AT&T extends throttling limit of grandfathered unlimited data plans to 22GB

AT&T extends throttling limit of grandfathered unlimited data plans to 22GB photo AT&T extends throttling limit of grandfathered unlimited data plans to 22GB

Good news if you’re one of the few that has kept an unlimited data plan from AT&T for all these years: You can use more monthly data before the carrier slows your speeds for network congestion. Up until today, AT&T has throttled unlimited data users when they hit 5GB of usage and are in a congested area.



While AT&T has long advertised the plans as “unlimited” it has in the past had to throttle down speeds of some customers. Instead, the company required new users to purchase a “tiered” plan, which ties pricing to the amount of data people can consume.

The disclosures about how customers might be affected are notable because of the FCC’s proposed $100 million fine against AT&T over its throttling practices, which AT&T is contesting. While T-Mobile and Sprint still offer unlimited data. Now, AT&T says it’s bumping that cap up to 22GB in a billing period before it might reduce data speeds. Now, AT&T has raised this to a far more reasonable 22GB. The FCC said that violated Open Internet transparency rules.

“Speed reductions will occur only when the customer is using his or her device at times and in areas where there is network congestion and only for the remainder of the current billing cycle”, the company announced on its site.

This obviously isn’t as savory a situation as not being throttled at all, but if AT&T is going to do it it’s nice that they’re giving folks a lot more wiggle room to work with.

 

“As you would expect, these network management practices have continued to evolve over time to benefit our customers and take advantage of the billions we have spent to expand and augment our networks”, reads AT&T’s updated policy on legacy unlimited data plans. That’s a 340% increase, and a very, very welcome change for AT&T customers with grandfathered plans.

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