How To Stop Verizon From Throttling Your Phone

[sargentmajord]

I have managed to pull 27Gb of data on my grandfathered 4g LTE plan, i was regularly getting 18Mbps down but after about 15Gb of data its been ranging from 7-14Mbps. I have not seen a difference since experimenting with this

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The hack only prevents throttling if u are not currently being throttled u will not see any changes it worked for me cuz i was being throttled my data usage was about 35 gigs for the month an i was only half way through the month an being throttled to about 500 kbsps after the hack it jumped to about 2 mbsps plus if u are on a 3G network with a -dbm of at least 60-65 (mine always hovers between 56 an 62) dont expect speeds higher the 2 mbsps after the hack

 

[B-Unit]

Does this apply to the top 5% of all data plan devices, or just to the top 5% of devices on unlimited plans?

HUGE difference there!

If I, on my unlimited plan, am lumped in with all the tiered data plans on my tower then, by the simple and obvious fact that all those tiered plans are self-limiting, of course I'm going to be near the top of the list. The 5% rule applied that way will throttle a much larger than 5% number of unlimited plan buyers.

If applied that way, the 5% number would be grossly misleading, to put it kindly.

Perspective instantiates reality.
( By DX w/DF app. )

Well your looking at it wrong. Take any given tower, if that specific tower gets busy, the 5% of users that are/have (not sure what the criteria are) using the most bandwidth will be throttled to ensure that the other 95% still get good speeds. Its pretty rare on 3G at this point (in my market), and I would assume 4G has enuf headroom to avoid the issue there for a while.

EDIT: Looked up the specifics, looks like they only throttle 3G Unlimited subscribers who fall into the top 5% of all data users. With the raw speed that 4G gives, Ill bet very few 3G users are still getting the throttle.

Also, quote from Verizon : "The difference between our network optimization practice and throttling is about network intelligence. With throttling, your wireless connection is slowed down for your entire cycle, 100% of the time, no matter where you are. Network Optimization balances the best possible experience on the network and for the customer. Network Optimization Practices is more precise and requires more management than throttling, however it provides the greatest balance for everyone. So, if you’re in the top 5% of data users, your connection is slowed only when you are in a congested cell site."

 

[ramacker]

First month I had this phone used over 100gb this month 20gb and I haven't been throttled.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC

 

[sargentmajord]

First month I had this phone used over 100gb this month 20gb and I haven't been throttled.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC

Yeah i have noticed that some people with high usage not getting throttled were as some have lol i guess for now its a lottery

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[TC_Mits]

Well your looking at it wrong. Take any given tower, if that specific tower gets busy, the 5% of users that are/have (not sure what the criteria are) using the most bandwidth will be throttled to ensure that the other 95% still get good speeds. Its pretty rare on 3G at this point (in my market), and I would assume 4G has enuf headroom to avoid the issue there for a while.

EDIT: Looked up the specifics, looks like they only throttle 3G Unlimited subscribers who fall into the top 5% of all data users. With the raw speed that 4G gives, Ill bet very few 3G users are still getting the throttle.

Also, quote from Verizon : "The difference between our network optimization practice and throttling is about network intelligence. With throttling, your wireless connection is slowed down for your entire cycle, 100% of the time, no matter where you are. Network Optimization balances the best possible experience on the network and for the customer. Network Optimization Practices is more precise and requires more management than throttling, however it provides the greatest balance for everyone. So, if you’re in the top 5% of data users, your connection is slowed only when you are in a congested cell site."

It wasn't clear what is done about high usage LTE users, but unless you are saying that unlimited 4G plans are never throttled, you confirmed my point.

My point was this:
"With the raw speed that 4G gives, Ill bet very few 3G users are still getting the throttle. "

I'm paying extra for supposedly "unlimited" 4G LTE data. But in reality, if I try to utilize the superior performance of my vzw phone, I will be deprived of the very features I am paying extra money for well before others who are not paying that higher rate. And others in my position will also be penalized at a rate far higher than 5% for simply using the extra performance they paid vzw to get.

What would be fair would be to throttle only the top 5% in each category: 3G, 3G unlimited, 4G, 4G unlimited.

Btw, at this stage of the LTE rollout, it's likely that most towers are "congested" most of the time -- meaning that the "Network Optimization" euphemistic throttling will also be operative most of the time.


Perspective instantiates reality.
( By DX w/DF app. )

 

[B-Unit]

No 4g 'optimization' according to the things I've read. It only applies to Unlimted 3G users who fall into the top 5%.

