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Verizon Wireless Caves To FCC Pressure, Says It Won't Throttle 4G Users

Posted by samzenpus on from the don't-throttle-me-bro dept.

MetalliQaZ writes Verizon Wireless was scheduled to begin throttling certain LTE users today as part of an expanded "network optimization" program, but has decided not to follow through with the controversial plan after criticism from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler. All major carriers throttle certain users when cell sites get too congested, but Wheeler and consumer advocates objected to how carriers choose which customers to throttle. The fact that Verizon was throttling only unlimited data users showed that it was trying to boost its profits rather than implementing a reasonable network management strategy, Wheeler said.

4 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. 4G is Losing to Wifi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is really just a PR spin on desperation. Verizon can't afford to alienate 4G users, they invested heavily in 4G (and dumped all new fios investments) because they thought 4G would be a cash cow. But all the data caps and throttling they've done have chased customers to free wifi hotspots and there ain't no reason to come back.

    1. Re:4G is Losing to Wifi by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's not PR spin. They're not allowed to throttle LTE service for grandfathered unlimited accounts. It's part of the agreement they made with the government when they bought the 700Mhz spectrum. They were probably hoping everyone had forgotten.

    2. Re:4G is Losing to Wifi by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 3, Informative

      As far as I know, they only sold their A and B blocks and still have the C blocks that they bought.

    3. Re:4G is Losing to Wifi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yeah, and then you pay more in the long run because the 2gb plan actually costs more than keeping your old unlimited. Amortized over two years (average life of the phone) costs $10 more than my existing voice + unlimited data, plus an extra $15/month if you go over your cap (assuming you use 2.1gb every month) comes out to $240 more for just the plan + $360 for overages + $200 you paid for your phone = $800. Far under the $600 price tag for the brand new GS4 I bought over a year ago. For me, paying retail price for the phone was a more cost effective option.