WFXG Fox54 Augusta-Your News One Hour EarlierAT&T limits data usage

AT&T limits data usage

If you use your AT&T smart phone to surf the web, stream music, or watch movies, you could see slower service in the near future.

AT&T is limiting who they consider to be the top 5 percent of the heaviest data users in a specific area. This policy cuts those data speeds, which means a website that normally takes a few seconds to load could take a couple of minutes to load.

AT&T stopped offering unlimited data plans in 2010, but millions of customers still have the plans.

Some customers are outraged at these new limits. One woman tells WTOC she believes if you're paying for it, you shouldn't have limitations and you should be able to do what you're giving them money to do.

An AT&T spokesperson tells the Associated Press, the company doesn't throttle all of the top 5 percent, only those in areas where the wireless network is congested in that specific month.

These problems were non-existent only a few years ago, but now with so many smart phone users, the AT&T network has a heavier load.

Here's how to make sure you don't get throttled:

• Always connect to WiFi
• If away from home or your office, connect to one of AT&T's 30,000 Wi-Fi hotspots where usage is un metered