AT&T iPhone data hogs were warned that if they kept eating up so much bandwidth and data that their data pipe would be clogged, throttled and s-l-o-w-e-d d-o-w-n.
Just in time for the holiday shopping crunch AT&T data hogs are getting text messages that say, “Your data usage is among the top 5 percent of users. Data speeds for the rest of your current bill cycle may be reduced.”
This is very busy time of year especially for mobile shoppers who like to shop for products while in the retail store. It's also a time of sharing of photos, Facebook messages and good cheer unless you are in the top 5% of data users.
Slowing down data for iPhone users turns AT&T into a Grinch stealing away fast purchases and price comparisons. It will even make it harder for those who want to download the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" iPhone app (see video below).
The AT&T new deal also includes cutting off those who use "tethering" programs not authorized byAT&T.
AT&T made a throttle announcement in July that "starting October 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage in a billing cycle reaches the level that puts them among the top 5% of heaviest data users."
This is also sad news for kids 6-12 whose number three choice for holiday gifts is an iPhone after an iPad or iPod Touch.