Verizon Unlimted Data

[homemadehitshow]

Is the account really unlimited or is it 5gb. Using a traffic monitor I can see that it will be REALLY easy to use 5gb, so then what happens ? Cut off, massive charges ?

Anyone have any insight.

 

[New2u]

Is the account really unlimited or is it 5gb. Using a traffic monitor I can see that it will be REALLY easy to use 5gb, so then what happens ? Cut off, massive charges ?

Anyone have any insight.

Please read

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-general-discussions/1031-misconceptions-unlimited-data.html

 

[hazydave]

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what the Verizon officials say, it matters what your actual contract says.

Basically, there is a 5GB cap... it's possibly a "soft-cap"... there may be some wiggle room. Or not. Verizon's position is that, if you're using the phone as intended, doing entirely legal things, it'll be wholly impossible to exceed 5GB per month. Thus, if you are exceeding 5GB per month, you must clearly be doing something that's not permitted. So it's unlimited, but capped at 5GB.

I'm surprised there's any contraversy, other than Verizon saying "unlimited" and actually meaning 5GB... but then again, so do AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. And despite the inclusion of things like a YouTube application,
video streaming is technically not allowed. If you did 6 hours of HD video on YouTube (assuming the DROID actually gets served YouTube's "HD", which is 720p at 2Mb/s), you'd blow your 5GB limit (anyone wanting to experiment, please post the results).

Here's what the contract actually says:

Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, GlobalAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY be used with wireless devices for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation). The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.

For individual use only and not for resale. We reserve the right to protect our network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, and to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using an Data Plan or Feature in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.

 

[sir]

i'll check back in a month with my data usage. It'd be great if everyone could post updates with their data usage for a single month so we can get a decent average baseline.

 

[FreyGrimrod]

While I may not be average.... considering I usually pull 4.8gigs in 12 hours of usage elsewhere.... such contracts make it a worthless faustian bargain.... pretty and utterly worthless other than as a toy to look fancy (not worth the cash except for the foolish and the wealthy)

 

[Xris]

Hazy dave, try clicking the link before typing up a reply.

Also, I'm at 1.7 GB since I got the phone a week ago.. without tethering (well, for more than a few min just to see if it worked )

 

[JhankG]

Does Verizon offer a more expensive data plan that is actually unlimited?

 

[homemadehitshow]

Does Verizon offer a more expensive data plan that is actually unlimited?

No, and I'm not sure how you can be more unlimited than unlimited ???

 

[rothenbj]

When does Unlimited mean Limited?

I'm a new Verizon Wireless customer after years with T-Mobile on a blackberry. I was specifically Told that the 5gb limit was specific to their broadband offerings and did not apply to cell or smartphone plans. This was told to me via internet chat support when I was purchasing my Droid as well as at three different stores after I placed my order. I bought into the buzz from the net that Verizon always sold online before they offered the phones retail so I had to wait over the weekend to get mine. Then I ended up back at Verizon getting a new phone for my gf.

She was debating between a cell phone and the other Droid which she ended up getting.

If Verizon actually has a 5 gb limit, they certainly are leaving themselves open to a massive class action suit. I have the dubious distinction of living in an area where I can only get sat service for internet. That has a 500 MB limit per day which we are constantly pushing the limits on. I Considered Verizon's broadband wireless until I did the math and found it economically prohibitive.

Paying $60 a month for two cell phone to get email and do some surfing would be absurd. Any significant use of utube would eat up 5 gb in no time.

 

[uujim]

$30 data plan really is for unlimited amounts of data

Since thus is my first smartphone, I confirmed several times with several different Verizon personnel that the only additional monthly fee I would see would be the $29.99 charge for unlimited data. And actually for me this will be $22.49 since my company gets a 25% discount. This is for unlimited data - no 5GB cap. My voice/message plan is separate.

I don't know what contract hazydave signed, but here is what my contract says:

"Data Plans and Features: Permitted Uses. You can use our Data Plans and Features for accessing the Internet and for such uses as: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) e-mail; (iii) intranet access (including accessing corporate intranets, e-mail and individual productivity applications made available by your company); (iv) uploading, downloading and streaming of audio, video and games; and (v) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)."

