Unlimited Plan: To Keep or Not To Keep
- Thread starter KenSolo
- Start date
I have 3 lines all with the unlimited plans. I don't plan on giving them up just yet.
As far as the users who don't use more than 2 GB/month but hang onto it "just in case," I don't think it's worth it to keep it anymore. It's useless if you go over 2 GB*, so it's probably better to just pay for what you use and not deal with throttling. Plus, you'll save $5 a month since you don't typically exceed 2 GB anyway.
AT&T wants people off of unlimited and this is the route they chose. I'm not sure why they didn't make switching to a tiered data plan a requirement for upgrading the hardware. We were never guaranteed unlimited for a lifetime. The extreme users are going to see it as unfair either way, but charging one person $30 for 30 GB and the next $300 for the same amount isn't really fair, either.
*AT&T has started throttling unlimited users at 2 GB. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it's probably just a matter of time.
AT&T wants people off of unlimited and this is the route they chose. I'm not sure why they didn't make switching to a tiered data plan a requirement for upgrading the hardware. We were never guaranteed unlimited for a lifetime. The extreme users are going to see it as unfair either way, but charging one person $30 for 30 GB and the next $300 for the same amount isn't really fair, either.
*AT&T has started throttling unlimited users at 2 GB. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it's probably just a matter of time.
I rarely go over 1GB a month but I will not leave my unlimited until they force me.
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Sent from my iPhone using iCafe app
I'm just waiting for some legal action to change things. I don't think they can stop AT&T from throttling but I could see them being forced to change the criteria they base it on. It's absurd to throttle somebody for 2gb or even double that. As for the fair to charge somebody $30 versus $300 for 30gb, well that was AT&Ts doing so let them bite that bullet. It's odd how the data is plentiful the more you pay. Odd how people that exceed their tiered data usage aren't throttled.
It's not odd at all. Far fewer people would stream excessively if they had to pay for the actual usage. The goal is less overall data usage for the extreme users so network speed and reliability can be maintained for the other 95%. There are two ways to achieve that: slow them down with throttling or get them into a capped plan so they can get them to pay for all usage (through overages charges), which in turn will nearly always curb the total amount they use. They don't have unlimited amounts of bandwidth yet they have seen exponential data usage increases in the past couple years due to the availability of video streaming. If they don't do this, the network reliability and speed is compromised. It's not as simple as just "biting the bullet." The game changed so the course of action had to change.
Yet they have unlimited bandwidth for more money? They have unlimited smartphones for sale with data to go with them? Your argument doesn't hold much water. They set the price & set the plan not the consumer. The way they are measuring "fair use" isn't close to being fair. Unlimited data users should at least have a minimum baseline to go by so they aren't having to constantly wonder if they will be throttled & it should be at least double the highest tiered plan they offer regardless if that tiered plan costs more. "Unlimited" should mean a little something.
I finally got the warning the other day. They give you a warning the first time & you can continue to use as much as you want that billing cycle. Next time you get "reduced data speeds". I was at 5gb with 10 days to go in the billing cycle but I was kinda testing to see what it would take. I'm pretty sure i was a little over 5gb last month with no problem. They supposedly take the top 5% but they don't say when they start looking at the top 5% or if that includes tiered plans or just unlimited users. It's so vague & random. You just never know. Crazy to think people are getting throttled at 2gb.
The bandwidth is not unlimited. The maximum is 2 GB. If you exceed that, you might get throttled. That would work out very nicely for you, but it's completely unreasonable and unfair.
well I have the tetherplan and never use it much but I will if I am forced too.
With the new iPhone coming this summer (hopefully) we have 2 lines running out (one is already) I will look at other carriers by that time. We are moving as well and who knows what carrier will be the best option there either? There may be even more options available then?
But I pay unlimited text and hardly need it. I pay 700 min and when did I use that many ? I pay tether and use 1 not even close to 2 GB just so I can take my iPad. So yes I will look at it and may switch carrier
Yes it is. Unlimited should mean something significantly more than 2gb. Price of the plan shouldn't even be considered in the reasoning. There's a reason people want to be grandfathered in plans. Say they did away with unlimited text & 500 texts was $50. You pay $30 for unlimited & wanna keep that. But when they feel like you text too much on that an it may take 2 hours or longer to send or receive a text. To make it worse you're only at 300 texts. Same principle. If the bandwidth wasn't there they wouldn't be selling phones everyday.
I'm not sure why you assume the bandwidth is unlimited, but it isn't.
We agreed to their terms and they include the carrier having the right to change them at any time.
I've never had any sympathy with the "unlimited means I can use as much as I want tethered to whatever devices I want" school of thought. It is a limited bandwidth, and over utilization does impact other users and cost to serve.
That said, 2Gb seems pretty darn low to start throttling. 10 or 20Gb? way too high. 4 or 5? maybe. 2? that seems low.
Doesn't much make a difference to me though. I get unlimited through my company, but have only gone over 1Gb once.
That said, 2Gb seems pretty darn low to start throttling. 10 or 20Gb? way too high. 4 or 5? maybe. 2? that seems low.
Doesn't much make a difference to me though. I get unlimited through my company, but have only gone over 1Gb once.
2 GB is limit on their equivalently-priced tiered plan, and that what they want to get everyone on (well, any tiered plan). Did you see what I said about fairness in post #3?
I don't assume bandwidth is unlimited just the amount I use is suppose to be. If its that precious throttle everybody & stop bragging about having the fastest network. If I was on a 2gb plan do you think they would throttle me at 5gb?
Price should be irrelevant. If you want to get unlimited users off unlimited let them break their contract without penalty.
Like I said in post #3, requiring that people switch to a capped plan when they upgraded their phone would have been a better option, IMO.
I've Been out of this bickering all of this time. Throttling users isn't making the network better. The load makes it better. But yet, I don't agree with using a lot of data. If you use over 5GB a month that's when they should throttle. Makes no sense to offer a 5GB plan when you throttle at 2GB. Now, back to the location. If your out in the middle of kansas on a farm, and yoü have a a 3G tower 2 miles away from home, and tour 50 miles away from any city, I'd say feel free to let loose. As long as its not bogging down the network it's fine. In congested area, Chicago, NY, LA, I'd say 2GB in a month is good.
With 4G, I believe AT&T should take this oppourtunity to overhaul each tower they work on. Not just install 4G. Make the towers be able to handle a way bigger load, 750,000 people on a tower. Make each tower be able to withstand a load, and be fast. Chicagos towers are pretty darn good. When I was there I had 5 bars all the way.
Did you know AT&T only allows 10GB per second to pass through their network?
With 4G, I believe AT&T should take this oppourtunity to overhaul each tower they work on. Not just install 4G. Make the towers be able to handle a way bigger load, 750,000 people on a tower. Make each tower be able to withstand a load, and be fast. Chicagos towers are pretty darn good. When I was there I had 5 bars all the way.
Did you know AT&T only allows 10GB per second to pass through their network?