Some of AT&T’s services are prioritized ahead of others. When AT&T’s network is congested, subscribers using prioritized services will have better data speeds. Prioritization policies shouldn’t affect users’ experiences when AT&T’s network is not congested.
AT&T’s official information about prioritization can be hard to make sense of. Below, I list my best guesses about which AT&T services are prioritized.
Prioritized services
Plans offered directly by AT&T:
- AT&T’s Unlimited Elite plan (before 100GB of use in a month)1
- AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plan (before 50GB of use in a month)2
- AT&T’s Mobile Share Plus plans3
- AT&T Prepaid’s plans with fixed data allotments4
- AT&T Prepaid’s Unlimited Plus plan before 22GB of use5
Plans offered by other carriers that run over AT&T’s network:
- Cricket’s plans with fixed allotments of high-speed data6
Legacy plans:
- AT&T’s Unlimited & More Premium plan before 22GB of use7
Deprioritized services
Plans offered directly by AT&T:
- AT&T’s Unlimited Elite plan after 100GB of data use8
- AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plan after 50GB of data use9
- AT&T Prepaid’s basic unlimited plan10
- AT&T’s Prepaid’s Unlimited Plus plan after 22GB of use11
Plans offered by other carriers that run over AT&T’s network:
- Cricket’s unlimited plans12
Legacy plans:
FirstNet
AT&T operates a program called FirstNet that’s available to first responders, some government officials, and others that may be called on in an emergency. FirstNet subscribers may be prioritized ahead of other subscribers on other AT&T services (including services I list as “prioritized”). For more details about the program, see FirstNet’s website.
MVNO prioritization
I used to think subscriber to MVNOs running over AT&T’s network usually had low priority during congestion. I now lean towards thinking most MVNO subscribers are not deprioritized. I hope to come to a more confident view soon.
Article last updated: July 2020
Footnotes
- The Unlimited Elite Plan comes with 100GB of what AT&T calls “Premium Data.”
- The Unlimited Extra Plan comes with 100GB of what AT&T calls “Premium Data.”
- I haven’t seen these plans associated with the type of deprioritization disclosures that can be found in relationship with some of AT&T’s other plans.
- I haven’t seen any disclosures about prioritization on these plans. I have seen disclosures about some of AT&T’s other prepaid plans.
- After 22GB, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.”
From AT&T’s prepaid plans web page on 7/21/2020. - Expected based on the existence of throttling disclosures associated with the unlimited plans. I have not seen similar disclosures about the plans with fixed data allotments.
- “After 22GB/line/mo. AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is busy.”
From AT&T’s unlimited plans web page on 6/17/2019. - Data becomes low-priority after the 100GB Premium Data allotment runs out.
- Data becomes low-priority after the 50GB Premium Data allotment runs out.
- By “basic unlimited plan,” I mean the plan that has a $65 base price. This excerpt was associated with that plan on AT&T’s website (excerpt taken on 7/21/2020):
“AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.” - The following excerpt was associated with the Unlimited Plus plan on AT&T’s website on 7/21/2020:
“After 22GB, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.” - As of 7/21/2020, Cricket’s plans page included the follow note next to both of the carriers’ unlimited plans:
“Cricket may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.” - “AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is busy.”
From AT&T’s unlimited plans web page on 6/17/2019. - “After 22GB/line/mo. AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is busy.”
From AT&T’s unlimited plans web page on 6/17/2019.
