AT&T unlimited data throttling, FTC refunds settlement
Federal Trade Commission v. AT&T Mobility LLC (unlimited data throttling; FTC refunds; not a class action). Not the data breach.
Also known as AT&T data throttling; AT&T unlimited data refund; FTC v. AT&T Mobility; AT&T throttling Zelle payment; AT&T unlimited data FTC; JND Legal Administration; 3:14-cv-04785
The FTC said AT&T sold unlimited data plans but slowed customers' data speeds (throttling).
Copied from the official notice. Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
- You could get
- A share of the fund $7 million fund, split among everyone who files.
Source
“Partial refund from the $7 million left in the fund”
From the administrator site: FTC press release, January 19, 2023: Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling by AT&T Can Apply for a Payment from the FTC. Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
- Payments
- Paid Payments issued; the settlement administrator (the company that handles claims) has not published the date. Has it paid yet? See payment status.
Source
“The FTC first sent payments in April 2024, which resulted more than $5.6 million in refunds. Now, the FTC is sending Zelle payments to people who didn’t cash their check or accept their PayPal payment.”
From the administrator site: FTC refund page: AT&T Data Throttling Refunds (dated August 2026). Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
- Claims
- Closed May 18, 2023
Source
“Consumers have until May 18, 2023, to submit a claim.”
From the administrator site: FTC press release, January 19, 2023: Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling by AT&T Can Apply for a Payment from the FTC. Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
- Who can file
- Former AT&T unlimited data customer throttled, 2011 to 2015
Source
“they are a former AT&T customer; ... they had an unlimited data plan at some point between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015; ... they experienced data throttling; and ... they have not received a bill credit or payment from AT&T related to this matter. ... Consumers have until May 18, 2023, to submit a claim.”
From the administrator site: FTC press release, January 19, 2023: Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling by AT&T Can Apply for a Payment from the FTC. Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S.
Source
“they are a former AT&T customer; ... they had an unlimited data plan at some point between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015; ... they experienced data throttling; and ... they have not received a bill credit or payment from AT&T related to this matter.”
From the administrator site: FTC press release, January 19, 2023: Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling by AT&T Can Apply for a Payment from the FTC. Last compared Nov 4, 2026.
Quick answers
How much is the AT&T unlimited data throttling, FTC refunds settlement payout?
A share of the fund. $7 million fund, split among everyone who files.
Can I still file a claim for the AT&T unlimited data throttling, FTC refunds settlement?
No. Claims closed on May 18, 2023.
When is the AT&T unlimited data throttling, FTC refunds settlement payout date?
Payments issued; the administrator has not published the date.
Is the AT&T unlimited data throttling, FTC refunds settlement legit?
The administrator is Federal Trade Commission, and the official site is www.ftc.gov. Real notices point there; if a link in a message goes anywhere else, do not use it.
The official site never asks you to pay to file.
Also ending this week
Related settlements
Confirm with the administrator before you act.
Case details
- Case
- Federal Trade Commission v. AT&T Mobility LLC (unlimited data throttling; FTC refunds; not a class action)
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, San Francisco Division
- Case number
- 3:14-cv-04785-EMC
- Administrator
- Federal Trade Commission
- Official site
- www.ftc.gov
- Settlement fund
- $60 million paid by AT&T; the FTC used the $7 million left in the fund for the 2023 claims process
- Full payout terms
- Partial refund from the $7 million left in the fundPartial refunds; amounts are not stated. In April 2024 the FTC sent 212,893 checks and 54,841 PayPal payments totaling nearly $6.3 million.
Other dates
- Final approval granted
- From the docket entry. Order not read.Date the court filed the signed Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction and Monetary Judgment (Dkt. 201, court stamp 'Filed 12/04/19' on the copy posted by the FTC, which also lists it under December 4, 2019); the scan's signature page shows a handwritten date read as '3rd December', so the judge appears to have signed it December 3, 2019, a day before it was filed. It is a court-entered FTC order, not approval of a class settlement. Source: court record
The court’s exact words
they are a former AT&T customer; ... they had an unlimited data plan at some point between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015; ... they experienced data throttling; and ... they have not received a bill credit or payment from AT&T related to this matter.
Quoted from the official notice. Read the notice for the full definition.
Our notes: This is not a class action, and it is not the AT&T data breach case. It is a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit over AT&T slowing (throttling) data on unlimited plans, which ended in a court-entered stipulated order in 2019. In 2020 AT&T credited current customers and mailed checks to former customers. In 2023 the FTC used the $7 million left in the fund for a claims process (deadline May 18, 2023) for former customers with an unlimited plan between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015 who were throttled and had not received a credit or payment. The FTC paid valid claims in April 2024 and is now sending Zelle payments to people who did not cash their check or accept their PayPal payment.
You may be included if you are a former AT&T customer who had an unlimited data plan between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015.
It covers only people who experienced data throttling and filed a claim by May 18, 2023.
You are not included if you already got a bill credit or payment from AT&T for this.
Sources and checks (6)
Every fact people act on was copied from the official source and compared with it. How we check
- FTC refund page: AT&T Data Throttling Refunds (dated August 2026) administrator site
- FTC press release, January 19, 2023: Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling by AT&T Can Apply for a Payment from the FTC administrator site
- FTC press release, April 11, 2024: FTC Sends Refunds to Former AT&T Wireless Customers Who Were Subject to Data Throttling administrator site
- FTC press release, November 5, 2019: AT&T to Pay $60 Million to Resolve FTC Allegations It Misled Consumers with Unlimited Data Promises administrator site
- FTC case page: AT&T Mobility LLC (Mobile Data Service), FTC Matter 122 3253 administrator site
- Signed Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction and Monetary Judgment, N.D. Cal. No. 3:14-cv-04785-EMC, Dkt. 201 (copy posted by the FTC; scanned, only the court stamp is readable) court record
What changedLast change Nov 4, 2026
- Corrected the approval note per the official court order copy: the signature page is dated 3rd December, the filing stamp is 12/04/19. source document
- Payment-status page created. The court filed the signed FTC stipulated order on December 4, 2019; the FTC first sent payments in April 2024 and says it is now sending Zelle payments to people who did not cash their check or accept their PayPal payment. source document
Questions
I already filed. What now?
If your claim was filed on time and accepted, it is in the pool. The administrator pays, usually after final approval and any appeals. Contact the administrator with your claim ID if something looks wrong. Never pay anyone to check on a claim.