( WIRED ) -- Following a trend set by other carriers , AT & T has begun sending SMS warning messages to the top 5 % of data users on its network . The message alerts consumers that they are among AT & T 's top 5 % that billing period , and suggests they use Wi-Fi to avoid reduced data speeds in the future . Although it 's a pain to those affected , AT & T is being transparent about the issue , giving subscribers a chance to minimize their usage before getting their data speeds choked . Verizon began throttling users who consume a large amount of data , but did n't initially reveal the policy to the public , describe how it would be implemented or describe if and how users would be notified . It should be noted , however , that AT & T was the first carrier to introduce the tiered data plan structure to customers , setting the trend for other carriers to follow suit thereafter . AT & T did away with its unlimited data plan shortly after the iPhone 4 debuted last summer , replacing it with a tiered data structure . Currently , the most robust data option is a $ 25 per month 2 GB plan that allows you to go over that limit for $ 10 per extra GB . AT & T confirmed it would throttle the data speeds of the heaviest users on its network in late July . Verizon has a similar policy . The carrier will reduce data speeds `` periodically for the remainder of your then current and immediately following billing cycle '' if you fall within the top 5 percent of heavy data users . This is done in order to `` ensure high quality network performance '' for other users , especially in times and locations where there 's peak demand . According to a developer forum , Verizon will call and then send a letter to users who are about to get their data speeds throttled . Verizon eliminated its unlimited data plan in July and now offers 2 GB for $ 30/month , 5 GB for $ 50 monthly and 10 GB for $ 80 monthly . T-Mobile offers an unlimited data plan that costs $ 100 per month , but throttles users who exceed 5 GB in a single billing cycle . That leaves Sprint as the only carrier that still offers an unlimited data plan without any kind of throttling ( unlimited data and minutes for $ 100/month ) , but the carrier does tack on a $ 10 `` Premium Data '' fee for smartphone owners . Sprint is rumored to begin carrying the iPhone this year , which would make it the only carrier to allow users an unlimited data plan with the popular phone . Business analyst and Redditor Zaied Ali was one of the recipients of AT & T 's recent round of SMS alerts . He used between 11 and 12 GB of data this month , but normally averages around 6 GB to 7 GB . Ali thinks that AT & T 's throttling policy reduces the utility of his smartphone , since he has to think twice about how he uses his phone . `` What is the point of a Netflix app if we do n't have the back-end to fully support it ? '' Ali says . `` The tiered data plan is in the right direction , but then do n't throttle your users . Let them use what they pay for at the speeds that they paid for . '' Another Redditor , Skelatwork , amassed a similar level of data this billing period and received an SMS warning . Skelatwork said that he reached the 11 GB mark by listening to podcasts and Pandora on his commute to work . A Wired.com poll of 11,000 data plan subscribers showed that 73 % use less than 2 GB of data each month . Consumer Reports similarly found that the average iPhone user only gobbles 273 MB of data each month . So right now , the throttling issue is generally only affecting a small number of users . As the use of cloud storage and streaming music and video services becomes more widespread , the issue of these data caps and speed throttling is likely to get more heated . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2011 Wired.com .
AT & T suggests top data users use wi - fi to avoid reduced costs in future . AT & T was the first carrier to introduce the tiered data plan concept to customers . It introduced its unlimited data plan in July .