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Verizon To Disconnect Unlimited Data Customers Who Use Over 100GB/Month

Posted by msmash on from the Verizon-redefines-'unlimited' dept.

Verizon Wireless customers who have an unlimited data plan and use significantly more than 100GB a month will soon be disconnected from the network unless they agree to move to limited data packages that require payment of overage fees. Ars Technica reports: Verizon stopped offering unlimited data to new smartphone customers a few years ago, but some customers have been able to hang on to the old plans instead of switching to ones with monthly data limits. Verizon has tried to convert the holdouts by raising the price $20 a month and occasionally throttling heavy users but stopped that practice after net neutrality rules took effect. Now Verizon is implementing a formal policy for disconnecting the heaviest users.In a statement, Verizon said: "Because our network is a shared resource and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon, we are notifying a very small group of customers on unlimited plans who use an extraordinary amount of data that they must move to one of the new Verizon Plans by August 31, 2016." a Verizon spokesperson told Ars. "These users are using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100GB). While the Verizon Plan at 100GB is designed to be shared across multiple users, each line receiving notification to move to the new Verizon Plan is using well in excess of that on a single device." FYI: The 100GB plan costs $450 a month.

51 of 422 comments (clear)

  1. Glad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    to finally have found out the limit of unlimited!

    1. Re:Glad by TheoMurpse · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I know you're just joking, but they are giving unlimited. Now they're saying "we aren't going to give you unlimited anymore and we aren't going to charge you anymore." This is a lot more reasonable and totally different from "we're calling it unlimited but not giving you unlimited," which is what the cable companies do.

  2. So basically... by dgatwood · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Unlimited" to Verizon means "unlimited as long as you use less than 300 kilobits per second continuously". Which just happens to be almost exactly the minimum bandwidth for a Skype video call. Ponder that for a moment.

    --

    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    1. Re:So basically... by ranton · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The important term here is not "Unlimited", it is "Out of Contract". If you haven't signed a recent contract with Verizon and are just paying month to month on a grandfathered plan, they can cut your service at any time. Well, there may be regulations on how much notice they need to give, but apparently it isn't a long notice period.

      The only reason Verizon has kept these grandfathered users this long is because they were hoping regulations would allow them to throttle or otherwise limit usage. They were unsuccessful at that, so cancelling service is the natural alternative.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    2. Re:So basically... by kenh · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "Unlimited" to Verizon means "unlimited as long as you use less than 300 kilobits per second continuously". Which just happens to be almost exactly the minimum bandwidth for a Skype video call. Ponder that for a moment.

      Sure, I'll ponder that for a moment, then point out that you seem to think there are people that literally Skype 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 12 months every year, never stopping to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, etc. I suspect many/most customers lead more balanced lives then that.

      --
      Ken
    3. Re:So basically... by Solandri · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No. If you have an unlimited plan and use 100+ GB in a month, Verizon will give it to you that month as their contract terms say they will deliver unlimited data. It's just that next month Verizon will opt not to renew your month-to-month plan.

      People have got this really distorted view of how contracts work - where companies should not be allowed to screw you, but you're allowed to screw companies in perpetuity. When you signed up for the unlimited plan, Verizon agreed to it and you agreed to it for a x year contract (usually 2 years). When the contract was up, the plan continued as month-to-month. As the years passed, Verizon felt the plan was disadvantageous to them, but as a courtesy allowed you to keep it. They didn't have to, but in the interest of good customer relations they let you keep it. Now they've decided the drawbacks of that courtesy outweigh the benefits for them, and are adding a condition that if you use what they consider an excessive amount of data, they will not renew your outdated plan on a month-to-month basis.

      Think of if the situation were reversed. Say you got a cell phone in the early days when service was $100/mo for just voice, and calls were $1/min. After your 2 year contract was up, you should be allowed to change to a better plan if you want, right? Well so can the other party in the contract. Both sides have the right to terminate a month-to-month contract at the end of the month for any reason they see fit. If you want the security of knowing the other side will not terminate your contract at the end of the month, you need to sign a year or multi-year contract with them which locks in your contract terms for that period of time. But the other party is under no obligation to give you the same contract terms (same plan) they gave you 5 years ago.

    4. Re:So basically... by dgatwood · · Score: 4, Informative

      They can cut you off in the middle of a two-year contract. If you read the fine print, it isn't a guarantee of service, just a guarantee that you will keep paying them unless they choose to terminate the contract early.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    5. Re:So basically... by evilRhino · · Score: 2

      If I'm remembering correctly, Verizon was subject to additional terms for Open access when they outbid all others for the C Block wireless spectrum.

