits.

For iPad owners, the new restrictions come as somewhat of a surprise considering AT&T largely left its grandfathered unlimited tablet plans intact for the past seven years.

When Apple's slate first launched in 2010, telcos marketed no-contract unlimited plans to entice owners to their respective networks. Months later, AT&T capped 3G data tiers at 2GB per month, but allowed existing subscribers to carry over their unlimited plans as long as they continued to pay monthly fees.

AT&T previously stirred up controversy when it throttled grandfathered unlimited smartphone plans in 2011. The decision to throttle unlimited users caught the ire of the Federal Trade Commission, which filed suit against AT&T in 2014 for deceptive practices. That suit was dismissed last year.

Grandfathered unlimited tablet users pay $29.99 plus tax for continued service. By comparison, AT&T's current prepaid DataConnect Pass Auto Renew option in the $30 range buys 4GB of data, with the added benefit of tethering.

ktappe

I'm usually *highly* critical of corporations and I always vote for politicians who try to reign in their power and regulate them.  That said, I can kind of understand AT&T's position here.  If you're gonna consume that much data, can you at least *try* to buffer some of it when on WiFi before you leave the house?  22Gb is a lot of data, even if we're becoming immune to the term "gigabyte".  Sucking that much down over wireless EVERY MONTH really is a bit of abuse of the infrastructure. 

dix99

AT&T have always bitched about users using all the data, but they're doing it, so they can give there Directv customers all the free bandwidth they want, to watch tv on there devices. If they want to give it away free, they should improve the network.

tallest skil

dix99 said:

AT&T have always bitched about users using all the data, but they're doing it, so they can give there Directv customers all the free bandwidth they want, to watch tv on there devices. If they want to give it away free, they should improve the network.

Isn’t that… satellite? Specifically, satellite directly to a home receiver? How does that change the cell network’s usage?

f1ferrari

tallest skil said:

Isn’t that… satellite? Specifically, satellite directly to a home receiver? How does that change the cell network’s usage?

I think he's talking about allowing AT&T customers who also DIRECTV subscribers to stream programming on their mobile device through a cellular connection without it affecting their data allowance. I'll sometimes stream tv at work on my lunch break, and it doesn't count against my 22GB "unlimited" cap. 

Michael3357

ktappe said:

I'm usually *highly* critical of corporations and I always vote for politicians who try to reign in their power and regulate them.  That said, I can kind of understand AT&T's position here.  If you're gonna consume that much data, can you at least *try* to buffer some of it when on WiFi before you leave the house?  22Gb is a lot of data, even if we're becoming immune to the term "gigabyte".  Sucking that much down over wireless EVERY MONTH really is a bit of abuse of the infrastructure. 

More regulation just results in higher prices, and kills competition, thus allowing a few massive corporations to control and abuse the market.  Want evidence look at Canada. CRTC is nothing but a puppet to the "Big Three Overlords".  Regulation almost never works.  Best way is to try keep regulation to a minimum.   You may think that government wants serve in best interest of the consumer,  but it is always the opposite. Always. 

jblongz

It sucks!  I've been an iPad data customer since the very beginning.

1)  I don't use more than 15GB, but The iPad's data usage info is inaccurate and ATT doesn't provide a way to easily monitor it.   Watching one 30min episode of the daily show, and streaming some news can reach 1GB in a day.  There are usually 30 days in a month and not everyone has wifi at home.  Go figure.
2) How can TV get unlimited data usage, but not devices??  If AT&T wasn't storing our data bits, they could save some resources.
3) The point of buying Unlimited LTE, is to have Unlimited LTE.  Change the name.

randominternetperson

jblongz said:

It sucks!  I've been an iPad data customer since the very beginning.

1)  I don't use more than 15GB, but The iPad's data usage info is inaccurate and ATT doesn't provide a way to easily monitor it.   Watching one 30min episode of the daily show, and streaming some news can reach 1GB in a day.  There are usually 30 days in a month and not everyone has wifi at home.  Go figure.
2) How can TV get unlimited data usage, but not devices??  If AT&T wasn't storing our data bits, they could save some resources.
3) The point of buying Unlimited LTE, is to have Unlimited LTE.  Change the name.

