Sprint will get even slower, to start throttling unlimited data plan

Sprint has announced a new plan to improve their slow data speeds across the nation: throttling users that consume too much data. The carrier announced their ‘network management practices’ to throttle top  users to so average users avoid congestion on their network. Throttling will be applied to contract-users and pre-paid users on Virgin Mobile USA and Boost Mobile. The carrier is already warning their users by sending them a text message stating that “beginning 6/1/14, to provide more customers with a high quality data experience during heavy usage times, Virgin Mobile USA may manage prioritization of access to network resources in congested areas for customers within the top 5 percent of data users.”

So how do you know if Sprint is throttling you? Are you one of their top users? Sprint has stated on its website that users who get into the top 5% of data users will be throttle. Those users are the ones that use 5GB or more each month. But luckily and unlike AT&T, Sprint will not keep throttling you once you leave a congested cell tower.

Many users might see this as an opportunity to escape Sprint without paying early termination fee. But unfortunately is not as easy as that. Although your contract with Sprint might have unlimited data on it, by throttling you the carrier is still proving you data. And according to their contract, they have the right to slow your data if they believe you’re abusing it.

We reserve the right to limit, suspend, or constrain any heavy, continuous data usage that adversely impacts our networks performances or hinders access to our networks.