  3. Unlimited. You keep using that word. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But I do not think it means what you think it means.

    What does unlimited mean? And why do you get penalized if you actually use it as such?

    1. Re:Unlimited. You keep using that word. by schnell · · Score: 2

      What does unlimited mean? And why do you get penalized if you actually use it as such?

      "Unlimited" means the exact same thing as "all you can eat." Which is to say that it is unlimited relative to a reasonably expected degree of consumption and within the bounds of what the provider considers to be the constraints of sharing a fixed amount of resources among multiple paying customers. If you go to the buffet and grab all the food before anyone else can eat it, and continue to do so until the restaurant's food is all gone, you can be pretty sure they are going to kick you out, regardless of how many times you protest that the language says "all you can eat."

      --
      "95% of all Slashdot .sig quotes are incorrect or completely fabricated." -Benjamin Franklin
  4. QL'EB? by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny

    The 100GB plan costs $450 a month.

    Combifoutuien? Baise le pape!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  5. If they didn't want unlimited use by fox171171 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If they didn't want unlimited use, they should never have offered it. It has pretty much always been a lie from many of these companies, and they should be fined for it. Unlimited with an asterisk defining the limitations of unlimited is not acceptable.

    1. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by Richard_at_work · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They no longer offer it.

      And they also are under no obligation to allow out-of-contract users from continuing to use the old plan - which is exactly what they are doing here, telling the heaviest out-of-contract users to let up, move plan or Verizon will no longer do business with you.

      Just as you don't have to do business with Verizon, once you are out of contract Verizon no longer have to do business with you - you aren't guaranteed or entitled to the same plan for the rest of eternity, only the duration of the contract.

    2. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That has always been a shortsighted argument. They've stopped offering it, and just like you can cancel your mobile phone plan, they can too, and that's what they're doing. They are not denying you the service you pay for. They honor the contract as long as you have it, and soon you won't have it.

      What you should be pointing out is that this is a market failure: Their service is outrageously overpriced, and volume pricing does not solve congestion. It's a money-grab. In a working market with a sufficient number of competitors, no company could ask those prices or segment the market in a way that is so removed from the technical necessities. Three or four competitors might be enough with heavy-handed regulation, but not in the absence of it.

    3. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And they also are under no obligation to allow out-of-contract users from continuing to use the old plan - which is exactly what they are doing here, telling the heaviest out-of-contract users to let up, move plan or Verizon will no longer do business with you.

      So? That doesn't change the fact that other users are still on the plan, and Verizon is still describing it as "unlimited" to them, which is false advertising.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    4. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by SirSlud · · Score: 2

      Well, it was unlimited while they allowed the grandfathered people on the plan to use it. Now that they're telling them they have to switch plans, to a plan they don't call unlimited, which will not be unlimited. I'm not sure you understand what false advertising means.

      --
      "Old man yells at systemd"
    5. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by Sneftel · · Score: 2

      I don't see where the false advertising is. Want to use 200 GB during August? Fine, you can do that, just as advertised, and you'll pay the advertised price for it. But you won't be a customer of theirs in September.

      --
      The opinions stated herein do not necessarily represent those of anybody at all. Deal with it.
    6. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by mrchaotica · · Score: 2

      Verizon has ZERO obligation to do anything for you if you're off plan, not thing one.

      Verizon has lots of obligations, including some to society in general (i.e., people who aren't even Verizon customers at all). Operating with good faith and fair dealing is one of those obligations.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    7. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by Immerman · · Score: 2

      Certainly Verizon has the right to change the terms on grandfathered month-to-month plans whenever they see fit. I believe the issue is that they're doing so while continuing to call the plan Unlimited If they instead simply transferred all their Unlimited* plans to a newly created "100GB Bargain" plan, then there would be far less justification for calling them out. No doubt many would still call it a jerk move, but it would be an *honest* jerk move.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    8. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by jratcliffe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It IS unlimited. You can use as much as you want in the period you've paid for. How much you use does affect whether they decide they want to offer you an unlimited plan next month. Separate months, separate deals.

    9. Re:If they didn't want unlimited use by green1 · · Score: 3, Informative

      As soon as they tied next month's usage directly to this months usage, they gave up the ability to call this month's usage unlimited.

      And your car rental annalogy is exactly the same, if they can't make money on "unlimited" and don't want to sell it, then they should fix their fraudulent and deceptive marketing, not ban individuals who comply 100% with the rules as they were laid out to them.

      Unlimited by definition means that there are no limits, not being able to renew if you do a certain thing is by it's very definition a limit.

