Sprint is Throttling 1% of Its 'Unlimited' Data Users

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Posted January 5, 2012 at 11:38pm by Shalom Levytam

Sprint has admitted that it's throttling about 1% of its unlimited data plan users, reports Dow Jones Newswire.

"For those that want to abuse it, we can knock them off," said Chief Executive Dan Hesse said at an investor conference today. Hesse continued to say that Sprint throttles data use for about 1% of users.

This statement appears to contradict the company's marketing message:

"You'd be shocked how much data you use in a month," Sprint asks in a recent television advertisement. "What happens if you go over? With Sprint, you don't have to worry; only Sprint offers truly unlimited data."

Would you call a data plan that throttles the top 1% of users 'truly unlimited'? Let us know in the comments...

Update:
TechCrunch notes that the Dow Jones Newswire may have missed a key bit of information.

It seems the Dow Jones report left a key word out: roaming. Dan Hesse squeezed the word in there, suggesting that Sprint will only consider it abuse when you go data-crazy on a partnered network that isn't actually theirs (Hesse cites "a guy in his house in rural Montana" as an example).

Sprint is Throttling 1% of Its 'Unlimited' Data Users

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Adcpolo - January 6, 2012 at 6:58pm

Well.. Want to hear an astonishing fact? I read a report yesterday stating that top 1% of users consume 50% of bandwidth while top 10% of users consume 90% of band width. That's says enough...! Throttling doesn't mean it's not unlimited data.. Just saying!

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Cyber Angels - January 6, 2012 at 6:52am

SPRINT IS NOT DELIVERING DATA SPEED AS AT&T AND VRIZON AND THAT IS A FACT . INDEPENDANT RESEARCH SHOWED THAT SPRINT IS DELIBERATELY JAMMING DATA SPEED TO LOWER USAGE.

SprintFalseAdvertising - January 6, 2012 at 2:49am

Wow, everyone go to sprint.com, the rotating ad on the main page (or click the third icon) to see an ad for their "Unlimited Data" which literally says, "No throttling, no metering, no overages!" Anyone with a Sprint contract can easily get out of it if you get throttled as they advertise no throttling and if that has changed on their end of the contract, then you can get out on your end without a ETF.

David - January 6, 2012 at 2:49am

All this fuss over an article that has now been corrected. Apparently, the throttling only applies to excessive use on partner roaming networks, a policy that's actually listed in the terms of service. This is the problem with knee-jerk blog posts. Sentiment is created only by the initial post, impossible to undo by subsequent retractions. On the other hand, the sentiment is so easy to create because of all the frustration other carriers have caused. It primes us to believe the worse.

2 1/2 Year Party - January 6, 2012 at 2:37am

It was inevitable. One company starts throttling for 5 percent top data usage or 1 percent whatever B.S. , the rest get on the bandwagon. Ive had unlimited data with AT&T for 2 1/2 years with great network speed. I got my speed throttled last week. It was great downloading so many movies and TV shows and software for all that time. I guess the party had to end.

Sharpshooter - January 6, 2012 at 2:27am

I know some people are going to hate me for saying this, but some users dont have internet at home and use their phones as a broadband connection 24/7 going over 10-20Gb of data a month wich is impossible to achive just by using the phone or tethering for emergencies, then other users get affected by this abuse. My two cents, and I'm on at&t with unlimited data plan.

farpthor - January 6, 2012 at 3:01am

I now hate you.

Sharpshooter - January 6, 2012 at 7:06am

Lol I know

justabrake - January 6, 2012 at 1:58am

I believe AT&T is doing the same to me.

CaliforniaBabylon - January 6, 2012 at 1:35am

I was thinking of switching to Sprint after AT&T sent me a warning text after using only 2.5 gb of data. Forget it now.

John - January 6, 2012 at 5:15am

That's bull crap

Di - January 6, 2012 at 12:34am

Almost all US carriers do that. Considering the current prices for wireless Internet this is a complete bullshit. $30/mo and no unlimited data? Well, this has to end sooner or later.

Josh - January 6, 2012 at 12:12am

This "throttling" is terrible! i have AT&T and i received a text message from them 2 weeks ago stating that i was the top 5% of data users, i checked my data usage and i was at 2.08GB on my unlimited plan (i was on day 23 on a 28 day billing cycle.) BULLSHIT! I know AT&T offers a 2GB data plan and theres no way 2GB is considered top 5%. And then to top it off i couldnt access anything internet after that. i had to call AT&T and bitch about my data not working, they said to "reset network settings" which got my data service working again.

Khan - January 6, 2012 at 12:35am

I feel your pain. AT&T throttled my data about 5 days into my billing cycle and it pretty much like not having data service. I can't use my iPhone 4S for browsing the web or anything web related. Thank you AT&T for taking my money and not offering the service I paid for.

MartyNet - January 6, 2012 at 12:01am

SPRINT SAYS: "You can have as much data as you want." REALITY: Only you will get it very slowly if you're the top 1%. Throttling doesn't do anything to solve the problems with their network either. The bottle neck isn't fixed if you simply slow down the traffic. It just continues to bottle neck. Just sayin Marty Net

Sprintsajoke!!! - January 5, 2012 at 11:48pm

Sprints a joke!! Their network sucks, they say u get unlimited data but if u use "too much" they throttle u? Oh by the way.... I thought the article said "sprint TROLLING their customers" Well i guess they r!!! Funny…

Leggoman - January 6, 2012 at 1:12am

Do u think you will ever get unlimited data from any provider? I don't think so and most are so bloody slow It's about time unlimited means just that, you never get what you pay for from any phone provider in my eyes Companies are to big and just lie and don't give a sh-t about users just take your money Dropped calls no service and data controlling thefs

2 1/2 year party - January 6, 2012 at 2:33am

It was inevitable. One company starts throttling for 5 percent top data usage or 1 percent whatever B.S. , the rest get on the bandwagon. I had unlimited data with AT&T for 2 1/2 years with great network speed. I got my speed throttled last week. It was great downloading so many movies and TV shows and software for all that time. I guess the party had to end.

Shameer - January 6, 2012 at 4:37am

C spire wireless