• August 1, 2011

AT&T will reduce the data speeds for the top 5% of its heaviest users in a bid to keep more of its customers happy.

Starting on Oct. 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage puts them among the 5% of the company's heaviest data users, according to a policy posted on AT&T's corporate web site. The new "throttling" will not apply to customers on tiered data plans or those with unlimited plans who aren't among the heaviest users.

"This change will never impact the vast majority of our customers, and is designed to create a better service experience for all," the company said in the post.