An iPhone user and AT&T customer has taken the U.S. mobile communications company to court in California over data throttling and gets awarded $850.

The news first came to light via a report from The Associated Press which said that Matt Spaccarelli was awarded in a small claims action against AT&T.

The AP writes that Pro-tem Judge Russell Nadel of the Ventura Superior Court in Simi Valley on handed down the decision on Friday.

The judge apparently saw that it was unfair of AT&T to deliberately slow down his Spaccarelli’s iPhone data link when the subscriber is paying for an “unlimited data” plan.

Spaccarelli, who is an unemployed truck driver and student, said that his data speed was throttled after about consuming 1.5GB to 2GB of data.

The ruling could have far-reaching effects for AT&T as about 17 million of AT&T’s customers are on unlimited data plans.

The agreement AT&T has with these subscribers bars class-action lawsuits but small claims can still be filed against the company.

AT&T will have to pay a subscriber $850 after a court in California found for Matt Spaccarelli in a case regarding data throttling. Image: redfriday / Flickr (CC)

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About Solon Harmony Dolor

A passion for technology and journalism makes this upcoming writer very interested in social media and technology news. Fresh from finishing an English and Journalism degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman, he aims to bring interesting news to our readers .