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Verizon Purges Unlimited Data Customers, Targets Those Using 200GB (arstechnica.com)
If you're a Verizon customer on an unlimited data plan who uses more than 200GB a month, you will soon need to switch to a limited plan or be disconnected, according to Verizon. "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 small group of customers on unlimited plans who use more than 200GB a month that they must move to a Verizon Plan by February 16, 2017," Verizon spokesperson Kelly Crummey told Ars Technica today. Ars reports: Since Verizon stopped offering unlimited data to new smartphone customers in 2011, this change affects only longtime customers who were allowed to hang on to the old plans. Verizon could simply force all customers who aren't under contract to switch to new plans, but instead it has periodically made moves that reduce the numbers of unlimited data subscribers. This policy will apply to people who average more than 200GB "over several months," Verizon said. Customers who do not move to limited plans "will be disconnected," Verizon confirmed. On limited plans, customers get reduced speeds after they exceed monthly data limits unless they purchase extra 4G LTE data. Verizon previously purged its unlimited data rolls in August 2016. In that case, Verizon set a limit of 500GB a month, the company told Ars today. This is more specific information than we previously reported. Shortly before the August 2016 move, Verizon told us that it was targeting customers who were "using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100GB)," but Verizon did not specify that it was only targeting customers using at least 500GB. With the threshold being dropped from 500GB to 200GB, the latest move will affect customers who weren't using enough data to be caught up in the last round.
If a company signs a contract...they shouldn't be held to that contract?
Any unlimited contract has long expired and gone to a month to month plan, which the only reason Verizon didn't force everyone to change was in order to keep them as a customer.
If you want to be obtuse: unlimited plans are grandfathered, kept for existing customer loyalty purposes but not offered to new subscribers. They could force everyone (out of contract, which is everyone on unlimited plans) to switch to their 100GB plan or simply terminate service - just because they offered the unlimited plans back in 2011 does not obligate them to continue to offer them in 2017.
Now, having defended the big red V, let me say that they are douchebags to do business with and I dropped them like a hot potato once I moved to a location where they weren't the only provider with decent coverage in my neighborhood.
Or... Perhaps keep the same one but convert to a limited plan and be prepared to pay for overage charges...
Or . . . even better idea . . . stop doing stupid shit like watching movies and TV shows 13 hours a day on your fucking phone.
Not to be an apologist for a telecom company, in this case Verizon, but holy crap 500 GB is a lot of 4G/LTE data used in a month, even 200 GB on a single cell device is a lot of data. I personally can't imagine using that much data or spending that much time on a smart device. What uses would other /. residents find for that amount of data, unless it was your only access point, e.g. you had no wireless at home or were on the road as a full time mobile user ?
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
This is about mobile internet over cell, not wired/fiber internet to your home.
Most contracts used to have a defined 1-2 year period, which rolled over to a month-to-month contract at the end of the 1-2 year period. When in the month-to-month time, either side can cancel. I think it is more common for all new wireless service contracts to be month-to-month now.
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
They have unlimited data. Really, Verizon doesn't limit anyone on an unlimited plan.
If they're under contract, per the contract terms, Verizon can change it at any time and make unlimited go away - but also per the contract, the user then has a choice. If they don't like it, they can leave without having to pay any early termination fee.Their choice.
If they're not under contract, what's the problem? There's no obligation for either party to continue.
Verizon has been very reasonable about allowing people to remain on unlimited plans, they could simply make everyone on one sign up for a current plan if they wished. But they don't - they're still letting people who use less that 2x the current maximum plan stay around, and at less cost than moving to that plan.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
Verizon hasn't been reasonable at all... They've had their asses kicked by the Obama FCC every time they tried to impose limits or restrictions. They've tried not to piss off the FCC, and now that Trump is about to gut the agency, Verizon no longer has anything to worry about, for the next 4 years at least.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
I'm not certain will see another surge like we just went through but if we do then yes most likely the context will have changed and today's plans will contain clauses that in the new context don't make sense.
That's simply not true. The relationship between a heavy user and the max bandwidth was lower. Landline connections to the towers and available spectrum were relative to today less constrained. Heavy users of data (excluding extremes) were still not going to tax the towers as much as moderate users of voice. The vast majority of people had no desire to consume much bandwidth. Under those circumstances one can be quite cavalier about offering "unlimited". I can offer free unlimited drinking water at a restaurant, I can't offer unlimited farming water.