Internet Verizon Unlimited Data

[banda]

Originally Posted by timfromma

If you are on tower that's at full capacity, they will give priority to the people who have not reached the 26GB data threshold.

So do you have to wait a while to get service, or what?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by banda

What does this mean, exactly? (What effect does it have?)

Originally Posted by timfromma

If you are on tower that's at full capacity, they will give priority to the people who have not reached the 26GB data threshold.

The impact is the amount of data (bandwidth) that is available to you. Your data transfer rate will slow to a snail's pace.

Let's use round numbers and say the tower has the capability of passing 20 MB of data per second, (MBps) per line. Those lines who have not reached their limit will get the full 20 MBps of bandwidth. You might get one.

[timfromma]

You would probably see a slow down in your data only while the tower is congested. Once tower traffic lets up or you switch to a less congested one, your data speeds will return to normal. This will only occur if you are over 26GB in a given month.

Throttling is when they reduce your data speeds regardless of tower traffic and keep your data limited until the next billing cycle begins.

[DreiHunde]

It would cost us to switch from the 8 gig plan, so I guess I will continue to beat them up on their rollover data "rules"

[timfromma]

I think that it's also worth noting that this plan also comes with unlimited talk and texting.

[emm-dee]

I have the AT&T plan with five lines plus one tablet line, 20 gig of rollover data, and the usual unlimited talk/text. $185 per month, all fees and other included.

Y'all got me to thinking about the "throttling" thing. I heard it doesn't affect the rollover data but I am going to check with ATT today to verify. Last month was a low data use period for me so this month I have 35 gig available. Going to be camping at Nascar starting on the 27th so I'm going to stream away to burn up data to see what happens.

I do know that my plan doesn't allow going over 22 or whatever gig and no charge but with possibly reduced speed. WhenI get within two gig of my limit I start getting messages for ATT with info that there will be additional charges for more data.

I'm fine with all that.

[ScottBrownstein]

I believe that they indicate that any throttling on heavily used towers will be a drop back to 3G from LTE. Now, Verizon 3G service can be pretty good (2Mb/sec), especially when a whole bunch of people are not on the 3G system and are still on the LTE system at a given tower. This only occurs when your monthly usage hits the 26GB limit and only while the tower is "congested." When you hit the limit of your capacity in anything (water, gas, healthcare, bandwidth) you have to do something or the whole thing comes crashing down. Their proposal seems reasonable. In addition, without contracts and free phone upgrades we really are beginning to have a free market in cellular services and other will follow and adjust. Data limits will be a thing of the past, as are talk and messaging limits.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by timfromma

I think that it's also worth noting that this plan also comes with unlimited talk and texting.

Today, more cell phone plans (paid & prepaid) have unlimited talk/text than those that don't.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by banda

What does this mean, exactly? (What effect does it have?)

According to Verizon, "Most customers will not notice anything" (yeah, right, I will wait and see )

What it "Means" is there is a possibility that your signal may take a "back seat" to another signal IF you have exceeded your 22GB of data usage in that given month. So, what happens if every other signal on the tower has exceeded their 22GB limit? Who the heck knows!

Here is what Verizon has to say (take two Excedrin before reading this ):

"On all Verizon Unlimited plans you get our fast LTE speeds. To ensure a quality experience for all customers, after 22 GB of data usage on a line during any billing cycle we may prioritize usage behind other customers in the event of network congestion. While we don't expect to do that very often, network management is a crucial tool that benefits all Verizon customers. If you're on Verizon Unlimited, you'll have the same coverage and reliability as everybody else."

Folks I have been talking to are taking a "Wait and See" attitude on this. If you want to follow along yourself, their web site is:
https://www.rvmobileinternet.com

If you are REALLY interested, I suggest you become a paying member (Cherie & Chris are technology reporters and fulltime RVers. Site subscriptions are part of their livelihood, so if you have any interest in mobile Internet, cell signals and any other technology as applied to the RV community I would subscribe to their web site.)

[ScottBrownstein]

For those of you who want to watch streaming video on your nice big TVs, while the new Verizon plan does offer 10 GB of hotspot WiFi per line per month to a Roku or other streaming player, another suggestion is to use an smartphone HDMI adaptor to your TV since Verizon will not limit, nor throttle HD video going to the phone and thus to your TV. Nice solution to watching TV without any other source.

