Fix: AT&T Throttling And Data Slowing Down [2024 Workaround]

The FTC fined AT&T for throttling its Unlimited data plan without disclosure. If you are one of these unsatisfied customers and are considering changing your ISP, try using a VPN to stop AT&T throttling first.

Not all virtual private network services are fit for the job, though, so you should take the time to explore your options. Or you can go with our recommendations since we’ve tested countless VPN apps.

Although there are free VPNs you can use, we’re against them because they are either filled with adware, collect and share your data with marketing agencies, or both. Instead, a premium VPN is worth it. Check out the step-by-step instructions below to bypass AT&T throttling with a VPN.

How do I stop AT&T’s throttling and data slowing down?

1. Download and install ExpressVPN on your device.
2. Run the app and log into your account.
3. Click on the current location and choose a server to connect too.
4. Press the big power button to connect to the VPN server.
5. Try accessing the previously-restricted online resource.

What is network throttling?

Throttling your internet bandwidth is the process by which your ISP (internet service provider) limits the speed of your connection.

This usually happens for a few reasons, which we will discuss further:

➡️ Surpassing the data packet you paid for

As you might expect, if your ISP contract mentions a specific network data cap, your internet connection will become increasingly slower as soon as you reach it.

This is a tactic used by ISPs to persuade users to renew their data packets with their company. From this perspective, it would make sense that the internet connection would be limited after reaching the cap mentioned in the contract.

That being said, depending on the ISP company, throttling is sometimes used even while paying for a so-called unlimited internet plan. The ISP engages in this procedure whenever your data transfer reaches a certain soft cap, which is not fixed but dependent on your location, internet connection type, and surge in network data processing.

➡️ The ISP wants to stop you from accessing specific online resources

To access certain streaming services or download large files through a torrent client, your internet connections need to be running at a certain speed.

By using the throttling process, your ISP reduces the amount of data that can be transferred at once through their network, thus stopping you from using the services mentioned above.

➡️ The ISP’s network is used by a large number of people at once

Bandwidth throttling also happens if the ISP observes that their network can’t deal with the number of people using their connection simultaneously.

As ISPs have a limited amount of bandwidth to share among users, if there is a surge in traffic, the speed at which you can stream and download content will be reduced to accommodate all users.

Does AT&T slow down data?

The answer here is affirmative because the company stated that slowing down your Internet speed in different situations is possible.

For instance, your wireless connection can be throttled if the network is too busy. That’s because many people use mobile data at the same time, and the result is network congestion.

In spite of this eventuality, you can stop Internet throttle by getting more expensive unlimited plans and avoiding slow PC navigation.

How do I know if my bandwidth is being throttled?

To check if your bandwidth is being throttled, you should start by checking your contract with AT&T, and read the stipulations regarding your connection’s data caps, and bandwidth limits.

Once you have this information, test the internet connection speed by using an online tool like Speedtest.net.

All you need to do is to visit the website and click the GO button appearing on the screen.

As soon as you do, the website will start analyzing your internet connection, and you will get a set of results at the end that will look something like this:

Comparing the Download and Upload values found after the speed test with the values mentioned in your AT&T contract will show you whether throttling is active on your case.

If you find that throttling is being used, it is recommended that you first check if the data cap on your AT&T contract has not been reached.

In case you still have data available for usage, then it is possible to conclude that the ISP is limiting your bandwidth for one of the reasons mentioned previously.

To avoid this problem, good VPN software will do the trick by not allowing the ISP to observe how you’re using the bandwidth and thus limiting their capability to engage this protocol.

Can a VPN help with throttling?

A powerful VPN will help with AT&T throttling home Internet in 2024, but not all software in this category can do this successfully.

Capable VPN software will effectively change your IP address, and thus stop the ISP’s processes from identifying if you’re using the data to download torrents, or simply access a streaming service that they don’t condone.

That being said, if the throttling from AT&T happens because you reached your data cap, VPN software will not be able to do much. Even if your IP address will be changed, and your ISP will not know who you are or where you live exactly, the internet connection will still be throttled until you renew your data packet subscription.

Does VPN throttle speed?

Usually, your Internet speed can get slower if you connect to another VPN server because of data encryption.

However, that does not mean you’ll have a much slower speed, especially using a reliable VPN connection.

That said, using a high-end VPN privacy will hide your IP address from your Internet provider and thus stop the Internet throttle and low speed.

Is it legal for AT&T to throttle your internet traffic?

Yes. AT&T’s throttling policy is following the law in the USA regarding all internet traffic being treated roughly in the same way.

This situation is caused by the FCC under the Trump Administration which repealed the Open Internet Order, and also the regulation enforced by the Obama Administration which allows ISPs to discriminate users based on a variety of factors like service type, content, and the device used, etc.

Even if that’s the case, AT&T’s policies do not engage in any sort of discriminatory actions in regards to their users, but they are fully within their rights to do so.

Is there other VPN software that can help with throttling?

If you already made sure that your ISP’s data cap hasn’t been reached, then there are a few other software options that can help you with this endeavor.

As you might expect, all of them will work without problems when it comes to AT&T throttling.

➡ NordVPN

➡ Private Internet Access (PIA)

➡ Surfshark

➡ CyberGhost VPN

➡ VyprVPN

As you can see, throttling applied by ISPs can happen for a variety of reasons, and will severely impact the internet speed for browsing, but also stop you from accessing streaming services like Netflix, and from downloading torrents.

How do I bypass AT&T hotspot throttling?

Firstly, you must know that many plans of this ISP company include hotspot limits in order to control data usage or network congestion.

➡️ You can try to bypass these hotspot throttling cases for your mobile or PC using various methods:

• Use the PdaNet+ app to share your Android Internet data
• Monitor your Internet data
• Purchase additional hotspot data
• Get an AT&T hotspot device for 4G network

Luckily, using a powerful VPN can help if your ISP bandwidth cap hasn’t been reached, and we discussed some of the best options available on the market.

No less important, troubleshooting AT&T Family Map not working can be easily done when applying the steps detailed in our guide. Don’t hesitate to take a closer look.

Feel free to share your experience with us using the comment section below.