This is an e-mail I received this week from my mobile carrier...


Dear MARC CHESEBOROUGH,

Like other wireless companies, AT&T is taking steps to manage exploding demand for mobile data. We're responding on many levels, including investing billions in our wireless network this year and working to acquire more network capacity.

As mentioned on a previous bill, we're also taking additional, more immediate steps to help address network congestion and improve reliability. One of these steps involves a change for some customers who use extraordinarily large amounts of data in a single billing period - about 12 times more data than the average smartphone user.

For the current billing cycle, your data usage indicates you could be affected by this change. Here's how it works:

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.

We're writing because you are in the top 5 percent of heaviest data users for this billing cycle. Because we recognize that data usage can change from month to month, you will not see reduced speeds this billing cycle.

Beginning with your next billing cycle, we'll send you a text message if you are approaching the top 5 percent of heaviest data users. We'll also send you a second text message if you cross into the top 5 percent of heaviest users, at which point you may see reduced speeds for the rest of the month.

Customers have several ways to manage extremely high data usage.

Wi-Fi offers great speeds and doesn't add to your wireless data usage. Consider using Wi-Fi when possible for applications that use the highest amounts of data, such as streaming video apps, remote web camera apps, large data-file transfers (like video) and some online gaming.

You may also consider switching to a tiered data plan if speed is more important to you than having an unlimited data plan. Customers on tiered plans can pay for more data if they need it, and will not see reduced speeds.

To estimate how much data different activities use, and find out more about Wi-Fi or tiered data plans, visit https://www.att.com/dataplans or call Customer Care at 800-331-0500.



Is this some B.S. or what....? I guess unlimited really isnt "unlimited" :ticking::ticking::ticking::ticking:

Simple fact Mark, AT&T SUCKS. I get a letter from them at least twice a month saying because you are a prefered costumer we want to offer you a special deal to bundle all of your services. TV (don't want it) Cell phone(with another company) Home phone and internet (this I have with them) Then it goes on to say for new costumers only!! I have contacted them several times to stop sending me this crap but they say "just through it away, it costs less to send it to you than to remove your name from our system" HOW THE HELL can that be true I've been getting these letters for over two years?
OK I'm done. Sorry:embarrased: I'll stop ranting now.
Cheezy I hope it all works out for you. And all I can say is Verizone (not that they wont follow suit soon)
Dave.

Wow.... Not fun.

Though, they have to do something. Bandwidth usage is exploding right now. And more and more people are getting into the network and using this stuff. When they let people sigh up for unlimited data plans, they did not plan out in advance what this would do to their systems. Now they have to make their money back somehow. The question then becomes, what does this actually mean to you? Perhaps this might actually impact you. While I totally agree that this sucks to get caught up in, you cannot really be too surprised by it. What are you going to do, change to another company? If you do that, you lose your unlimited data plan. Nobody is doing them these days (save Sprint, but do you really want Sprint service?).

Best of luck, and hopefully this doesn't impact you too much...

First off, congrats on being in the top 5%, that's a pretty good honor.

Second, we are getting screwed more and more by the phone companies. Everyone is offering LTE phones which can download at very fast speeds but yet at the same time they are cutting back on bandwidth. It's a nasty trick they are playing on consumers but what can we do? Pretty much everyone is doing it except for Sprint.

Quite happy with Verizon

Well of course it's just a good business plan - for them.

Now, imagine you run a telecommunications sorry the ONLY telecom firm, on an island nation with nearly 4,000,000 people only and they all want internet - what do you do? You refuse to upgrade your systems for the longest time and when you do, you offer laughable bandwidth rates 10 years behind the rest of the developed world and then to top if off, cap the downloads :ticking:

Which is another reason I left NZ - I love Japan

Cheezy- you just need to stop watching PhotoMat's video of Long Beach 100 times a day

Well you must use a TON of data too be getting that message. I am really curious to hear what your usage total is and what you do to reach it?...

I got in on Verizon's unlimited usage the week before they discontinued it as I had no idea how much I would use. So far I am maybe 1/2 of the new package max..

Sounds like AT&T is "playing nice" I have heard stories from verizon and Sprint of flat out cancelling high user's unlimited plans due to high usage.

Kam - Not data but back in the 90's I worked for a phone Co that specifically countered the Monopolies like you mention that are in MANY countries...

Quote:

Originally posted by lamrith Well you must use a TON of data too be getting that message. I am really curious to hear what your usage total is and what you do to reach it...

Well last month I watch all 5seasons of "the Wire" on HBO GO. I am streaming music 8 hrs a day while at work. I seldom ever use a home computer anymore. So there's 3 email accts, PKF,YouTube, you name it...

I have often joked that I alone would make AT&T RE-think that deal, but damn... I didn't want it to really happen. I feel I do pay an adequate fee - $120 mo for unltd everything... :saint:

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeDobbs Cheezy- you just need to stop watching PhotoMat's video of Long Beach 100 times a day

Hey I watch yours too... :wee:

Yea Cheezy, that sucks.... Did you tell AT&T that your subscription to BodaciousJugs.Com will be severely impacted? Pull the sympathy card... :dunno:

Quote:

Originally posted by rocfighter Simple fact Mark, AT&T SUCKS. I get a letter from them at least twice a month saying because you are a prefered costumer we want to offer you a special deal to bundle all of your services. TV (don't want it) Cell phone(with another company) Home phone and internet (this I have with them) Then it goes on to say for new costumers only!! I have contacted them several times to stop sending me this crap but they say "just through it away, it costs less to send it to you than to remove your name from our system" HOW THE HELL can that be true I've been getting these letters for over two years? OK I'm done. Sorry:embarrased: I'll stop ranting now. Cheezy I hope it all works out for you. And all I can say is Verizone (not that they wont follow suit soon) Dave.

