networkcongestion
Latest
AT&T throttles unlimited data plans at 5GB, no congestion required
It's no secret that AT&T throttles its users unlimited data connections. The company has been rather open about the policy. However, the carrier insisted that the practice is used to reign in the biggest bandwidth consumers, only necessary to keep network congestion at a minimum. Well, that doesn't seem to be the case. Big Blue's info page for "customers with legacy unlimited data plans" explains that when folks hit the 5GB threshold, they're gonna experience reduced speeds until the billing cycle is up. The reduction to compensate for congestion bit only applies to phones with unlimited data between the 3GB and 5GB mark. Of course, the FCC claims AT&T hasn't been clear about such practices, including just how slow the connection can get, despite the carrier claiming throttled customers get a text message when speeds are cut. In fact, an Ars Technica report found those figures to dip to half a megabit per second. At any rate, if you're a big data user, you can expect slower speeds above 5GB, even when the network's traffic is manageable. [Photo credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Government warns of wireless network congestion again, rides iPad to push its spectrum agenda
The feds simply aren't backing down from their incessant warnings of a wireless broadband spectrum crunch the likes of which the world has never seen, and they've seemingly found a great vehicle -- the iPad -- to help spread the message just a little further (and at a higher volume) than before. This time around, it's the Omnibus Broadband Initiative's director of scenario planning Phil Bellaria who's sounding the alarm, saying that the iPad foretells "even greater demand for mobile broadband on the horizon" and asking that the people with the money and the power (the carriers and the FCC, respectively) do what it takes to make sure that the nation's broadband infrastructure and policy are appropriately managed in light of that. Perhaps most provocative is his statement that "reaching an always-on wireless broadband future means that the spectrum can no longer remain attached solely to uses deemed valuable decades ago," possibly a veiled reference to the FCC's ongoing spat with TV broadcasters over the future of over-the-air broadcasts. Free TV or an iPad with a fast, functional browsing experience -- if it came down to it, which would you prefer?
