Verizon Drops The Axe! Will Disconnect Unlimited Data Users Using Extraordinary Amounts Of Data!

[MissionImprobable]

For those who try to use their unlimited for constant tethering and such I see nothing wrong with cutting the cord, but the data rates ate honestly ridiculous in general, all the more so with the number of data-hungry apps that VZ pushes with devices. Google syncs backups, and then VZ recommends using their cloud storage on top of it, suggests that you 'Stream every game!' on NFL Mobile, and on and on.

It's all the more hilarious because Verizon forced most of us onto Unlimited back in the day with obscene per megabyte overages. You had better believe that if Sprint, T-Mobile, or some other company in the future truly matches Verizon's coverage I will be gone at the drop of a hat. This company has done zero to inspire any kind of loyalty from my perspective, and this is just one more bit of silliness.

 

[lloydstrans]

I as one enjoy foxkat's oratorio. Skimming through a long thread I tend to read foxkat's post as it has a point/counterpoint format for the most part. I can get the gist of the matter without out reading the entire thread.

Of course if I'm going to comment myself I read none of the thread and spout off random BS.[emoji23]

We must...We must...increase our boost

 

[jkaod]

Of course if I'm going to comment myself I read none of the thread and spout off random BS.

If you can't dazzle them with diamonds, baffle them with BS.
I love reading FoxKat's posts, even the long ones. Always well thought out and informative.

 

[tech_head]

I'll chime in and say that we'll need to agree to disagree on this. Some folks take the unreasonable expectation that because they can't get "unlimited" then other people should not have it either. They take the perspective that if you use "X" amount of data you are abusing the network.

Those positions fly in the face of reasonableness and will come back to bite them when they have a grandfathered and perceived advantage.

You don't always get what everybody else has. Life just doesn't work that way.
I'll use my unlimited as I see fit. To me unlimited means just that. If Verizon at some point decides that it doesn't want my business, they'll send me the letter and I'll find another carrier. Most likely T-Mobile because they still have unlimited and they work fine where I live. Right now there is no incentive to move to them. If the rates go up again or Verizon gets pissy, I have an alternative.
I've been with Verizon since they were GTE MobilNet in my area. I've had a cell phone so long I remember when texting was free before they started charging.

You see they have a history of charging for things that at one time were free.
Charging for texts is the ultimate of rip off. Why? The reason why a text is the length it is, is because they stuff an idle period with the message. The text take no extra bandwidth or equipment.
It was about monetization.

This whole data thing is a rip. While everywhere else in the world data is becoming cheaper due to better equipment, etc. We are seeing increases in pricing as technology evolves.
As they build out the network even more, the cost to deliver a byte of data becomes incrementally cheaper. The price they charge us keeps increasing. All this while Verizon rakes in record revenue.

Oh, I get it! These people have Verizon stock, that's why they hate unlimited........

 

[Mustang02]

I'll chime in and say that we'll need to agree to disagree on this. Some folks take the unreasonable expectation that because they can't get "unlimited" then other people should not have it either. They take the perspective that if you use "X" amount of data you are abusing the network.

Those positions fly in the face of reasonableness and will come back to bite them when they have a grandfathered and perceived advantage.

You don't always get what everybody else has. Life just doesn't work that way.
I'll use my unlimited as I see fit. To me unlimited means just that. If Verizon at some point decides that it doesn't want my business, they'll send me the letter and I'll find another carrier. Most likely T-Mobile because they still have unlimited and they work fine where I live. Right now there is no incentive to move to them. If the rates go up again or Verizon gets pissy, I have an alternative.
I've been with Verizon since they were GTE MobilNet in my area. I've had a cell phone so long I remember when texting was free before they started charging.

You see they have a history of charging for things that at one time were free.
Charging for texts is the ultimate of rip off. Why? The reason why a text is the length it is, is because they stuff an idle period with the message. The text take no extra bandwidth or equipment.
It was about monetization.

This whole data thing is a rip. While everywhere else in the world data is becoming cheaper due to better equipment, etc. We are seeing increases in pricing as technology evolves.
As they build out the network even more, the cost to deliver a byte of data becomes incrementally cheaper. The price they charge us keeps increasing. All this while Verizon rakes in record revenue.

Oh, I get it! These people have Verizon stock, that's why they hate unlimited........

Exactly how I see it. The people who gave up Unlimited are crying because we still have it and use it.

I too am in the same boat. Once Verizon tells me they don't want my money, I'll go to another carrier.

 

[FoxKat]

I'll chime in and say that we'll need to agree to disagree on this. Some folks take the unreasonable expectation that because they can't get "unlimited" then other people should not have it either. They take the perspective that if you use "X" amount of data you are abusing the network.

I don't begrudge anyone's good fortune, but it's been human nature to want to get more for less in most cases, since the first prehistoric man traded a shiny rock for food. If I see someone else getting a huge break, sure I'll try to get it too. If it's deemed I'm not eligible I'll go elsewhere. That's a free market and well within my rights. But if that service provider decides someone has gotten too much it's likewise their prerogative to cut them off.

