AT&T to Test Bandwidth Limits

ATT has begun a test in Reno, Nevada that will set monthly limits on broadband users and charge them if they exceed the caps. The trial at first will affect only new DSL users, who will be limited to 20 to 150 gigabytes of monthly downloading depending on their account. Users who go over eventually will be charged $1 per gigabyte, but only after they continue to exceed their limit after two months of warnings.

In December, the test will be applied to existing Reno DSL subscribers. The caps are:

• 768 Kbps - 20GB monthly limit or 11 min. per day of HD or 44 min. per day of SD
• 1.5 Mbps - 40 GB or 22 min. per day of HD or 89 min. per day of SD
• 3 Mbps - 60 GB or 33 min. per day of HD or 133 min. per day of SD
• 6 Mbps -80 GB or 44 min. per day of HD or 178 min. per day of SD

These limits are not a huge burden for web surfers or even Youtube viewers. They do make a big difference for people who will want to use their broadband connections to use their broadband connection to deliver content to their TV, especially HD content. These caps will make over the top Internet TV services less competitive with ATT's U-verse IPTV service.