Topic 'Re: Just got my first message from them.' in forum '' - dslreports.com

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:53:54 EDT

IPPlanMan posted : Great!

So who else here is with ptrowski?

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:48:15 EDT

ptrowski posted : Done and done, complaints lodged and confirmation numbers received.

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:15:36 EDT

IPPlanMan posted : Certainly.

AT&T is trying to put one over on you, but they won't get away with it.

Let us know what you hear back from the FTC/FCC

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:19:16 EDT

ptrowski posted : Thanks for the help, I knew it was a matter of time until I got one. What I find interesting is when an email showed up as well you can see it says "Domestic Restricted Data Cap data usage = 5131". So I know the 5131 is MB, but the Donestic Restricted Data Cap is a very interesting term for an unlimited account.
Also being told that that average user uses 2 GB the email states I was On the category on average using 12 times the average data use. Wouldn't that be aroun 24 GB? :-)
--
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."

Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:03:45 EDT

IPPlanMan posted : Absolutely. That's ridiculous.

For the FTC:

As I was saying earlier in the thread, for "unlimited" plan customers, AT&T has provided no proof of the accuracy of its internal bandwidth meters, and thus there is no consumer-transparent basis under which this "top 5%" throttling practice is determined and implemented. The FTC needs to investigate this deceptive business practice in which a plan is marketed as "unlimited" but is throttled to the point of useless with no clear criteria based on users who travel frequently from region to region.

AT&T is deceptively marketing an "unlimited" data plan which is throttled to useless speeds based on video evidence. You can point the FTC to this YouTube video:

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW5aEQzTcW0

This also applies to the tiered data offerings: that's another reason to ensure that these meters are accurate. Who's checking this? No one I'll bet... Why would they?

All the more reason for the FTC to make AT&T come clean on this.

As for the FCC:

Select "Deceptive or unlawful advertising or marketing by a communications company (does NOT include Telemarketing)"

You will fill out "Form 2000A - Deceptive or Unlawful Advertising and Promotion Complaint"

The complaint has the same basis as above. AT&T is deceptively marketing an "unlimited" data plan which is throttled to useless speeds based on video evidence. You can point the FCC to the YouTube video above.

You can submit this form online or on paper.

Very simple to do.
--
"We're going to start at one end of (Fallujah), and we're not going to stop until we get to the other. If there's anybody left when that happens, we're going to turn around and we're going to go back and finish it."
Lt. Col. Pete Newell: 1st Inf. US Army

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:50:57 EDT

ptrowski posted : I will do that. I also explained that using their iPhone app I was not able to view my usage as my wife added international texting. When I look on their site it shows 5.1 GB. When you look at the usage graph it shows 2.9 GB. I know it is calculated per billing cycle but it can be quite misleading to others.

Re: Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:46:21 EDT

IPPlanMan posted : You point out the problem with this throttling.

It doesn't take into account people who travel frequently from region to region.

The idea of a "market" being based on your address is useless. When someone travels from NYC to LA, etc. there's no way to label them a top 5% user based on a specific region. How can AT&T even claim this?

Aside from there being no proof of congestion, there's no way to know if AT&T is really doing the "top 5%"... make AT&T prove it.

Reach out to the FCC/FTC and file a complaint based on these points.

»www.fcc.gov/complaints

»www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
--
"We're going to start at one end of (Fallujah), and we're not going to stop until we get to the other. If there's anybody left when that happens, we're going to turn around and we're going to go back and finish it."
Lt. Col. Pete Newell: 1st Inf. US Army

Just got my first message from them.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:45:31 EDT

ptrowski posted : My billing cycle ends tomorrow. I just got the text message saying I was in the 5% so I called them. I played dumb when I called to see what I could find out.
I was told the average user uses 2 GB of data and since I received the message it means I was THE top user in my market. I feigned that I was so surprised and what does that mean. She told me that being the top user that meant I was congesting the system on my market. I asked her what my market was as I travel from CT to RI every day. The market is based on where your address is. She explained that I used 5 GB of data and that hurts the network for other users. I was told I would receive a total of 3 warnings before being slowed down. When asked what I would be slowed down to she had no idea, just everything would be slow.
Of course I was told I could move to the 3 GB plan for $30 and never be slowed down, but would pay $10 per GB.
I guess I should be proud that 5GB of usage makes me the king.
--
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."

Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org