And how are you paying 'extra'? For $30/mo, you can have either 2GB or Unlimited data. Its all dependent upon when you signed up.

 

[TC_Mits]

No 4g 'optimization' according to the things I've read. It only applies to Unlimted 3G users who fall into the top 5%.

And how are you paying 'extra'? For $30/mo, you can have either 2GB or Unlimited data. Its all dependent upon when you signed up.

Wow! Two gigs is all you get now?
I can push close to that just surfing 3G w/no media streaming at all.

Unlimited was more costly than, I think it was, 5gigs capped when I got it a year ago.

You seem to have a handle on this stuff. How is LTE throttled? By what standard & @ what level?

Perspective instantiates reality.
( By DX w/DF app. )

 

[maneetb]

Does anyone think it might be a good idea to jump on the double data plan while it is still available?

Even if they don't throttle 4G phones, they might in a few months. I'm debating on getting the 4gb plan for 30 bucks and not have to deal with throttling.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

 

[TC_Mits]

Does anyone think it might be a good idea to jump on the double data plan while it is still available?

Even if they don't throttle 4G phones, they might in a few months. I'm debating on getting the 4gb plan for 30 bucks and not have to deal with throttling.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

I have grandfathered unlimited data but it is no guarantee I won't get throttled if vzw changes its throttling ways.

AT&T has just gone to a 5gig cap on 4G data. Vzw may have to adjust upward to meet that challenge.

Perspective instantiates reality.
( By DX w/DF app. )

 

[kodiak799]

Saw an article the other day that only 5% of VZW users are on LTE. Had to be a misprint.

But consider that LTE has at least 10X+ the bandwidth of 3G based on throughput alone. There should be absolutely no need to throttle below 5gigs. I'm just doing the rough math in my head....if last year 25% of subscribers had smartphones (I think it was higher), then theoretically even 100% (it's closer to 50% currently) is only 4X the bandwidth. Even with usages increasing, you have to have the average user increase 2.5X data use to get to about the same place before the LTE rollout.

VZW has a good network, AT&T is fairly spotty (I have an IPad with AT&T and seems like I can never get a decent data speed when I need to use it). I don't expect VZW to do much to its LTE users either in terms of data limits or throttling.

I think VZW will try to convert those users to limited plans with needed services in the future (such as VoLTE). Here's how I expect it to work....I currently pay $70+ a month for 450 minutes and unlimited data. VZW comes out with VoLTE, and then I can now get unlimited minutes along with maybe 4gigs of data (when my usage rarely goes above 2gigs since I'm on wifi most of the time) for the same price. I'm sure other plans will offer savings for other customers with different needs.

For all the whining, I've yet to see VZW do anything with their plans that didn't create value for far more users than a rather nominal amount who may have been hurt. Such complaints almost always come from people "free riding" to some extent trying to save a buck. Nothing wrong with that, but those types ultimately believe VZW should make a nominal profit and grossly underestimate the cost. Basically, they will always feel ripped off paying anything more than a few bucks.

 

[B-Unit]

Wow! Two gigs is all you get now?
I can push close to that just surfing 3G w/no media streaming at all.

Unlimited was more costly than, I think it was, 5gigs capped when I got it a year ago.

You seem to have a handle on this stuff. How is LTE throttled? By what standard & @ what level?

Perspective instantiates reality.
( By DX w/DF app. )

At this time there is no 4g throttling or 'optimization', at least that VZ admits to.

 

[sargentmajord]

At this time there is no 4g throttling or 'optimization', at least that VZ admits to.

Yes no throttling on 4g but there is on 3g this hack is pretty much only for those in 3g land an to stop the phones built in throttle

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[jcwilliams]

So is it just me or what but my phone seems to be running real hot now that I did both of these hacks...and battery life is a lot worse.

 

[RideZeLitenin]

Well, used 18 GB last month, no throttling. Went crazy with my new magical 4G connection... when your phone internet is faster than your home (talking about uploads 10Mbs : 0.5Mbs), that's kinda sad.

Of course I was grandfathered into my unlimited... thank god

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

 

[vatothe0]

I'm paying extra for supposedly "unlimited" 4G LTE data. But in reality, if I try to utilize the superior performance of my vzw phone, I will be deprived of the very features I am paying extra money for well before others who are not paying that higher rate. And others in my position will also be penalized at a rate far higher than 5% for simply using the extra performance they paid vzw to get.

What would be fair would be to throttle only the top 5% in each category: 3G, 3G unlimited, 4G, 4G unlimited.

How are you possibly paying "extra" for unlimited LTE? The grandfathered unlimited plans are the same price as the smallest capped plan.