I think the biggest problem with the whole UDP is the choice of the word "Unlimited". It's not unlimited and never really was if you read the TOS. Unlimited by definition would be no strings attached and clearly that's not the case as it has clear limitations and exclusions. In fact nothing in the entire universe is unlimited, perhaps but the universe itself. It is however a very long leash, so long it was expected it would likely never reach a point of strain. But like virtually all situations where a moniker of no limits to consumption are used, it has been exploited by a few and so the TOS was put in place to protect from eventual exploitation and it's now being exercised for that purpose.

Most won't suffer for this latest push and if you're not one who does then you have really no right to complain, but if you are you still have no right to complain given the TOS says so and you agreed to it when you initiated the contract.

Verizon UDP TOS disclaimer;

"Customers who do not have dedicated Mobile Broadband devices cannot tether other devices to laptops or personal
computers for use as wireless modems unless they subscribe to Mobile Broadband Connect. We further reserve the right to take measures to protect our network and other users from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance. These measures may impact your service, and we reserve the right to deny, modify or terminate service, with or without notice, to anyone we believe is using Data Plans or Features in a manner that adversely impacts our network."

Data Plans Features Terms Conditions | Verizon Wireless

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[Mustang02]

I don't begrudge anyone's good fortune, but it's been human nature to want to get more for less in most cases, since the first prehistoric man traded a shiny rock for food. If I see someone else getting a huge break, sure I'll try to get it too. If it's deemed I'm not eligible I'll go elsewhere. That's a free market and well within my rights. But if that service provider decides someone has gotten too much it's likewise their prerogative to cut them off.

I think the biggest problem with the whole UDP is the choice of the word "Unlimited". It's not unlimited and never really was if you read the TOS. Unlimited by definition would be no strings attached and clearly that's not the case as it has clear limitations and exclusions. In fact nothing in the entire universe is unlimited, perhaps but the universe itself. It is however a very long leash, so long it was expected it would likely never reach a point of strain. But like virtually all situations where a moniker of no limits to consumption are used, it has been exploited by a few and so the TOS was put in place to protect from eventual exploitation and it's now being exercised for that purpose.

Most won't suffer for this latest push and if you're not one who does then you have really no right to complain, but if you are you still have no right to complain given the TOS says so and you agreed to it when you initiated the contract.

Verizon UDP TOS disclaimer;

"Customers who do not have dedicated Mobile Broadband devices cannot tether other devices to laptops or personal
computers for use as wireless modems unless they subscribe to Mobile Broadband Connect. We further reserve the right to take measures to protect our network and other users from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance. These measures may impact your service, and we reserve the right to deny, modify or terminate service, with or without notice, to anyone we believe is using Data Plans or Features in a manner that adversely impacts our network."

Data Plans Features Terms Conditions | Verizon Wireless

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Where is the TOS for people paying $30 a month for UDP hotspot?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

Where is the TOS for people paying $30 a month for UDP hotspot?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

I don't know. I didn't look for it, but I'd expect it's similar with this one, if not the same. This one was sent as a link to me by a Verizon support staff and was looked up specifically for the Unlimited Data, which is mistakenly being called the "Unlimited Data Plan" by us since according to Verizon Unlimited Data is in fact a "Feature" in the "Nationwide Calling Plan" that I have as it is in other plans. I was told this is the same TOS that's used for all plans with the UD feature.

 

[Miller6386]

In my opinion these new rules should only apply to those not paying the extra to tether. Paying the extra gives you the right to unlimited data on multiple devices. I feel the issue is with those only paying to have the data on their phone but have root/tethering when they are not paying for it.

All you can eat buffet doesn't entitle you to all you can eat plus feed your family it entitles you to eat. Feeding your family would require an additional fee.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[tech_head]

"Customers who do not have dedicated Mobile Broadband devices cannot tether other devices to laptops or personal
computers for use as wireless modems unless they subscribe to Mobile Broadband Connect. We further reserve the right to take measures to protect our network and other users from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance. These measures may impact your service, and we reserve the right to deny, modify or terminate service, with or without notice, to anyone we believe is using Data Plans or Features in a manner that adversely impacts our network."

Data Plans Features Terms Conditions | Verizon Wireless

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I never mentioned tethering, which if you don't/didn't add the extra $30 would violate the TOS.
The one problem with their TOS is they are not allowed to limit moving a SIM to a modem and having that connect. The Block-C agreement forced that provision of device neutrality.

All good things come to and end, I suppose.
I complain because today it's 100GB and next month it could be 25GB, or whatever.
Nothing is unlimited, but in the context of unlimited data it would be the following; whatever your device can consume at the connection speeds available with no carrier throttling. So in your area, if the connection speeds is 25Mbs you should be able to stream continuously as long as you do it on the specific mobile device connected to your account with no restrictions. So if you are streaming Amazon Video 8 hours a day (because you don't have a life) then they can't complain about "excessive data". Even if that data usage is 200GB.

