Hey, guess what! In just a few months, AT&T’s going to start throttling your iPhone’s 3G speeds if they think you use too much data, just like Verizon already does… even if you’re an unlimited data subscriber! Aren’t mobile companies just grand?
Here’s how it work. If you are a heavy user of your iPhone — we’d speculate this means you use over 2GB per month — you’ll still get 3G service, but AT&T will throttle your speed so it goes much more slowly.
The most interesting aspect of this is probably when AT&T plans on doing it: the first week of October. There’s been a lot of varying scuttlebutt that Apple might release a new iPhone then, and it would certainly make sense for AT&T to get any changes in its service in place at the time of the iPhone 5’s launch.
Most users probably won’t be affected by this, but we expect heavy users and jailbreak tetherers still carrying around their grandfathered unlimited plans to be particularly upset.
[via 9to5Mac]
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
43 responses to “AT&T Will Start Throttling Heavy Use Unlimited Data Subscribers In October”
I have a feeling I’ll be on the phone complaining to them a lot come October. This is just unfair, and seems like it must, to some extent, violate the contract I signed with them. God I hate mobile companies.
How can AT&T’s data get any slower??
Before you freak out, check and see how much data you actually use… *3282# and ATT will text you with how much you’ve used during this billing cycle. I have been using Spotify on the HIGH QUALITY setting since it launched and I’ve only used 1.3 gigs of data (out of unlimited). Granted I only have a 30-60 minute drive time each day in the car, so I’m not streaming Spotify all day long, I’m on WIFI at home and work… Let’s assume the average stream on Spotify is 256kbps (because some are 384kbps but others are still only 192kbps) … You’d have to stream about 20 hours of Spotify a month just to hit the 2 gigs that supposedly might be capped based on my calculator… 256/8*60*60 = 115 megs per hour.
They could stop you completely. AT&T totally sucks as a company. Since Verizon is no better and AT&T is gobbling up T-Mobile we the consumers are officially F….D.The wonderful world of capitalism and other crap.
The idea of 2gb to even 4gb being a “lot” is worse and worse as time goes on
Do most people not use 2gb? Absolutely. Will many of those same be at or even above 2gb shortly? Why not? Data usage is EXPLODING and everyday a new app or device is being introduced to use MORE data.
AT&T, Verizon, and others have basically convinced idiots that if you use a few GB’s….you must be an “abuser” and MUST pay more. How do they prove that? Uh…..well, next subject!
The fact that you have to calculate such things is ridiculous. If it says “unlimited” it should be unlimited.
Heavy usage is what, exactly?
-Chris
http://friendsofmac.net
i’m in UK but i still feel ripped off and really annoyed
One of the other main questions is how far are they going to throttle it back to?
Can I use this as an excuse to get out of my AT&T contract?
I smell class action yumminess. How do I get in on that gravy boat?
Corptocracy is double plus good for the citizens of the good old Red White and Blue… AMERICA!!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!! USA! USA! USA!
lol. good question. tell me when you find out. lol.
How the bleep can I be using too much when they already charge me for every freaking meg I download?
Better watch out, your complaint time will count toward your limit.
I found this new apple blog and it great!
http://applefanboynews.com/
your annoying! XD
Amen brother. Simple and so true.
If everyone flags this as inappropriate maybe we can get this guy banned for spamming.
His posts are actually not bad, it’s just hard to get past the link to his own stupid blog under him signing his posts, which is also silly.
Well I guess he is annoying.
your – you’re
His posts are actually not bad, it’s just hard to get past the link to his own stupid blog under him signing his posts, which is also silly.
Well I guess he is annoying.
your – you’re
Recent US Supreme Court rulling on class actions may mean you will have to rely on your personal wealth to bankroll that litigation.
The usual idea is that you would use NFC to set up the link between the two devices and then do an automatic hand over to a different protocol for doing the actual transfer of data – eg Bluetooth,iphone 5