Sprint was forced to remove a speed limit on its new All-In plans after customers were quick to complain.
On Tuesday, Sprint revealed a service plan called All-In that offers monthly service and phone payments bundled together for $80 per month. In the fine print, Sprint disclosed a policy to throttle mobile video speeds to 600kbps at all times for network management purposes. That didn’t sit well with customers, who took to social media to voice their concerns.
Sprint later admitted that it has slowed mobile video speeds for a period of two years. The practice runs afoul of the FCC’s new net neutrality rules, which prohibit broadband providers — wireless or wired — from throttling speeds of select apps or services.
After a drubbing from customers, Sprint changed its policy.
“At Sprint, we strive to provide customers a great experience when using our network,” said Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. “We heard you loud and clear, and we are removing the 600kbps limitation on streaming video.” That doesn’t mean Sprint won’t protect its network from heavy users. “During certain times, like other wireless carriers, we might have to manage the network in order to reduce congestion and provide a better customer experience for the majority of our customers,” said Claure.
AT&T has been sued by the FTC and the FCC over its network throttling practices.