The Unlimited name is fine (and accurate).  I suggest you see how this goes before you freak out.  It says that they may slow down your data speeds during periods of network congestion for the rest of your bill period.  It could very well be that you're not watching during peak times and won't be affected at all.

As for "unlimited" since there are no overage charges and no hard caps--and since they are up-front about possible throttling--the name isn't deceptive.  It's like all you can eat shrimp at a restaurant; they aren't obligated to bring you shrimp as fast as you can eat, they just have to keep it coming.

linkman

dix99 said:

AT&T have always bitched about users using all the data, but they're doing it, so they can give there Directv customers all the free bandwidth they want, to watch tv on there devices. If they want to give it away free, they should improve the network.

Free? That's like saying I get a free stereo from the car dealership with the purchase of a car.

MplsP

Michael3357 said:

ktappe said:

I'm usually *highly* critical of corporations and I always vote for politicians who try to reign in their power and regulate them.  That said, I can kind of understand AT&T's position here.  If you're gonna consume that much data, can you at least *try* to buffer some of it when on WiFi before you leave the house?  22Gb is a lot of data, even if we're becoming immune to the term "gigabyte".  Sucking that much down over wireless EVERY MONTH really is a bit of abuse of the infrastructure. 

More regulation just results in higher prices, and kills competition, thus allowing a few massive corporations to control and abuse the market.  Want evidence look at Canada. CRTC is nothing but a puppet to the "Big Three Overlords".  Regulation almost never works.  Best way is to try keep regulation to a minimum.   You may think that government wants serve in best interest of the consumer,  but it is always the opposite. Always. 

Yeah - just look at how well deregulation has worked for the airlines....The reason we have regulations is for cases were we can't trust corporations to act in the consumers'/public's best interest because of lack of competition, financial conflicts of interest, etc. Under-regulating can be just as bad or worse than over regulating. 

That said, I can't disagree with AT&T here; I think their approach is very reasonable.

hmurchison

Throttling is a limit 

I have little sympathy for companies that signed thousands of people to contracts based on the marketing lure of unlimited data who now want to "limit" this data.  Buy them out or do some other means of dealing with your self inflicted would without destroying your credibility. 

Soli

LOL I love that people that unlimited data meaning set limit to the amount of data you can consume also means that you're unlimited in bandwidth even though your contract says different.

It's also funny that people still use the term "grandfathered" when your plan is no more grandfathered than anyone else on any other plan. If AT&T wants to kill your plan they have the right to do it, and since we're no longer in an era of subsidies where the carrier canceling a plan before you've paid off the handset also means you're free and clear of maintaining your contract and can leave without an ETF, I'm surprised they've let straggles hang on for as long as they have. My guess is that T-Mobile's pricing is too attractive right now so they'll keep those people so long as it yields a net profit and they don't think they'd lose too many to another carrier when they do final kill it.

dysamoria

ktappe said:

I'm usually *highly* critical of corporations and I always vote for politicians who try to reign in their power and regulate them.  That said, I can kind of understand AT&T's position here.  If you're gonna consume that much data, can you at least *try* to buffer some of it when on WiFi before you leave the house?  22Gb is a lot of data, even if we're becoming immune to the term "gigabyte".  Sucking that much down over wireless EVERY MONTH really is a bit of abuse of the infrastructure. 

Indeed, the infrastructure doesn't accommodate it. It can't. It won't. Wireless everything is an unsustainable pipe dream. But these companies should never have advertised unlimited usage.

eriamjh

The funny thing is, when networks are saturated, congested, and busy, everyone effectively gets throttled.  AT&T is saying they'll throttle you more because you already used a lot of data.    

But what truly is congested?   You can't tell.  I believe AT&T artificially sets that level too low just to throttle people.   

In other words, they lie.  Welcome to post-net neutrality.  

mike1

Always found this funny. When networks are congested, everybody is effectively throttled anyway. Complete non issue.