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[mikenyc]

Hi all.

For the 2nd month in a row, I have gotten a bogus data usage message from at&t. I called up at&t support and asked my usage. My billing cycle is the 6th of the month. It is now the 23rd of the month. In those 2 ½ weeks, I have used 2.1 G is data. Oh and I forgot to say I have the unlimited plan. If I double the data for the next 2 ½ weeks, I get to 4.2 G. I can’t believe that in the NYC area, I am in the top 5% usage! I would think that anything about maybe 8G would be top 5%. Ok, even 6G a month. But 4G? Please…
And the support person was giving me excuses like: “Well it isn’t only how much you use, it is also how fast you use the data”. What? Another gem was: “Well you might be in the top 5% in your geographic area.”. WTF? I told her that I am in the NYC area and I can’t believe with the population density of the area, that my measly 2.1G was in the top 5%. All she could say is that it is a computer generated message. And I said: “All I can say is that you have a computer generated bug”. I did say that it isn’t her fault and I’d like to speak to a manger (which she already claimed she was one) above her. It’ll take 72 hours before I get a call-back. I’ll keep you all posted.

This is the 2nd month I got this bogus message.

[totalimmortal]

Don't use so much data.

[BrindawithanI]

How dare you use "unlimited" data! (of course I'm being facetious!)

I've always been a big AT&T fan but if this keeps up, I'll go old school on them and pick up dumb phones to ride out my contract.

[mikenyc]

totalimmortal,
Excuse me, but you think that 2g is alot of data?? With Streaming audio/video/apps? What year are YOU in? I am in 2012. And in 2012, the standard teer pricing is 2g. I am just at that now. And I know there have been people using 5 gb or more monthly.

I find it hard to believe that I am in the top 5%.

[mikenyc]

Just got off the phone with the people who support (track) data usage. And they tell me that if you are using 2 gb, you approaching the 5% threshhold. Are they kidding????? They quoted me a number of 2 gb from Aug last year. I said they need to publish that number on a monthly basis. That was in response to at&t saying that the threshhold varies from month to month. Which I believe. It is based on usage. And i'll wager that the 5% threshhold is going up monthly as well. With all the intense data that is being pumped throughout the system.

If they do not publish a number monthly, then I have to go on their word that I am approaching the magic 5%. And nothing for nothing, but I don't trust at&t to police my usage correctly and honestly. I am not a fan of corporations. they don't do things for my benefit.

So, I told them I will write this in blogs as well as write to the FCC (little good that will do) about this issue.

[mikenyc]

BrindawithanI,
I am seriously thinking of going minimal data plan until my contract is up and then off of all data plans (like you). but go to a dumb phone? I wouldn't survive. lol. I would investigate mobile wifi (ala Clear or Verizon). But even they do not have unlimited without a cap / throddle.

So, I hope that Sprint comes out with a mobile wifi hotspot where no throddling is done!. I would then pay $15 to at&t for minimmal data (or whatever the latest plan is) and go elsewhere.

[Jeremy Sikora]

I keep hearing this more but I've yet to get the message. I use about 6-10 gig a month here in the Chicago area. Knock on wood...

[Survivor61]

WOW! I only used 2.1g and got the nasty email as well. I thought it was a mistake but guess not.

[Massie]

My biggest issue with this tactic from providers is that if they continually throttle the "top 5% of users" on a monthly basis, then the amount of data used by that 5% will get lower every month. Think about it: say one month the top users use 10GB...a provider will slow their data connection, which in the real world will likely mean they'll use less data. As the months go by, those users--they don't have to be the same users each month, but they'll always be the "top 5%"--will first be 10GB, then 9.9, then 9.75, and so on.

Eventually it will reach whatever level the provider wants it at, without them ever having to say "you can only use X GB before we start slowing down your connection." At that point, the top data users might only be getting a few gigs before the throttling starts, and at that point you can expect providers to announce the availability of more expensive new data plans "designed for the heavy needs of today's users."

[Jeremy Sikora]

It seems to me AT&T is trying to squeeze folks into the new 3GB plan. I mean if people are getting the message at 2GB I'm sure they would say "Oh you are better off going to our 3GB plan!". Is it right? Not a chance.