AT&T to throttle tablet data speeds of grandfathered unlimited plans
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.
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.
Comments
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.
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.
That said, I can't disagree with AT&T here; I think their approach is very reasonable.
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.
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.
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.