AT&T's unlimited data plans were unlimited
| AT&T's unlimited data plans were unlimited | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "Customers on AT&T's "unlimited" mobile data plans could use as much data as they wanted at normal speeds." | |
| Domain | Consumer Products & Everyday Life |
| Tactic | False Context |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2011 |
| Origin | AT&T's marketing and renewals of unlimited data plans after 2011 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Consumer Products & Everyday Life | |
AT&T sold smartphone plans with unlimited data. Starting in 2011, it slowed the speeds of unlimited customers who used more than a set amount of data in a billing cycle, sometimes so much that web browsing and video became difficult.
The Federal Trade Commission sued, saying AT&T had not adequately told customers.
What the evidence shows
- Throttling. The FTC said AT&T throttled at least 3.5 million unique customers more than 25 million times, sometimes after as little as 2 gigabytes of use.
- Settlement. In November 2019, AT&T agreed to pay $60 million to settle the FTC case. The money went to partial refunds for affected customers.
- Disclosure. The FTC alleged AT&T failed to disclose the throttling clearly when customers signed up or renewed.
Why it matters
"Unlimited" became a marketing term with hidden limits. Regulators required companies to disclose those limits clearly.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "AT&T to Pay $60 Million to Resolve FTC Allegations It Misled Consumers with 'Unlimited' Data Promises," November 5, 2019.
- FTC v. AT&T Mobility LLC, complaint filed October 28, 2014.
- Reuters, "AT&T to pay $60 million over FTC claims it slowed unlimited data," November 2019.