  6. Sue them for FRAUD by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 4, Insightful

    /Oblg. You keep using this word "unlimited". It doesn't mean what you think it means

    If Verizon is advertising their services as unlimited but it is not then it is fraud plain and simple.

    But I guess accurately calling it Nearly Unlimited won't get as many suckers ^H^H^H customers as they want.

    I hope they get sued.

    --
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    1. Re:Sue them for FRAUD by Zak3056 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Verizon actually are NOT advertising their plans as unlimited--that's exactly the point here, the people involved are grandfathered users from a time when Verizon DID advertise such a thing (largely before 4G deployments were of real size). What it looks like here is they are telling "unlimited" users, "if you use more than 100GB we're not going to do business with you under these terms." Given that 100% of these users are out of contract (that's how they're still on unlimited plans--they haven't signed a new contract) there's no legal problem here--Verizon will just terminate their service if the user doesn't switch plans.

      --
      What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
  7. It is unlimited. by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 2, Informative

    Their unlimited plan is unlimited. But if your unlimited usage is exceedingly high they can decide they don't want to sell you an unlimited plan anymore.

    I know people who setup a wifi hotspot with their unlimited Verizon plan and then serve dozens of people on job sites for months on end uploading media and video. They're not normal users. I can understand why Verizon wouldn't want them anymore.

    Similarly I use 10TB of backblaze for $50/year. I'm I imagine not-profitable. So I could understand if they told me that I have 2 months and then they don't want me as a customer anymore even though it's Unlimited. It's unlimited but not every unlimited customer is one they want. Maybe you go over one month and they allow you to spike for free. But I can see how a sustained money loser is not someone they are interested in keeping on. (Then again with backblaze I've converted numerous people to be customers and became a cloud storage customer at work so I imagine their generosity has paid off now.)

  8. I am altering the deal by Squiffy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pray I don't alter it any further.
    - Someone's dad

  9. Try Upgrading by DivineKnight · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "In a statement, Verizon said: "Because our network is a shared resource and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon, we are notifying a very small group of customers on unlimited plans who use an extraordinary amount of data that they must move to one of the new Verizon Plans by August 31, 2016.""

    Try upgrading your networks. It's what every network admin worth their salt inevitably does, because it works. Traffic spike? Sure, trace it, maybe limit it if it's questionable or unwanted, block it if it's illegal, etc., etc. However, as a general rule, taxes will rise, as must network capacity -> anyone here complaining that 10/100 network is perfectly fast enough, and Gig-E is overkill, would be laughed at for eons. In a few years, 10 Gig-E, or 100 Gig-E will be the norm.

    What more, if I remember correctly, Verizon has received kickbacks, tax reductions, etc. to help them finance upgrades for their networks so that this would never be an issue. I could check Verizon's financial performance over these past ten years, then look into their book-keeping (Hollywood accounting), but me thinks they have not been running at a loss. So...in the black + gifts from the US / State / Municipal governments + not upgrading their equipment = a lot of spare dosh. Has Verizon issued some dividends, or should we be looking at embezzlement charges?

    At the very least, failure to use working capital correctly (maintaining / growing the business, by buying the equipment that allows them to keep / expand their dominance in their current area) is a failure of corporate duty, and a reason for someone to be fired.

    1. Re:Try Upgrading by jratcliffe · · Score: 2

      At the very least, failure to use working capital correctly (maintaining / growing the business, by buying the equipment that allows them to keep / expand their dominance in their current area) is a failure of corporate duty, and a reason for someone to be fired.

      Spending lots of excess money on capital equipment to add capacity to serve customers who don't pay you nearly enough to cover the investment you have to make to serve them is definitely a failure of corporate duty.

    2. Re:Try Upgrading by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It really was in the space of a year or two that the average user's expectation of what 'high speed internet' should be able to do went from 'look at web pages without watching the photos load part by part, watch the occasional SD video clip on youtube or cnn.com or something, and be able to download large email attachments fairly quickly' to 'be watching four different HD video streams, simultaneously.'

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
  10. Duh? by Win0ver · · Score: 4, Insightful

    FTA: "These users are using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100GB)."

    Well duh, isn't that the whole point of getting an unlimited data plan? Using more data than the capped ones?

    1. Re:Duh? by EndlessNameless · · Score: 2

      They offered the unlimited plans when 3G phones were the norm. Those plans have been unavailable for a long time.

      The 100 GB plan costs 5x what the old unlimited plan was. Mostly because of 4G and the prevalence of smartphones and streaming apps.

