An infographic from BillFixers explaining the details of unlimited data cell phone plans. It explains the difference between the unlimited plans from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile, as well as plans from Boost Mobile, Cricket, Straight Talk, and MetroPCS. Ever wonder if unlimited data is worth it or what throttling is? The answer lies within!

1. Unlimited Data
UNDERSTANDING
­ARE YOU GETTING RIPPED OFF BY YOUR CELL PPROVIDER?
COMPARING PROVIDERS
THROTTLING
Throttling is a huge deal. These days, almost all “unlimited” plans
actually come with a slow-down once you use enough data.
Most throttled unlimited plans “deprioritize” you from 4G to 2G
when they experience “congestion.”
How big of a difference does that really make?
Downloading a Photo
1 second on 4G
3 minutes on 2G
Downloading an MP3
3 seconds on 4G
7 minutes on 2G
That can be
100,000% slower speeds.
unlimited is a good deal
DO THE MATH
Should you get rid of your grandfathered unlimited plan?
If you don’t use much data, absolutely. For a single line, the
unlimited plan is only worth it if you’re using enough data.
$120
$110
$100
$90
$80
$70
$60
0gB 1gB 2gB 3gB 4gB 5gB 6gB 7gB 8gB 9gB 10gB 11gB 12gB
3GB Verizon Plan
(with overages)
6GB Verizon Plan
(with overages)
10GB AT&T Plan
(with overages)
AT&T or Verizon
Unlimited Plan
MONTHLY DATA USAGE
MONTHLYPLANCOST
Just because you’re grandfathered into an unlimited plan
doesn’t mean it’s worth it. If you’re on Verizon and use less
than 7GB of data on average or on AT&T and use less than
10GB, it’s cheaper not to have unlimited data.
Tip: Overages aren’t necessarily a bad thing. For $15 a GB, it’s
still cheaper to get 2 overages on a 3GB plan than to pay for
unlimited with Verizon.
will never use more than the
standard 23GB of data usage
above the throttle limit.
97% 6.3MILLIONOF USERS
people make up the 3% of the
smartphones in the United States
that use more than 23GB.
If you’re part of that 3%,
keep your grandfathered unlimited data.
If you’re part of the 97%,
consider a new plan.
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES
cricket straight talk boost mobile metropcs
unlimited 1 line $70 $55 $60 $60
network AT&T
AT&T, Verizon,
t-mobile, sprint Sprint t-mobile
truly unlimited? YES
(always throttled at 8mbps)
NO
(10GB throttle cap)
NO
(23GB throttle cap)
NO
(25GB throttle cap)
tethering? NO NO YES
(8GB throttle cap)
YES
(6GB throttle cap)
The major players aren’t the only companies to offer unlimited
data. If you’re set on unlimited, consider MVNOs (cell providers
who don’t own their own towers) and pre-paid plans.
$100,000,000
AT&T Wireless was fined 100 million dollars by the FCC in 2015
for throttling unlimited data at 5GB without warning consumers.
A few days later, Verizon and Sprint also adjusted their throttling
policies to avoid similar fines from the FCC.
TIME MAGAZINE
• time.com/3924792/att-data-throttling-fine
KEN’S TECH TIPS
• kenstechtips.com/index.php/download-speeds-2g-3g-and-4g-actual-meaning
WASHINGTON POST
• wpo.st/1NXf1
CNET
• cnet.com/news/unlimited-data-plans-grandfathered-or-not/
MOBIDIA
• http://www.mobidia.com/press-release/lte-network-usage-data-0
CONSUMER INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH PARTNERS
• http://www.businessinsider.com/carrier-data-plan-profit-comparison-2014-7
PROVIDER WEBSITES
• All other information is directly from the websites for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cricket,
Straight Talk, Boost Mobile, and MetroPCS.
1%
Less than one in a hundred Verizon
users still have unlimited plans after the
price increases today.
$20
Verizon increased their grandfathered
unlimited plans by $20 a month in June
2015 with plans to go even higher.
22%
Almost a quarter of Verizon users had
an unlimited plan in 2015, before they
started pushing users off.
www.billfixers.com
BillFixers expert negotiators lower your tv, internet,
and phone bills. They guarantee lower bills and
have saved more than $1,000,000 for their clients.
SOURCES
2G Data4G DATA 3G DATA
100 Mbps
(maximum download speed)
15 Mbps
(average download speed)
21 Mbps
(maximum download speed)
4 Mbps
(average download speed)
.1 Mbps
(maximum download speed)
< .1 Mbps
(average download speed)
3GB Verizon Plan
(before overages)
6GB Verizon Plan
(before overages)
10GB AT&T Plan
(before overages)
unlimited is a BAD deal
1.8GB
An Average American's
Data Usage (2016)
throttled speed
Verizon AT&T Sprint T-Mobile
unlimited 1 line $100 $100 $75 $95
unlimited 4 lines $450 $180 $180 $220
truly unlimited? YES
(on LTE with limited talk/text)
NO
(22GB throttle cap)
NO
(23GB throttle cap)
NO
(21GB throttle cap)
tethering? $30/mo NO YES YES
(14GB throttle cap)
available? NO
(grandfathered)
MAYBE
(grandfathered/DirecTV)
YES YES
Start saving today on: