AT&T App Update Reveals New, Unannounced 'Turbo' Priority Data Add-on
AT&T appears to be working on a new add-on that lets users pay for better access to their network in times of congestion.
AT&T doesn't charge users extra to access its fastest 5G networks, but it soon may charge more to let people get priority access to its network during busier times. In an app update published in the iOS App Store on Monday, the company detailed a new add-on feature called "Turbo."
While the add-on did not appear accessible inside the updated app, a description alongside the update says that you can add "AT&T Turbo" to a line on your account which will "provide uninterrupted network speeds during peak traffic times." In short, pay more for better access to AT&T's network when it's busy.
Read more: Best phone plans for 2024
For example, if you were at a packed venue like a sporting event or concert where networks often have trouble since so many people are in one location at the same time, adding this service would give your phone's data connection priority over other AT&T customers and could allow you to use your phone normally while other AT&T users without the feature might struggle to use any data at all.
In a statement provided to CNET, an AT&T spokesperson said that "some inaccurate language was inadvertently pushed in the notes for our app update today." The company did not clarify on what was inaccurate with the language posted in the update.
AT&T Turbo has appeared in an update to the company's myAT&T app.
As the feature does not appear to be live, no pricing was given and it was unclear how the add-on would comply with net neutrality rules, which is the idea that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally. The timing of the new Turbo feature's announcement is interesting, as the Federal Communications Commission may vote on new net neutrality rules as soon as next month.
AT&T has had issues with net neutrality in the past. Back when it owned HBO and DirecTV, it allowed those apps to be used without counting toward users' monthly data limits, whereas other apps like Netflix would. It kept the practice, known as "sponsored data" (or zero-rating), to continue with the launch of HBO Max in 2020.
After California enacted its own net neutrality law in 2021, the company was forced to kill the sponsored data program and once again count the data from these apps towards users' monthly limits.