      --

      ---
      According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  11. Re:I must have been mistaken about the definition. by LVSlushdat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Same as the US IRS's definition of voluntary... Unless you "volunteer" to pay "income tax", we will hound you/put you in jail... Thats their definition of "voluntary compliance"....

    --
    THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
  12. Re:100gb? by Sax+Russell+5449D29A · · Score: 4, Informative

    Around the Nordic Countries, I'm able to get *truly* unlimited LTE for around $30/mo. Hurts to think of all the fellow nerds across the pond who have to pay themselves sick for something like this.

    --
    -SR
  13. Re:Do not call it unlimited by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2

    Verizon are adding insult to injury by resorting to such puerile tactics, that will fool very, very few of its customers, actual or otherwise.

    Most Americans are not financially literate. If they were, they would recognized that there is no such thing as an "unlimited" resource, "unlimited" is a marketing term, and, sooner or later, "unlimited" has to come an end.

  14. Re: 2-Way by DaHat · · Score: 2

    FFS... They did many years ago... For a two year period only. After that those sticking around were on a month to month contract that wither could walk away from at anytime and for any reason.

    I'm on Verizon and have an unlimited data plan (currently)... I also haven't been under contact with them for 4 years now... The entire time knowing that they could cancel my data plan.

    --
    Help Brendan pay off his student loans
  15. "a very small group of customers" by bagofbeans · · Score: 2

    If it's really "a very small group of customers", why do Verizon care?

  16. Re:Contracts? by tsqr · · Score: 2

    Who the fuck uses verizon anyway?

    You're kidding, right? With 141.4 million subscribers as of May 2016, Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless telecommunications provider in the United States.

  17. It is not unlimited. by TangoMargarine · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Their unlimited plan is unlimited. But if your unlimited usage is exceedingly high

    By definition, a usage "exceedingly high" implies there is a limit. If there is no limit, you cannot exceed it.

    If they don't want you to have multiple users on the plan or use it for business reasons, fine--put it in the terms. There are already ways of doing that without lying.

    --
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    1. Re:It is not unlimited. by jratcliffe · · Score: 2

      Remember, these are out of contract customers. Every month is a new deal. They're offering you unlimited use in August. If you go over 100GB, they won't renew your unlimited deal for September. So, August is accurately described as unlimited.

    2. Re:It is not unlimited. by Zak3056 · · Score: 2

      Your latter metaphor is better, since both parties initially agreed on the dog being okay. If you were throwing loud parties, which you were explicitly allowed to do in your initial contract, then you should kind of be able to tell said neighbors to shove it.

      Except that your contract has expired, so those "original terms" are in place only upon the goodwill of both parties (no pun intended). If one of those parties (the landlord) decides that making complaints from the neighbors go away is worth more than your continued tenancy, then no, you shouldn't be able to tell someone to shove it.

      Are they still offering unlimited plans? Because this whole stupid thing was caused by them calling it that in the first place; now we're just looking at debris left over from that initial bad decision.

      No, they're not. These are people who originally had "unlimited" plans but have been month-to-month customers since VZW discontinued those (and who VZW has elected to allow to remain grandfathered). VZW is now saying, "use what you want, but if you exceed this amount we will not renew your sweetheart deal" and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

      --
      What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
  18. Unlimited! by WheezyJoe · · Score: 2

    So THIS explains how my Super was selling Internet to everyone in my building for $50 bucks a month (he called it the "grandfather plan"), and why the service crapped out whenever he took his mobile outside to take a phone call!

    --
    Take it easy, Charlie, I've got an Angle...
  19. Re:Contracts? by EndlessNameless · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What do the contracts say?

    Verizon hasn't offered unlimited plans for years, so all relevant contract terms have expired.

    If they can't kick them off because the plans are obsolete, how can they kick them off with a retroactive policy?

    To be clear, Verizon could disconnect everyone on an "unlimited plan" if they wanted to. The original contracts are all expired.

    Technically, they would only have to wait until the end of the customer's billing cycle---since these plans are prepaid, the customer has already paid for this month's service.

    I see popcorn and lawsuits.

    Then you're hallucinating. Because they absolutely can do this.

    --

    ---
    According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  20. Reaching the limits of the unlimited by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 2

    Yes-- according to Verizon, "unlimited" has its limits.

    The point is, if you get cut off after reaching a limit... it really isn't unlimited, is it?

    I really do hope somebody hits them hard for false advertising

    --
    http://www.geoffreylandis.com
    1. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by qeveren · · Score: 2

      They'll just claim that 'unlimited' doesn't mean what 'unlimited' means, it means something else.

