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Verizon Will Stop Throttling Video On Unlimited Plans If You Pay An Extra $10 Per Month (theverge.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Two months ago, Verizon implemented a change to all of its unlimited data plans that placed limits on the quality at which users could stream video. The company split its unlimited plan into two tiers, with the cheaper option restricting video streaming to 480p resolution; a higher-priced $85 "Beyond Unlimited" plan tops out at 720p video on smartphones (and 1080p on tablets). The new restrictions immediately applied to all plans and Verizon customers had no way of opting out if they wanted to watch 1080p video on their phone or even higher resolutions on capable devices using mobile data. But now Verizon will give subscribers a way to completely remove the video quality handcuffs -- for an extra $10 every month. If you're willing to pay that $10 charge, you can stream video at the maximum quality supported by any device you've got connected to Verizon, whether it's 1080p, 1440p, or even 4K. But keep in mind that the extra fee is applied per line for anyone on a family plan who wants to lift the limits. Even on a single-line plan, it adds up. Tacking $10 onto Verizon's Beyond Unlimited ratchets up the monthly price to $95. The $10 add-on will be available beginning November 3rd.
Nice try, Verizdumb. We won't be falling for that one again.
Read the fine print. "Unlimited" means there is no hard limit on total monthly data transfer volume, especially the relatively bursty transfer associated with interactive use of a website or a mobile app. There's a limit on data rate (not volume) when associated to a congested tower, during which lighter users get priority. And there's a limit on the data rate (not volume) of more steady streams associated with long-form video playback. This is to encourage users to view videos directly on the phone, with its physically smaller screen, rather than using its HDMI, AirPlay, Miracast, or Chromecast output with a living room TV as a substitute for home wired Internet.
This is to encourage users to view videos directly on the phone, with its physically smaller screen,
Physically smaller, physically closer. My screen is over 1080p and at the relative viewing distance needs the resolution more than my 42" TV at 5 feet.
If you need fine print to name something "unlimited" but then sell an "extra unlimited" plan, you are really just trying to be deceptive.
If I don't stream videos why should I be subsidizing people who do?
You shouldn't. You should be able to buy a limited plan.
I take "unlimited" to simply mean not limited as a consequence of any particular policy. That is to say, that nobody is *actually limiting* it... it may still be limited in the sense that there is a finite bandwidth, but absent any explicit policy which specifies any upper limit, it can still be reasonably taken as unlimited.
I have unlimited nationwide long distance calling on my cell phone plan, for example. While I am theoretically limited in how much I can *actually* use that benefit because of the finite number of hours in a day and the finite amount of days in each billing period, that theoretical limit is not something that actually impacts (nor can it impact) how much I am allowed to use my phone for such purposes without paying extra fees or suffering some additional inconvenience imposed upon me which was caused solely by my own usage patterns.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I find it highly unlikely that they can even tell what traffic I have on my VPN.....