I am from ATT and I’m Here to Help…*cough* (with Stream Saver)

ATT Stream Saver — a network feature that allows Corporately billed subscribers to watch videos but use less data — was launched on January 11th.

Sounds fantastic but how is this possible?  Marketed as a data/cost saving feature, the short answer is:  throttling.   Throttling by any other name is still…..throttling.

Using ATT’s own words, “With Stream Saver turned on, data speeds for content that is recognized as video is reduced to a max of 1.5 Mbps, which generally allows standard definition quality, similar to DVD (about 480p).*  This is the case for all applicable plans including those with unlimited data. 

Here is a link to ATT’s direct information on the feature:

And, because ATT is so customer service focused, they are doing this for you — you don’t even need to lift a finger.  ATT states, “We will begin rolling out Stream Saver to new and existing Mobile Share Advantage℠ and Mobile Share Advantage℠ for Business plans beginning January 11, 2017.  We plan to add the feature to other select postpaid rate plans that include data by the end of the first half of 2017. Stream Saver will be automatically added and turned on for free for your CRU lines on applicable plans as the feature is rolled out. No additional action is required.”

But beware, this data will still count toward monthly usage.  So while this qualifies as throttling, it isn’t “zero-rating,” — like from Sprint and TMobile — which eliminates that streaming data from counting as data usage at all.

If you need to turn off this throttling, however, you yourself (or BP if you are fortunate to be a BP Client) will need to turn this feature off for users at your discretion.

And for our Government account friends, please note that AT&T will not automatically add Stream Saver to government accounts.  Stream Saver can be added to Government accounts through Premier.

So, if your data seems to be degrading in quality, take a look at your plan to manage your Stream Saver Feature OR

Have BP do it for you and all your Corporate Devices.  Because, we are ….

…..still protecting your wireless rights!