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Bit throttling may sound like a funny combination of words, but it’s no laughing matter. Especially if you’re Matt Spaccarelli, the California student who won a small-claims court decision against AT&T over its throttling of his smartphone data plan. When you buy a smartphone, you expect to browse the web, listen to music and watch movies, but it you are in the top 5% of data consumers, AT&T may send you a txt message telling you that it is going to slow down your data connection for the rest of your billing cycle. Mr. Spaccarelli didn’t think AT&T had the right to do it to him, so he sued AT&T in small claims court and won $850 in damages. He received the check this weekend. Sadly, the problem is not solved. AT&T had no comment and has no plans to change its policy on bit throttling, but, if you’re a victim, at least one California judge is on your side.