Does AT&T really slow down unlimited data?
Smartphone and mobile devices: AT&T allows consumers to get data service for their smartphones and other mobile devices without restrictions. However, many customers have accused AT&T of throttling, and reducing data?? for any mobile user even if such a user subscribes to an unlimited data plan. In this post, I will show you the best way to explain AT&T data throttling and assist you in discerning if they indeed reduce the speed of unlimited data customers.
What is Data Throttling?
Data throttling can be described as a deliberate way of managing internet speed by a network provider for customers who download a lot of data. This is also sometimes called “speed capping.”
Throttling is done primarily to control instance traffic that happens at specific intervals. What is good for the other average customers is that the network slows down the top data users enough to allow the other customers to have a better experience. However many network providers have come under criticism for extremely high throttling of their unlimited plans.
A Timeline of AT&T’s Unlimited Data Plan Offerings
It is notable that before the emergence of smartphones, AT&T Internet provided unlimited data services to owners of such devices. Nevertheless, as data usage grows and network congestion occurs, it was decided to stop offering truly unlimited plans and start relying on segmented data plans instead. However, there were people still able to use the old unlimited tariffs out there, so firms were still coming into contact with them.
At first, even unlimited plans that were ‘grandfathered,’ that is, those plans that were initially offered by the carriers but were no longer advertised as such, were fairly functional without much conscious throttling. But with increased sophistication in mobility devices especially smartphones, data usage skyrocketed. What people failed to do was continue to use the network without adding more users to the network and by 2014 only 3% of customers were responsible for using 20% of the data which is very congestive for all the customers.
Thus, AT&T chose to throttle the internet service speeds of its unlimited data users to reduce load on cellular towers especially where there was high traffic in the metros during rush hours.
What Causes AT&T to Throttle Down its Speed?
The following details pertain to AT&T's data throttling policies for unlimited data consumers: The following details pertain to AT&T's data throttling policies for unlimited data users:
1. Its Unlimited plan handles this by letting customers use up to 22 GB to watch, browse, download, and even upload, but if you utilize data every time you connect to crowded areas, you can anticipate your internet speeds to be throttled. The throttling only occurs for a set duration when the Kenyan gadget is connected to that busy tower.
2. Video Streaming Speed Caps: Besides the 22GB high-speed data limit, AT&T reduces the speed permanently on video streaming under unlimited plans depending on the type of device. Smartphones also throttle video streams to not more than 1.5 Mbps at all the time even with regards to congesting of towers. For tablets, the video streaming speed is at a maximum of 3 Mbps.
3. Areas with Network Congestion: In simple terms, if your connection is associated with a congested cell, the speeds could be decreased at any time regardless of usage. This affects every customer on the tower regardless of their data usage plans or limits.
4. Temporary Speed Reductions: At times, even with 22GB data, data speeds may momentarily drop or reduce for some period without the need for a congested tower. In case it occurs often, it may be as a result of a device, software, or coverage problem.
Recently many have begun to question if AT&T is indeed discriminating against unlimited customers.?
AT&T supports its decision by saying that they do not target those with unlimited data plans to throttle them. Based on their statement of policy, heavy data users on tiered plans could also suffer reduced speed in areas where there is congestion. But in the case of tiered plans the usage is generally always below 22 GB because clients have to incur an extra cost for every extra MB that they download, thus reducing throttling concerns.
Namely, if a couple of users on an unlimited and current-tiered plan reached 22 GB usage per month and got to the congested cell tower, their speeds would drop as per policy.
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To avoid throttling on the AT&T unlimited plan, some of the recommended approaches include:
The following steps help you avoid harsh data speed restrictions on the AT&T unlimited plan: On the AT&T unlimited plan, here are some strategies to avoid severe data speed throttling:
- Monitor usage closely and in cases where data is needed and not urgent, use it at off-peak time or when WiFi is available.
- Turn off autoplay options where you have them and choose Standard video quality over high-definition video quality. Avoid apps being updated or downloaded automatically by the device when the data connection is through cellular data.
- To enable this option that directs calls/texts over the home WiFi that is not counted on the 22GB limit, turn on the WiFi Calling feature. If possible, it may be time to change from densely occupied towers.
- While the above-mentioned plans were more focused on mobile usage, there are newer unlimited plans like the Unlimited Elite plan which has a 30GB limit beyond which you are throttled and you also get a free HBO Max subscription.
- Last but not least, if the throttling issue is faced frequently, then use one of the tiered shared data plans of AT&T which offers greater limits of up to 100GB for reduced speed.
The Bottom Line
AT&T has maintained that their throttling policies were formulated with an underlying network analysis to provide a nearer experience to all involved with congested networks. However, their inefficiency in explaining or even not recognizing video streaming throttling has been a cause of worry to many of their unlimited data consumers.
Although still to date AT&T will argue that they do not target anyone, many consumers think that unlimited plans do not work as advertised after 22GBs even with the willingness to pay top dollar for the plans. Perhaps with 5G and continual network densification, such draconian throttling tactics won’t persist as the new norm moving forward.
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