That is my position.
Kick people off for tethering, but they shouldn't be kicking people off for doing what Verizon told them they could do. Consuming data on your subscribed device and not sharing should never get you kicked off or violate the TOS.

 

[kinfolk248]

I'm confident in saying that I truly believe Vzw just wants corporate accounts that will just pay the bill and keep it pushing. They don't want consumer account or at least aren't concerned with them/us largely anymore. Just a thought.

 

[tech_head]

I'm confident in saying that I truly believe Vzw just wants corporate accounts that will just pay the bill and keep it pushing. They don't want consumer account or at least aren't concerned with them/us largely anymore. Just a thought.

They want them. They just want "sheeple", that just follow whatever they say.
Like I said, I'll hang out until they tick me off and move somewhere else.
Right now Verizon is cheap for me. I have four lines of unlimited and including taxes, fees, insurance on all phones, my bill is under $230. I'm not going anywhere until they kick me off.

 

[FoxKat]

I've spoken today face to face with an Verizon Authorized Retail Store owner/manager for a half hour. He indicated the following.

According to him this push is phase 3 of some yet unconfirmed 5 phase process to eliminate UDP altogether. Phase two was the most recent $20 price increase and phase 1 was the change in plans that was forced when you used Verizon's subsidized upgrade programs which started I believe it was a year ago or more.

According to him, phase 4 will be another $25 per line increase to be expected sometime between December and April, and then the final move, phase 5 will be the complete elimination of all UDP plans, even his employee plan which has UDP. He said that should come about this time next year and every remaining UDP subscriber would be told they have 30 days to convert to a then current tiered pricing plan. These plans will carry higher data limits, comparing today's 25GB with what he's being told will be 40GB for the same cost 25GB is now.

If those UDP subscribers don't transition at the end of 30 days they will be terminated. If they decide they want to buy back in they can recover their phone numbers if requested within 60 days of termination as long as they take one of the tiered pricing plans at that time.

He also said that the additional $5 for Safety Mode in all but the Large, XL and XXL plans will go away and instead all plans will come with Safety Mode automatically and free. They will also have the "Carryover Data" feature as well, to then be more closely aligned with AT&T and other providers' plan offerings.

Now I can NOT attest to the validity of this information but I will say this gentleman was adamant that it's true. He was also very knowledgeable and his answers to other probing questions I asked about plans and various phones including the Moto Z, to "test" him were spot on.

I have no proof that what he's said is either true or fabrication so I'm going to call this a rumor.



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[FoxKat]

I never mentioned tethering, which if you don't/didn't add the extra $30 would violate the TOS.

And I never differentiated between Mobile Hotspot and stand-alone Hotspot devices. I believe the same protections for excessive use would apply in both cases though.


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[Miller6386]

I've spoken today face to face with an Verizon Authorized Retail Store owner/manager for a half hour. He indicated the following.

According to him this push is phase 3 of some yet unconfirmed 5 phase process to eliminate UDP altogether. Phase two was the most recent $20 price increase and phase 1 was the change in plans that was forced when you used Verizon's subsidized upgrade programs which started I believe it was a year ago or more.

According to him, phase 4 will be another $25 per line increase to be expected sometime between December and April, and then the final move, phase 5 will be the complete elimination of all UDP plans, even his employee plan which has UDP. He said that should come about this time next year and every remaining UDP subscriber would be told they have 30 days to convert to a then current tiered pricing plan. These plans will carry higher data limits, comparing today's 25GB with what he's being told will be 40GB for the same cost 25GB is now.

If those UDP subscribers don't transition at the end of 30 days they will be terminated. If they decide they want to buy back in they can recover their phone numbers if requested within 60 days of termination as long as they take one of the tiered pricing plans at that time.

He also said that the additional $5 for Safety Mode in all but the Large, XL and XXL plans will go away and instead all plans will come with Safety Mode automatically and free. They will also have the "Carryover Data" feature as well, to then be more closely aligned with AT&T and other providers' plan offerings.

Now I can NOT attest to the validity of this information but I will say this gentleman was adamant that it's true. He was also very knowledgeable and his answers to other probing questions I asked about plans and various phones including the Moto Z, to "test" him were spot on.

I have no proof that what he's said is either true or fabrication so I'm going to call this a rumor.



Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I find this very very annoying. If they feel the value of what we pay for 25GB is what we should be paying and getting 40 I say it's time to go.

If I interviewed for a job and they said that they were going to pay me $20 an hour but in the next 6 months they will start paying me 50 I'd want to know why I'm not worth 50 right now. I am so very tempted to buy a Note 7 with TMO when they come out and give their service a shot.

By all means I pay for 26 GB a month and the most I have used in over a year is around 12 so I don't need more data but in the same sense I feel as though if they can give us almost double this time next year for the same price why not just do it now?

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