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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.
So "unlimited data" customers who use more than a 200GB cap are forced into a limited plan? That's a rather odd definition of "unlimited" from Verizon.
I have altered the deal
pray I don't alter it any further
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.
Funny way to say more customers will be affected by lowering the threshold.
I know several people who have gone through any number of calisthenics to maintain their "unlimited" data plans on Verizon's network. This generally involves sticking with an updated phone or paying retail to buy a phone outright. Verizon really does have the largest network with the best overall coverage within the United States and there are plenty of places that there really isn't a better option.
For example, Verizon LTE service is often a better and more attractive internet option than marginally-available DSL or laggy, data-capped satellite internet for rural homeowners.
Granted, I'm not using 200GB/month through my phone either, but I certainly do recognize that this is a real problem for a lot of people, especially who aren't necessarily close to any other sort of fat data pipe.
-- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
If a company signs a contract...they shouldn't be held to that contract?
They've presented zero evidence that the network is suffering reliability...their commercials seem to indicate it's rock solid. The 'best' even.
This isn't costing them a viable economic business....they are still raking in profits hand over fist.
This is nothing but a pure money grab by violating their own terms.
Nobody would argue with throttling on specific towers WHEN congestion arises. It's funny how that isn't their solution...it's ban the heavy users even when there are plenty of times the heavy use doesn't impact anyone.
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people
I would assume that the contracts are for a specific duration. I would also assume that the right to vary the contract is written into the contract.
Yeah, now that you mention it, this water seems a little hotter than it was a few minutes ago. So, who cares? It's always been fine before, a little hotter isn't going to hurt anyone!
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.
My Google Fi account says that I use about 0.4GB per month on average - but, then, I don't usually stream video except when in WiFi coverage, and I only stream Pandora to the car on weekend trips.
Not in the US so I haven't seen your contracts. But my Telstra contracts all have an end date written in them. They are all 2 years from the date of the contract which then goes to month by month terminatable by either party on 1 months notice. So it does keep rolling for ever, but the locked down period is 2 years.
I agree that a company should have to abide by the terms of their contract. But as I said I would be amazed if they haven't reserved the right to vary the contract. Every contract I have has that escape clause.
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 ?
Even without a duration, pretty much any contract of this style (where one party has like 99.9% of the negotiating power) contains language to the effect that the company can unilaterally change the contract at any time and just like the original contract "negotiation," your only options are to bail completely or bend over with very close to zero middle ground.
Most of the time they'll require themselves to at least give advance notice (typically 30 days.) Of course, depending on the company and how sneaky they're trying to be with any particular contract change, "advanced notice" could be anywhere from an email or text message direct to your registered email address/phone# all the way down to a one-liner in a "notices" page buried somewhere on their website that you're responsible for monitoring if you care enough.
Marketing:
We have an amazingly fast network capable of moving TBs of data a second!!! Download a movie in super-ultra-HD while boarding your plane in seconds!!! Buy now!!!
Contracts:
We will charge you 1 kidney per movie you download, and shame you in the public square. It is horrible to everyone else if you actually use the network.
Me:
F U. Worrying about getting reamed for data sucks the fun out of it all. Buys a pay-as-you-go phone and doesn't try to do anything "cool".
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!
Unless we double your monthly bill of course.... then the network can handle it fine.... until... you know... next time it can't......
You are being ripped off every second of every day, so that advertisers can help rip you off even more tomorrow.
If a company signs a contract...they shouldn't be held to that contract?
Yup, just like if you sign a contract to work for an employer for a year for $50k, you should be held to that contract: $50k a year forever, and you can never leave.
Right?
If they intended it to be 100 GB/month, why did they sell it as unlimited?
this post contain no useful information, no need to mod it down
If you are consuming 7-10 Gig/day, every day of every month watching your "favorite series, and the occasional movie" on your cell phones you are most definitely NOT an average cellphone user. Myself, I've never streamed a feature-length movie on my cellphone, and I suspect that is true for many/most cellphone users with data plans.
Ken