AT&T has increased the cap for the unlimited data plans that certain users are still subscribed to, after the company was fined $100 million over its throttling policy earlier in the year.
The carrier is no longer offering any wireless subscriptions plans which offer users with unlimited data. However, there are still users that are subscribed to unlimited data plans that AT&T previously offered, with these users being the beneficiaries of AT&T's announcement. AT&T started to offer unlimited data plans back in 2007, with the plans stopped by the company three years later in 2010. AT&T has allowed subscribers to keep their unlimited data plans, but in 2011, the company started its data throttling policy.
AT&T said that it is increasing the data cap for unlimited plans from 5GB to 22GB, which is an over 300% increase, for users that have been grandfathered into the carrier's previously offered plan.
Users that are on the supposed unlimited data plan previously had their service slowed down considerably after using up over 4GB to 5GB of data in a billing cycle. Now, users can enjoy the full service up until they use up 22GB of data in a billing cycle, with the data cap being replenished at the end of the cycle.
AT&T also noted that, even if users go over their 22GB data cap, they will only be experiencing reductions in the speed of their service during times and in locations where network congestion is present. Previously, AT&T would slow down the user's service without such conditions.
The change in data cap comes after AT&T was fined by the Federal Communications Commission for $100 million for misleading customers with the promise of unlimited data plans, but with throttling policies in place. According to the agency, the company "falsely labeled" its plans as being unlimited, as well as failed to inform subscribers of the maximum speeds that they could acquire with their subscription.
In addition to the FCC, the Federal Trade Commission has also filed a lawsuit against AT&T which seeks to refund the affected customers for millions of dollars.
The announcement is likely an attempt by AT&T to try to stave off the fines and sanctions being imposed upon the company, though it is not clear if such actions will be enough to have the agencies reconsider their decisions and actions.
