Electronics

[Maggie Nolia]

Techno-challenged here.  I thought "data plan" referred to feature you purchase for a cell phone.  Suddenly (after about 30 years), I'm getting these emails about my "data plan usage" from my internet provider who is NOT my cell phone provider.  Does that make any sense to you?  TIA.

[FrostyBabe1]

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@Maggie Nolia wrote:

Techno-challenged here.  I thought "data plan" referred to feature you purchase for a cell phone.  Suddenly (after about 30 years), I'm getting these emails about my "data plan usage" from my internet provider who is NOT my cell phone provider.  Does that make any sense to you?  TIA.

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Yes, it makes sense. Your plan likely includes up to a certain amount of usage each month and that info should be somewhere on your bill. I know that mine is 1000GB.

Are they e-mailing you because you're approaching the upper limits of your allotment? Trying to get you to switch to a different plan? Just telling you how much you're using?

[Nightowlz]

There are Internet Providers that do have a data cap plus charge so much for additional usage. 

I would not want a plan like that. I want to know how much my Internet will cost per month & not by my usage.

Is that what your Internet provider is doing?

[Maggie Nolia]

Emails are about approaching limit of usage and says additional usage costs whatever.  Something must have changed, though, because I've only gotten these emails since February, after about 30 years (no kidding), and I don't think my usage has changed all that much..  Can't imagine it has increased that drastically.

Anyway, I suspected they might be bogus emails, so y'all have put that to rest.

Thanks.

[SilleeMee]

I usually backup all of my files on my PC to an external hard drive, including all emails. That way I have a copy in case anything happens to my PC. 

[Maggie Nolia]

I think it's AT&T's way of "encouraging" me to subscribe to their TV services which include unlimited data.  Or something like that.  I must have had unlimited before they bought Direct TV.

There is just no way I've reached 90% of my usage for the month on May 2.  No way.  First email I got was for February.  Didn't get one for March or April.  Suddenly, on May 2, I'm at 90%.

Oh, here it is -- from the horse's mouth:

AT&T Internet plans

You will receive an email notice the first time your usage exceeds the monthly data allowance. In subsequent months we will continue to send you alerts if your usage approaches or exceeds the amount of data included in your plan. If you exceed your monthly data plan a third time (bill cycle), and as our agreement provides, we’ll charge you $10 for each additional 50GB of data provided to you that month. The maximum overage charge is $100 a month for AT&T Internet and $200 a month for DSL and Fixed Wireless Internet.

A $30 unlimited data allowance is also available for AT&T Internet customers to purchase as an optional feature of your Internet service. Or if you purchase DIRECTV or U-verse TV service with your Internet service on a combined bill, you will receive an unlimited usage allowance. That’s a $30 value at no additional charge as part of the discount. This is only available for AT&T Internet, not DSL or Fixed Wireless Internet. 

[FrostyBabe1]

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@Maggie Nolia wrote:

I think it's AT&T's way of "encouraging" me to subscribe to their TV services which include unlimited data.  Or something like that.  I must have had unlimited before they bought Direct TV.

There is just no way I've reached 90% of my usage for the month on May 2.  No way.

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Have you signed in to your account on-line to view your usage? Do you check your statements every month for notifications of changes in your plan? If you've reached 90% of your data allowance already, you really need to have a chat with AT&T about what's going on. 

[glb613]

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@Maggie Nolia wrote:

Techno-challenged here.  I thought "data plan" referred to feature you purchase for a cell phone.  Suddenly (after about 30 years), I'm getting these emails about my "data plan usage" from my internet provider who is NOT my cell phone provider.  Does that make any sense to you?  TIA.

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If you stream content off the internet by your computer or by using a streaming device, you are using your data plan.  Many internet providers allow so much data usage for each month.  If you go over, it can be very expensive.  Comcast has a generous amount of data per month, I stream a lot and have never gone over.  Log into your account setings and check your usage. 

[Maggie Nolia]

I actually don't think it's possible to chat with anyone at AT&T.  LOL!  It's endless recordings.

[Maggie Nolia]

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If you stream content off the internet by your computer or by using a streaming device, you are using your data plan.  Many internet providers allow so much data usage for each month.  If you go over, it can be very expensive.  Comcast has a generous amount of data per month, I stream a lot and have never gone over.  Log into your account setings and check your usage. 

MY REPLY:  (Don't know how to make it not the same color.)

Oh, oh, oh!  Firestick is a streaming device, and this all began in February, coinciding with when i first used Firestick.  Didn't use it for most of March and resumed its use maybe last two weeks of April.  I had tried a different TV provider with Firestick during that time which was less than satisfactory, but either do without TV or use it until a week from now when I can get better deal with previous cable provider which is much more satisfactory.

It's true ... you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

So how is it people claim to be saving money using streaming devices?

Thanks!  You provided the magic word -- streaming -- which caused a light bulb to go off in my techno-challenged brain.

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