AT&T should soft cap data instead of hard cap

[FreakyLocz14]

Instead of charging overages for going over 2 GB, they should throttle instead. EDGE speeds are too slow to stream or download anything heavy, so all people would use it for is web browsing. They could make 4G LTE truly unlimited when they get it (similar to how Sprint makes WiMax truly unlimited, but soft caps EVDO at 5 GB), and make HSPA/HSPA+ 2 GB soft capped.

 

[DroidBabe]

But they wont. I wish.

 

[lunatic59]

There's no revenue in it for them. How would you react if your boss came to you and said in stead of paying you for overtime, you can just work slower after hours?

 

[FreakyLocz14]

There's no revenue in it for them. How would you react if your boss came to you and said in stead of paying you for overtime, you can just work slower after hours?

I'd sue, duh!

AT&T has comeptition that is growing. The data caps have deterred me from subscribing, regardless of how great their devices are. Their network is good where I'm at, and they took a step in the right direction with Any Mobile, Anytime; but those data caps will keep me away as long as they are in place and there are better options elsewhere.

 

[Screech]

I would be all for softcaps on unlimited plans. Full speed to 4-5G, then just Edge. I just want $10/month unlimited like my non-smart phone. What they provide me is no different between the phones. If I have a little 86 Civic Si getting 37MPG gas is 3.759/gallon, and if I have a old classic car getting 8MPG gas is still 3.759/gallon. Why the phone carriers separate smart and non-smart devices is just stupid to me, the service they are providing to both is the exact same.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

I would be all for softcaps on unlimited plans. Full speed to 4-5G, then just Edge. I just want $10/month unlimited like my non-smart phone. What they provide me is no different between the phones. If I have a little 86 Civic Si getting 37MPG gas is 3.759/gallon, and if I have a old classic car getting 8MPG gas is still 3.759/gallon. Why the phone carriers separate smart and non-smart devices is just stupid to me, the service they are providing to both is the exact same.

On a tiered data system like AT&T's, you're right. When it comes to unlimited data, smartphone users use volumes more data than dumbphone users, so the higher price is warranted.

 

[insertusername]

I agree that this would be a great idea, but from a business perspective, once you hit 2049MB, they have the right to charge you (subsequently make more money).


2048MB = 2GB.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

I agree that this would be a great idea, but from a business perspective, once you hit 2049MB, they have the right to charge you (subsequently make more money).


2048MB = 2GB.

It's not black and white like that. They have to make sure that their capped data plans won't scare people away from subscribing in the first place. Smaller carriers love when the big guys get greedy because it attracts customers since they continue to offer Unlimited data in their unlimited everything plans, and at a lower price than AT&T even if you don't go over your capped plan. Some people like the piece of mind.

The problem with completely unlimited plans is network congestion. After 2 GB of usage, you can't really stream music and video, download apps, or tether unless you have the patience of a saint if you're being throttled down to EDGE. You can; however, surf web pages and know that you're not being charged anything extra. It seems like a reasonable compromise.

 

[DannyB]

On a tiered data system like AT&T's, you're right. When it comes to unlimited data, smartphone users use volumes more data than dumbphone users, so the higher price is warranted.

It can cut both ways.

I have multiple phones on my plan, including a dumb phone with unlimited dumbphone data.

That device uses so little data that it seems like maybe dumbphone data ought to be free. Maybe some other carrier will do this. It obviously doesn't cost them much compared to the amount of data used by smartphones.

 

[Screech]

Well, my last "dump phone" supported YouTube (view and upload), streaming audio and remote play to my PS3. I would easily use 2.7GB/month. I've not reached that yet with my "Smart Phone" as I use the WiFi more now, but this month may be close.

 

[dan330]

you got your wish... att to start throttling...
[Updated] AT&T Joins The Likes Of T-Mobile, Will Start Throttling Data For Users With Unlimited Plans On October 1st

but for the top 5% of data hogs....

here is the kicker.. no set number on that limit... just top 5%...
so as the months go by and this lower the average of the top 5%..
the average will get lower..
and lower
that top 5% will hit more and more unlimited users...

pretty low blow...

 

[Screech]

I was disappointed with that wording too, also no mentioned of the throttled speed in the article I read. As I read it once you are flagged as a top 5% you remain throttled for the rest of the month as it reads. I worry that if I need to use a bunch of data, 400-500MB on the first day of the cycle I make be flagged as top 5%. Though I may only use 2G for for the rest of the month.

But, I may not be affected at all, as that policy targets smart phone plans, I'm not on a smartphone plan. I still use the old MediaNet unlimited plan.

But in the end I think it would be better for them to define hard numbers of the limit and the throttled speed.

On a non-smartphone rant though AT&T changed the charges for off-plan incured data charges. They use to charge by the KB (forget if it was 1,10 or 100 K), now it is by the MB and is $2/MB. My wife never uses internet, but from time to time will bump that stupid MediaNet button and closes it right way. Now that is a $2 mistake if don't once. Before it was almost nothing, maybe 30 cent. I really want a menu option to disable to redefine that MediaNet button.
I know on my SE phone I would load stock ROMs and get many features back that Cingular removed (last phone subsidized phone I got for my self was that long ago, the w810i)

 

[DroidBabe]

wOW. Be careful what you wish for. I'm leaving AT&T now. I can't stand this. They ave high prices and overages and now they are throttling data speeds. smh.

 

[rui-no-onna]

I would be all for softcaps on unlimited plans. Full speed to 4-5G, then just Edge. I just want $10/month unlimited like my non-smart phone. What they provide me is no different between the phones. If I have a little 86 Civic Si getting 37MPG gas is 3.759/gallon, and if I have a old classic car getting 8MPG gas is still 3.759/gallon. Why the phone carriers separate smart and non-smart devices is just stupid to me, the service they are providing to both is the exact same.

On the Civic, you've traveled 37 miles on $3.759 while on the classic car, you've only traveled 8 miles on $3.759. If you travel 100 miles on both, you'll be paying $10.16 on the Civic and $46.99 on the classic car. You don't get a softcap, either. If you run out of gas, you can't just drive slower.

Kinda the same concept with data. On a dumbphone with EDGE, it's difficult to even reach 200MB in a month. On a smartphone with 3G/4G, you can use way more than 200MB in a single day. It stands to reason carriers will charge more for unlimited data plans for smartphones compared to dumbphones.

 

[Screech]

Kinda the same concept with data. On a dumbphone with EDGE, it's difficult to even reach 200MB in a month. On a smartphone with 3G/4G, you can use way more than 200MB in a single day. It stands to reason carriers will charge more for unlimited data plans for smartphones compared to dumbphones.

There are many 3G "dumb" phones. I had the Sony Ericsson Aino. It was the best "dumb" phone ever made, if it were not for software glitches. 3G, WiFi, 8MP camera with light, touch screen (sometimes, for any included software keypad have to be closed to use touch screen), streaming music support, YouTube playback and upload, PlayStation 3 remote play support. On this phone I would use 2.5-2.7G a month easy.

And for the car part, you still pay the same rate for what they provided, how far you get it what you get can vary. Though you argument would have been better if you pointed out that most economy cars can run low grade 87 octane gas while most classic and high end luxury cars require 92+ octane, so there is a price difference per gallon there.

But, smartphones don't require any faster or increased data usage than a dumb phone, its up to the user to decided if they want to use more. The experience is much nicer with a fast connection, but not required to get the job done.

 

[Saltine713]

I would think that if they brought back the smartphone unlimited data plan that they would receive enough revenue to keep the system running and able to hand all of the bandwidth. They really need to think about that.