Why is there a data allowance for my AT&T internet plan?We want to help keep internet service affordable for everyone. This is especially true as the volume of data-rich internet traffic grows every day.
What do you mean by data usage?Usage is all the data you receive (download) or send (upload). This applies no matter how you get to the internet through your home network. It might be through a wired connection or via Wi-Fi, using any device, including smartphones using Wi-Fi to connect to your home network.
This includes activities like software updates, email notifications, and social media posts. Individual usage varies based on the applications you use and the content you access. For example, if your emails have large attachments, the usage for that application may exceed what's been estimated in the data calculator.
If you have DSL, we may not be able to measure your data use because of to system limitations. In that case, you won’t be able to use the data tracker to see how much data you’re using. Don’t worry though, if this happens, AT&T won’t charge you for usage over your limit.
Learn how to
check your internet data use.
Find out how to estimate future data usage with the
Internet Data Calculator.
What is a gigabyte?A gigabyte measures how much data you send and receive over the network – not the how long you’re connected to the internet. A gigabyte (GB) is 1,073,741,824 bytes, 1,048,576 kilobytes, or 1,024 megabytes.
Approximately 50,000 single-page emails without attachments, equals about 1GB. Watching an 80-minute movie in standard definition or about 20 minutes of a TV show or movie in high-definition each equals about 1GB.
What are the data allowances?Home internet data allowances include:
- 150GB per month for DSL.1
- 350GB per month for Fixed Wireless Internet.
- 1 terabyte (TB) per month if you have AT&T internet speed tiers up to and including 768 kilobits per second (Kbps) through 75 megabits per second (Mbps).
- Unlimited data if you have Internet 100 or higher, or any one of these:
- A combined bill for AT&T Internet and DIRECTV® or U-verse® TV
- DIRECTV STREAMSM with an AT&T Internet plan
- The unlimited data usage add-on for $30 per month
How do I find my current internet speed tier or plan name?- Sign in to myAT&T
- Find and select one of these to see your internet speed tier:
- My Internet
- My DSL Internet
Will I go over my data limit if I spend a lot of time on the internet?The types of activities matter more than the time spent online. For example, data-rich activities like streaming video may use more data than sending emails.
What can I do within my data allowance each month? First, find your data allowance. Then, read down the column to find out how that number translates into monthly activities.
Usage Comparisons for All Data Allowances or Internet Speed Plans |
Activity | 150GB | 250GB | 1TB |
Web browsing | 10,000+ pages | 10,000+ pages | 10,000+ pages |
Email | 10,000+ emails | 10,000+ emails | 10,000+ emails |
Social media | 10,000+ image downloads/uploads | 10,000+ image downloads/uploads | 10,000+ image downloads/uploads |
Music | 1,000+ MP3 song downloads | 1,000+ MP3 song downloads | 1,000+ MP3 song downloads |
YouTube | 1,000+ standard videos | 1,000+ standard videos | 1,000+ standard videos |
TV & movies | 75 hours SD TV and 90 SD or 25 HD movies | 75 hours SD TV and 100 SD or 35 HD movies | 400 hours SD TV and 720 SD or 200 HD movies |
Will using Wi-Fi count as usage? If you access your home internet over your Wi-Fi home network using any type of device (including smartphones and some home automation equipment), it counts as data usage. But, if you get to the internet using a public or commercial Wi-Fi hotspot, access doesn’t count as usage.
Can anyone who doesn’t live in my home affect my bandwidth usage?It depends. Our Wi-Fi gateways are secured. If you have another gateway or router and it isn't secure, someone with a computer or other Wi-Fi-enabled device could access your home network, use your high-speed internet, and impact your usage. Common encryption protocols, such as Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), provides additional security.
Does using wireless TV receivers count against my monthly data allowance?No – watching standard video through a wireless U-verse TV or DIRECTV receiver connected to your Wi-Fi gateway doesn’t count as data use. Pay-per-view video, software updates, and DVR schedule data count as data usage.
If you subscribe to both services and pay for them on one bill, you’ll get unlimited home internet data.
Sign up for combined billing at no additional cost (unlimited internet data is not available to DSL or Fixed Wireless Internet customers).
Will using AT&T applications count against my data allowance?
Yes, using some TV, mobile, tablet, and wearable applications may use data.
What DIRECTV features count against my data allowance?- Pay Per View
- OnDemand
- 4K programming
Will streaming DIRECTV on my devices over my home Wi-Fi count against my data allowance? If you stream DIRECTV on your mobile device over your home internet Wi-Fi connection, usage will count against your home internet monthly data allowance.
Does using DIRECTV STREAM count against my data allowance?DIRECTV STREAM is an over-the-top streaming service. All streaming over your home internet, wired or Wi-Fi, counts against your home internet monthly allowance.
Will using SamKnows count against my data allowance? If you’re part of the SamKnows / FCC program, running speed tests may impact your usage.
Plus, other speed test sites may impact how much home internet data you use.