Sprint, which advertises its network as being the only one to offer a truly unlimited data plan, throttles the data speeds of smartphone users that consume excessive data on its partner networks while roaming.
Dow Jones Newswire quotes Sprint CEO Dan Hesse on an investor call:
"For those that want to abuse it, we can knock them off," Hesse said at an investor conference Thursday. He said Sprint pares back data use for about 1% of users, a practice known as throttling.
The statement was initially misunderstood to be throttling on the lines of AT&T and Verizon. The two companies throttle data speeds for top 5 percent users, irrespective of their roaming status.
Sprint's own page offers a much clearer picture:
Voice/Data Usage Limitation: Sprint reserves the right, without notice, to limit throughput speeds, and to deny, terminate, modify, disconnect or suspend service if off-network usage in a month exceeds: (1) voice: 800 min. or a majority of minutes; or (2) data: 300 megabytes or a majority of kilobytes. Prohibited network use rules apply. See in-store materials or sprint.com/termsandconditions for specific prohibited uses.
The policy, despite the clarification, is in contrast with Sprint's advertising pitch, which says:
"Truly Unlimited Data for your iPhone. The only national carrier with no throttling, no metering, no overages"
No doubt that it affects only a subset of Sprint customers who are frequent travelers, but when a company says its network is truly unlimited, it's expected that no shady conditions are attached to it.
Even with this policy, Sprint remains the only U.S. network which offers unlimited data plans for the iPhone. AT&T and Verizon, both killed such plans, letting new users opt for tiered data plans instead.
Sprint, as Dow Jones Newswire notes, killed unlimited data plans for tablets and data cards a while ago, raising doubts whether the smartphone data plan would follow similar fashion. And with reports saying, "Top 1% of Mobile Users Consume Half of World’s Bandwidth," these doubts definitely hold weight.
Don’t ya just love Corporate B.S. lol
sprint blows and they know it
Really, this does indicate false advertising, people that are affected by this should easily be able to go after Sprint quite easily.
There is no false advertising…..
I agree it’s false advertising. *Truly unlimited* should be just that…TRULY UNLIMITED!
I still do not understand how these companies can get away with claiming to have “unlimited data” plans when they do indeed have limitations on the data the user can access within theses plans.
Hilarious!!! The grass seemed greener but only an illusion. Blinded by the sun. I really feel for those that switched to the worst network out there for “truly unlimited data” (promise) for an iPhone. Did you really think that was gonna last long? The “cap” is coming. Mark my words.
I have downloaded over 40gb of data in the last passes 20 days and my 3G date when from 100kbps to 30kbps it’s so lame!!! I can’t wait for my contract is over to switch to another carrier with the iPhone 6
hate to break it to you but at 40 gigs download your not going to find anyplace that is going to be better. i am on at&t and last mont i used 16 gigs and went from around 5 mbs then they throttled me down to about .16 mbs. and i am on unlimited data. same with my sis she has no internet at her house and she is on verizon. btw i use 4g on my ndroid phone for everything from downloading movies to playing xbox once my speed was throttled i went and bought a reppeter so i could piggy back off my naibors wifi cause i could not even watch a fing you tube video in low def without waiting 5-10 mins. i understand throllting kinda but this is not throllting its castrating.
Did that’s say 300 MB wow that’s not even a full gig WTF!! Sprint sucks along with the rest of them!!!
I used 1.5 gb on ATT 3G network this month and got a text from att said I am approaching top 5% data user group. My friend used 2.1 gb this and his 3g was down from 6 mbps to 0.06 mbps. It seems that over 2GB data usage will get you into top 5% group. I can’t wait to switch out of ATT.
If ur referring to AT&T that’s not so. If u have 2 gb and go over u r automatically given another gig at $10. There’s no throttle. Ur paying for it. Unlimited is throttled because they are not paying for the xtra usage. I’d throttle abusers also. 30gigs, that’s crazy. Buy a computer and get Internet. None of these carriers would cap if there wasn’t abusers.
Oh and reread ur msgs from AT&T. It warns u of ur data consumption in percentage and sends it starting at 65% and that going over ur plan will add 1 gig at $10. Don’t make it worse than it already is.
Hey, MORONG, before you jump down his throat, understand that he is on the grandfathered unlimited plan. It is completely unnacceptable that those of us on a $30 unlimited plan with a softcap of 5gb should be throttled (read: limited, since you cannot really do anything with the piss-poor speeds) at 2gb. In otherwords, we’re not able to use data the way the plan was intended at, or just before hitting 2gb, even though we pay more than those who are on a 2gb plan ($25).
I work at sprint and there really is no throttling, but what we actually do is send warning letters to the top offenders warning them of the usage letting them know what will happen if it continues. What the contract actually says is that we reserve the right to cancel ur line at any time we want but we will NOT throttle ur internet speeds.
straight b.s
Sure! “Truly unlimited” unless you use it! Then they will boot you!!!! They LIE to try to suck you in and then if they don’t like what you’re doing, they’ll cancel you.
I watch a lot of movies…I mean A LOT! My average is between 30 and 40 GB per month. I’ll stick with home internet.
Actually, they don’t “boot” you. I have the unlimited everything plan & I use the internet on my phone all day, everyday. They Don’t Have Overage Charges!
You morons. Check your bills. My friend has verizon and I use way more data and make way more calls than he does. Yet his bill is always around $130 and my bills is always around 80 bucks. In SF, LA and NY, I never have issues with coverage.
I think I’ll stick with Sprint and I’m glad people like morons don’t switch because I don’t have to worry about dropped calls due to too many users like you fools do.
YES. Sprint has much better coverage than most. & they are just the way to go.
I have Sprint, they only “throttle” while roaming. Because they have to pay Verizon to roam off their towers were Sprint doesn’t have service. They told me it was not an issue as long as it wasn’t an everyday, all day, year round thing. It makes sense to put a cap on the internet while roaming. But while your on the Sprint network it is truly unlimited. I think they’ll keep it around for a while, because people get tired of AT&T & Verizon’s caps & overage charges. Sprint is the way to go. -Sent from my HTC EVO 3D on Sprint’s truly unlimited network(;