Send their information back to them. They won't let you sign up since you aren't a new customer, so send it back to them every month and see how much the sales people like dealing with someone not eligible for the offer. I'm sure it has a business reply envelope?

I've been real happy with US Cellular. I don't do data (just voice) but their customer service is the best I've ever dealt with.

Wow .... kudos on hitting the top 5%........

serious bummer on the throttling......

I jump my phone to wifi whenever I can to avoid the throttling...... when at home my phone jumps on our wifi, same at work, and the places I go the most....

It has saved me from being in the throttled group...... and is much faster in many situations......

I also have my wife doing the same...... what is the use having unlimited data if when you really need it your throttled so bad you cant make use of it.....

It really sucks but they got you by the &#@%'s

The cell phone companies are sure going to miss Steve Job's...... he created a pile of revenue for them.......

Yeah Goof, I jump to Wi-Fi when available also, but at work when on Wi-Fi I get hung up a lot so out of frustration I turn it off.

I blame it all on "Tune in radio". It's the best damn app I've ever had. I literally listen to music aaaaalllllll day long. And with stations from all around the world to choose from there is no shortage of cool stuff to listen to....

Quote:

Originally posted by pokitetrash Yea Cheezy, that sucks.... Did you tell AT&T that your subscription to BodaciousJugs.Com will be severely impacted? Pull the sympathy card... :dunno:

Well I guess I've been figured out... :P

$120, month! OUCH!!!!! Glad I got verizon for $30!

Heh I bet if you DL your music at home and to phone and let it shuffle it would cut 50% of your usage? might be easy way to get back under the radar ;-)

Quote:

Originally posted by cheezycheese Quote: Originally posted by lamrith Well you must use a TON of data too be getting that message. I am really curious to hear what your usage total is and what you do to reach it... Well last month I watch all 5seasons of "the Wire" on HBO GO. I am streaming music 8 hrs a day while at work. I seldom ever use a home computer anymore. So there's 3 email accts, PKF,YouTube, you name it... I have often joked that I alone would make AT&T RE-think that deal, but damn... I didn't want it to really happen. I feel I do pay an adequate fee - $120 mo for unltd everything... :saint:

AT &T screwed me for an xtra 35 bucks on my wireless..... i paid it and havent had any issues since, but they can be a pita.....

I got you beat brother. I just got a email from AT&T saying I am in the top 2% of usage for my home. Take that :P

I did not realize .. or its a new policy that you only get 150gb of data then you get hit for $10 for each additional 50gb. I am looking into switching over to cable today. My cells will be next. My AT&T bill averages $260 a month. I guess thats not enough for them. For home internet and 2 iphones I feel thats more than enough. So to cap my home usage put it over the top for me. Bye bye att

DAKITEZ - Not sure Cable fine rint, but many of them start to auto throttle once you exceed a certain point.. Just be aware.. Not sure if your running your website or what, hate to see your site act up because Cable is throttling..

My son and I do quite a bit of gaming, wonder what our monthly usage is :-p

if u have wireless with ATT with a 5.12gb monthly limit and u go over, they charge u an extra $501.....OUCH!!!!!

Beaver I have done that twice. It doesn't seem to bother them!!
What would they do if we all put down our phones for a month? No usage at all.
Sure free money for them. But it would shake them up I bet.

Pretty tough to make in-roads at stopping a monopoly when ... you have to rent the phone lines from the monopolist

This is a reason I don't have a smart-phone - $100 a month for internet on the go ...?!? WTH would I need that for? I can get weather reports on the Kindle for free

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Pretty tough to make in-roads at stopping a monopoly when ... you have to rent the phone lines from the monopolist This is a reason I don't have a smart-phone - $100 a month for internet on the go ...?!? WTH would I need that for? I can get weather reports on the Kindle for free

I'm a holdout on no smartphone as well. I can usually wait till I get home but sometimes it would be nice to be able to look something up while I'm out that would help get an errand complete instead of to be continued.

Kindle got me addresses that I forgot to take to the P.O. with me. Use it to display the PDF for my bike's manual :D it's so Star Trek got me wanted a tablet PC though :ticking: still not going to pay EXTRA for what should be free IMO

Kam, the idea is the phone calls always originated from the US.. So the Monopolies pricing for calling out of country did not apply ;-) Pretty sweet back int eh day, but not sure how the modern Cell phone coverage has eaten up thier market..

Ah ok - yeah we use that service now too ... only thing cheaper is Skype PC to PC!

Ohhh you holdouts haven't lived... I used to say that too until I got one. Now I'm a friggin zombie peekin at this damn thing every chance I get... :dunno: but honestly, it really does change the way you live...

Quote:

that you only get 150gb of data

ONLY ?? Holy smokes! My internet is mobile broadband - not exactly lightning fast but youtube videos load faster than they play most of the time - but I'm on the machine probably 3 times a day for a total of a couple hours and my plan is for 12gb a month for $80. My iPhone plan allows for 1gb and I've never come close to using it. Mind you, my work involves a two stroke motor running in my ear all day so that kinda puts the kybosh on listening to Tune-in radio. (yes, damn good app!)

But 'unlimited' should mean exactly that. A lot of the plans available here usually allow a certain amount of data for your money and if you go over, then they slow you down. Time for your phone company to invest a couple more billion dollars methinks.

Quote:

Ohhh you holdouts haven't lived... I used to say that too until I got one.

Totally agree with Cheese on this one. My wife got one first and about a month later when I asked her if she'd go back...she said no way in hell...I finally broke down and got one and now, I can't imagine not having the wind, surf, tide reports, etc. accessible whenever I'm at! Guess I'm kinda lucky though, I can expense it every month