Remember to get an adapter that allows you to connect to HDMI and charge the phone simultaneously, but they are extremely inexpensive and most TVs also have a USB connection to supply power to the phone over the adapter.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein

For those of you who want to watch streaming video on your nice big TVs, while the new Verizon plan does offer 10 GB of hotspot WiFi per line per month to a Roku or other streaming player, another suggestion is to use an smartphone HDMI adaptor to your TV since Verizon will not limit, nor throttle HD video going to the phone and thus to your TV. Nice solution to watching TV without any other source.

Remember to get an adapter that allows you to connect to HDMI and charge the phone simultaneously, but they are extremely inexpensive and most TVs also have a USB connection to supply power to the phone over the adapter.

Or mirroring via Apple TV system.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Or mirroring via Apple TV system.

Are you talking AirPlay here? If so, apparently this will not work according to the Technomads. I do not believe that the iPhone/Pad has a mirroring capability (this is why the HDMI lightening connector is recommended)

[KennyGolub]

I miss my pay phone on the corner of the street

[banda]

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

I miss my pay phone on the corner of the street

LOL!

[NMWildcat]

I looked into the new plan, comparing our current 4GB plan with UDP using their website and then calling them.

Our bill would go from $110 to a minimum of $170. We would lose our 18℅ discount permanently, plus there is language that suggests we would be charged roaming fees (we have no roaming fees now), but the customer support folks didn't know the details.

Sounds like Verizon is trying to be competitive, but like all the phone companies, there are 'gotchas' that ruin it.

We will wait and see what the future brings

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

I looked into the new plan, comparing our current 4GB plan with UDP using their website and then calling them.

Our bill would go from $110 to a minimum of $170. We would lose our 18℅ discount permanently, plus there is language that suggests we would be charged roaming fees (we have no roaming fees now), but the customer support folks didn't know the details.

Sounds like Verizon is trying to be competitive, but like all the phone companies, there are 'gotchas' that ruin it.

We will wait and see what the future brings

I'm in the same spot with the 4 Gig plan. I don't need the unlimited, but it would be nice when we're out and want to watch something that we could stream it.

I have to wait until October to do ANYTHING with my wireless account because of a "free" tablet that we actually made money on.....and a lot can change in 9 months.

Til then, I guess I'll pay my $145/mo.....

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

Are you talking AirPlay here? If so, apparently this will not work according to the Technomads. I do not believe that the iPhone/Pad has a mirroring capability (this is why the HDMI lightening connector is recommended)

Should work fine. I've used the "mirror" function a lot on both the iPhone and iPad to connect to the Apple TV box, which in turn shows whatever is on the phone/pad on the TV.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

We have 23 phones and 23 aircards for laptops and tablets all with true unlimited data through AT&T at present. The yearly cost is only around $25K LOL.

You don't even want to know what the yearly cost was for that same deal from Verizon which is why we switched.

Granted that's a negotiated business account which is night and day different from consumer accounts.

All these companies are legalized crooks just like insurance companies. It's all in the fine print and there is no free lunch. We already have seen our corporate AT&T rate slowly creep up over the last few years and it's all in the verbiage. Eventually we will renegotiate with Verizon I am sure. We switch every 4 or 5 years.

I have Verizon and am happy... But like you we have 1500 air cards in service with 4500 cell routers in vehicles all unlimited.. We use att.

[clayart]

Originally Posted by f5moab

I called, it would cost me about $63 for unlimited on a single line. (I get a 21% discount from Verizon.) I guess my problem is where I camp out here in the west, I very seldom get any data service and happy to get phone service.

That is interesting. The agent I talked with a few days ago said I did not qualify because I had already paid for my iPhone. Did you purchase a phone and pay for it monthly along with your service fees?

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

However, you are misreading your own post of the Verizon Graphic - take a look at it again:

the 1 line breakdown goes like this:
$65 account access fee - $5 auto-pay discount = $60 + $20 line access fee = $80 a month.

For multiple lines (2-4) it goes like this:
$110/month - $10 auto-pay = $100/month + $20 line access fee per phone. So:
2 phones = $100 + $20 + $20 =$140 ($70/Phone)
3 Phones = $100 + $20 + $20 + $20 = $160 ($54/phone (rounded up)
4 phones = $100 + $20 + $20 + $20 + $20 = $180 ($45/Phone)

OK, cup of coffee and re-reading, or maybe finally really reading it well, I see your point. Thanks for getting through my thick skull It looks like for us to go from the L and "throttled" back to 3g when going over 8gb to the new "Unlimited" plan, will only cost ~$20 more for my DW and kids 4 phone plan. Makes it a no-brainer. (We also get a company discount from my employer of 22% on the plan). Cool.