Unlimited plans will often throttle for excessive use, but what does that mean?

Unlimited plans aren't truly unlimited, as nearly every carrier has a fair use policy. But what is excessive use exactly?

Apr 5, 2025 - 13:45

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Users on “unlimited” data plans are often surprised when they’re throttled or cut off for excessive usage, due to vague or inconsistent fair use policies across carriers.
Recent Reddit cases show how customers can sometimes get penalized even when using data for tasks like software updates or video calls during emergencies.
Carriers should clearly define their data thresholds and send warnings before cutting access, as better communication would prevent confusion and frustration.

How much is excessive use when it comes to your unlimited plan? Most people can agree that heavy daily use of a hotspot — especially using it like a home internet connection for large downloads — can easily be seen as abuse. Some might even say that constantly running speed tests or downloading large files on mobile is pushing it. Unfortunately, every carrier seems to define “fair use” differently, and the lack of clear standards can lead to confusion. Two recent Reddit posts highlight just how murky this can get.

First, take a report from HannahOpsi88, a US Mobile customer on the No Contract subreddit. After severe storms disrupted their regular internet, the user relied on their hotspot as a temporary solution. During that time, they updated to the latest version of macOS and mostly used the connection for streaming music and Zoom calls. The end result was about 24GB of data in a single day.