Incidentally, I bought a Droid the day it came out, but traded it in for an Eris four days later. Personal preference. Both are excellent phones. But I couldn't use the Droid physical keyboard and the Droid is too big to put into my pocket.

 

[New2u]

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what the Verizon officials say, it matters what your actual contract says.

Basically, there is a 5GB cap... it's possibly a "soft-cap"... there may be some wiggle room. Or not. Verizon's position is that, if you're using the phone as intended, doing entirely legal things, it'll be wholly impossible to exceed 5GB per month. Thus, if you are exceeding 5GB per month, you must clearly be doing something that's not permitted. So it's unlimited, but capped at 5GB.

I'm surprised there's any contraversy, other than Verizon saying "unlimited" and actually meaning 5GB... but then again, so do AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. And despite the inclusion of things like a YouTube application,
video streaming is technically not allowed. If you did 6 hours of HD video on YouTube (assuming the DROID actually gets served YouTube's "HD", which is 720p at 2Mb/s), you'd blow your 5GB limit (anyone wanting to experiment, please post the results).

Here's what the contract actually says:

Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, GlobalAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY be used with wireless devices for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation). The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.

For individual use only and not for resale. We reserve the right to protect our network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, and to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using an Data Plan or Feature in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.

Would you be kind enough to provide the links to where you saw this information? Because everything and everyone i've talked to in verizon and the verizon reps that are members on the forums here all confirm that the unlimited data plan for the PHONE ITSELF is unlimited. If you cannot, the posting will be removed.

 

[New2u]

I'm a new Verizon Wireless customer after years with T-Mobile on a blackberry. I was specifically Told that the 5gb limit was specific to their broadband offerings and did not apply to cell or smartphone plans. This was told to me via internet chat support when I was purchasing my Droid as well as at three different stores after I placed my order. I bought into the buzz from the net that Verizon always sold online before they offered the phones retail so I had to wait over the weekend to get mine. Then I ended up back at Verizon getting a new phone for my gf.

She was debating between a cell phone and the other Droid which she ended up getting.

If Verizon actually has a 5 gb limit, they certainly are leaving themselves open to a massive class action suit. I have the dubious distinction of living in an area where I can only get sat service for internet. That has a 500 MB limit per day which we are constantly pushing the limits on. I Considered Verizon's broadband wireless until I did the math and found it economically prohibitive.

Paying $60 a month for two cell phone to get email and do some surfing would be absurd. Any significant use of utube would eat up 5 gb in no time.

They did have a class-action lawsuit about 3-4 years ago, because they touted their unlimited as unlimited but capped it at 5GB, but that was only for the mobile broadband cards, and tethering. Which is why they aren't stupid enough to do it again. They don't want to be back in court.

 

[uujim]

Data plan info from Verizon forum

Maybe someone already provided this, but here is a link to a Verizon discussion forum on this topic. It is clear that Verizon's website could use some improvements in this area. But the bottom line, confirmed here by Verizon, is that there is a truly unlimited data plan for $29.99 a month.

Difference between "Unlimited Data Usage" and "Email and Web for Smartphone" ??? - Verizon Community

 

[mobcritter]

Verizon has 2 Smart Phone/Blackberry plans, both for unlimited Email-Web plans: 29.99 for personal use and 44.99 for people who connect to a corporate/enterprise server. They have 3 data plans for USB modems, PC card modem or computers with built in modems (for instance their HP & Gateway netbooks) 39.99 for 250 megabytes (25 cents per MB overage) per month, 59.99 for 5 gigabytes (5 cents per MB overage) per month and 199.99 for 10 gigabytes per month. Obviously if you're going to be using between 5 and 10 gigabytes then you would be better to get two 5 gb plans. For dumb phones on the Nationwide Plans they now offer 2 data features: 25 megs for 9.99 and 75 megs for 19.99.

 

[rothenbj]

I really don't understand the cap on version's broadband or Hughesnet for that matter. Each uses an unscalable cap. If someone offered a reliable solution that met my data requirements at a reasonable premium I'd be onboard.