The nearly $6.3 million in AT&T data-throttling refunds was distributed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in April 2024 to eligible former customers who filed a claim and had not previously received a refund. The claim deadline was May 18, 2023. The FTC’s refund page, marked August 2026, describes a narrower follow-up: Zelle payments for eligible people who were already sent a check or PayPal payment but did not cash or accept it. It does not announce a new general claims window.
What the AT&T throttling refund was for
The FTC alleged that AT&T marketed some mobile plans as unlimited without adequately disclosing that it would reduce data speeds after customers crossed a usage threshold during a billing cycle. According to the agency, the slowdowns could make ordinary activities such as browsing the web or streaming video difficult or nearly impossible. The case was FTC v. AT&T Mobility LLC, FTC matter 122 3253, in the Northern District of California. AT&T settled the allegations in 2019; describe them as allegations resolved by settlement, not as a new finding about AT&T’s current service. The FTC’s 2019 settlement announcement says the agency alleged that AT&T began throttling some unlimited-plan customers in 2011 after they used as little as 2 gigabytes in a billing period. The FTC complaint estimated that more than 3.5 million customers had been affected as of October 2014.
The settlement required AT&T to pay $60 million into a fund for partial refunds to current and former customers who had signed up for unlimited plans before 2011 and had been throttled. Former customers were to receive checks, while current customers were to receive bill credits. That original distribution did not require consumers to file a claim. Later, after money remained unclaimed, the FTC opened a claims process for eligible former customers who had not received a refund.
How the refund payments unfolded
| Stage | What happened | Who it covered |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 settlement | AT&T agreed to fund $60 million in partial refunds, according to the FTC’s 2019 announcement. | Eligible current and former customers who signed up for unlimited plans before 2011 and were throttled; current customers were to receive bill credits and former customers checks. |
| Reopened claims process | The FTC allowed eligible former customers who had not received a refund to submit a claim. The deadline was May 18, 2023, according to the FTC’s refund page. | Eligible former customers who had not received an earlier refund and submitted a valid claim. |
| April 2024 distribution | The FTC announced nearly $6.3 million in partial refunds. It said it sent 212,893 checks and 54,841 PayPal payments. | Consumers with valid claims who had not received a refund in the earlier distribution. |
| August 2026 follow-up | The FTC refund page says it is sending Zelle payments and reports that the initial April 2024 payment round resulted in more than $5.6 million in refunds. This is a separate figure from the press release’s nearly $6.3 million total. | Eligible former customers who were sent a check or PayPal payment but did not cash or accept it. |
Sources: FTC refund page, FTC April 11, 2024 announcement, FTC 2019 settlement announcement.
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Can former AT&T customers still claim a refund?
The general claims period is over: eligible former customers had to submit a claim by May 18, 2023. The FTC’s page, marked August 2026, describes Zelle payments only for eligible people who were previously sent a check or PayPal payment but did not complete it. That follow-up is not a new opportunity for people who missed the claim deadline or never received an eligible payment.
If you think you are part of the follow-up group, check the official FTC AT&T Data Throttling Refunds page and its linked FAQ for current instructions. For an individual payment question, contact the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 1-877-654-1982. The FTC’s April 2024 announcement identifies JND as the administrator.
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How to recognize a legitimate payment message
The FTC says, “The FTC never asks you to pay money to get a refund.” A request for an upfront fee to release an AT&T refund is a scam warning sign. Verify instructions through the FTC’s official refund page or the administrator’s listed phone number rather than relying on an unexpected message or a paid refund service.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why “unlimited” was disputed
The case concerned the adequacy of disclosures about speed reductions on some plans marketed as unlimited; it does not mean every AT&T customer was throttled or establish anything about current AT&T plans. In the FTC’s November 2019 settlement announcement, then-Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith said: “AT&T promised unlimited data—without qualification—and failed to deliver on that promise.” That was the FTC official’s characterization of the allegations resolved by settlement.
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