      --
      Don't just stand there, get that other dog!
    2. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by hawguy · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yes-- according to Verizon, "unlimited" has its limits.

      "Unlimited" comes with a caveat: common sense.

      Personally I'd rather have that caveat than pay extra to support the 0.01% of the people that consume 1000x more resources than everyone else.

      I really do hope somebody hits them hard for false advertising [cornell.edu]

      Nope. If you are a subscriber, you do have unlimited data. These people are no longer subscribers. Verizon isn't offering them a service any longer, and they aren't paying for it. Business transaction complete.

      The problem with relying on common sense is that it's not that common and what seems perfectly reasonable to one person "The only reason I signed up for Verizon was because they offered an unlimited plan that I could use to stream videos to my mountain retreat", may be unreasonable to someone else.

      That's why we have truth in advertising laws -- if you lease someone a car with "unlimited mileage" included, you can't charge them extra (or take back their car) when they put 300,000 miles on it in a year. Unlimited has a very clear meaning.

    3. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by lgw · · Score: 2

      "Unlimited" comes with a caveat: common sense.

      That's certainly true. "Unlimited" should always be understood to include "but don't be a dick".

      However, if my math is right, 100 GB/month is just 38 kB/s sustained, or ~300 kb/s. That's a bit more than modem speeds, which is nice, but it somehow doesn't seem to be a dickish level of overuse in the modern world.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    4. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by whoever57 · · Score: 2

      I think that what they are doing is merely terminating the contracts of possibly unprofitable customers. These customers are on monthly contracts, which can be terminated by either party.

      Although, what if they have equipment purchases still being paid off? I guess Verizon is going to have to eat that cost.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    5. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by TheoMurpse · · Score: 2

      The point is, if you get cut off after reaching a limit... it really isn't unlimited, is it?

      They aren't getting cut off under the unlimited plan, though. They're being told there is no unlimited plan anymore, so either move to another plan or service will stop. Slashdot has for the entire time I've been a member here been asking for literally this exact thing: truth in advertising. Well this is truth in advertising: there is no more unlimited going forward, so if you don't get a different plan, you will be cut off.

    6. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by Lawrence_Bird · · Score: 2

      Personally I'd rather have that caveat than pay extra to support the 0.01% of the people that consume 1000x more resources than everyone else

      What you meant to write was:

      Personally I'd rather have that caveat than hurt Verizon's profits to support the 0.01% of the people that consume 1000x more resources than everyone else

      its pretty rich to think that these "very few" customers have any material effect on what you pay or even the quality of your service.

    7. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by citylivin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      ""Unlimited" should always be understood to include "but don't be a dick"."

      So being "a dick" now is using a paid for service as advertised? ISPs should have no trouble delivering their advertised speeds 24x7 and if you paid for "unlimited" you should be able to max out that connection 100% of the time. Companies cant just redefine words and then shame or guilt people into their "marketing speak" basterdization of basic english words.

      There are truth in advertising laws for a reason. This is straight up false advertising / fraud on the part of that ISP.

      How hard is it for them to say "100gb a month plan" instead of unlimited? All ISPs give actual rates in canada that I am aware of. eg http://www.shaw.ca/internet/pl... Take a look, you can clearly see all the caps you get at every tier.
      But maybe our consumer protection laws are stronger than yours, I don't know.

      As they always say on the bus ads: Creativity is subjective, but the truth isn't.

      http://www.adstandards.com/en/...

      --
      As a potential lottery winner, I totally support tax cuts for the wealthy
    8. Re:Reaching the limits of the unlimited by farble1670 · · Score: 2

      a) Most of these things fall under contract law. If I have to sign up a 2y contract, they shouldn't be able to just change it halfway through. That's what's happening here though, they have a contract which they're failing to abide by.

      You are confused. That's not what's happening at all. Their 2-yr contracts are expired. They are month-month plans. V didn't even terminate mid-month. They just didn't offer the option to renew at the end of the month.

  21. Deliberately misleading by mister_playboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You are comparing apples to oranges.

    Population density of Denmark: 130 persons per sq km.
    Population density of USA: 35 persons per sq km.

    He said "Nordic Countries", not "Denmark". It's not hard to understand why you would conflate those terms when we look consider the other Nordic population density numbers.

    Population density of Sweden: 21.5 persons per sq km
    Population density of Norway: 15.5 persons per sq km

    Feel free to explain again how Manhattan's population density in not high enough to secure the sort of internet access pricing that people in Finland enjoy.

    --
    Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law ::: Love is the law, love under will