Verizon Customers Booted off Unlimited Plans for Using Too Much Data

Megalith

Megalith

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Verizon is terminating the Unlimited plans of customers in rural areas who are using excessive data on an LTEiRA partner network. This is a program in which regional carriers are used to get coverage to areas beyond Verizon’s native network. Apparently, the company doesn’t want to pay partners for the roaming habits of a handful of customers.

…Verizon is contacting anyone who’s using a large amount of data on an LTEiRA partner, and telling them to either port their plans to another carrier or face outright termination. “They’re calling those with billing addresses outside of their coverage areas on unlimited and agreeing to pay off their phones if they will port out, otherwise they will discontinue the service,” one poster said. In a statement to BGR, Verizon confirmed that it’s terminating the contracts of some customers who are not in native Verizon service areas.
 
If they don't want people using their unmetered (which is IMO a better word than unlimited--they don't bill you by the megabyte but they can and will slow you down) connections in third-party areas, stop selling them out in the sticks.

Of course, that would undercut the notion that Big Red "has the best network."
 
I smell lawsuit. I hope they lose big time. That will wake the carriers up and offer actual unlimited plans or lower their prices dramatically.
 
midnightfrolic said:
I smell lawsuit. I hope they lose big time. That will wake the carriers up and offer actual unlimited plans or lower their prices dramatically.
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The fine won't be near enough and will be passed back to the consumer..

Wake carriers up...? Hardly

Offer actual unlimited plans? Questionable

Lower prices? Take another hit on that pipe
 
It all comes down to business even if it isn't the right thing. They take a hit when they use excessive data out of network., and they want to minimize loss They have to pay money to another wireless company which is different from consuming the koolaid they sell. Unlimited data users are on a month to month plan, the carrier could potentially drop you if they wanted to after a 30 day or w/e they consider a month period since it's a month to month contract. 1-2 year contracts have been replaced by financing plans.

There has been some small waves in the un-LIMITED plans recently. Verizon launched theirs and it forced T Mobile for a limited time to up the quality on their video streaming. Verizon doesn't match price once you add taxes and fees.
 
Devil's Advocate moment... sounds fine to me.

Wonder how much more data these guys are using to get booted. The 22GB nature before throttling doesn't seem like one could use too much above and beyond that. I think Verizon should just nut it up and say "nope we don't cover that area" but then again they got fat grants from the government to expand coverage into rural areas specifically for this, so fuck them.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Devil's Advocate moment... sounds fine to me.

Wonder how much more data these guys are using to get booted. The 22GB nature before throttling doesn't seem like one could use too much above and beyond that. I think Verizon should just nut it up and say "nope we don't cover that area" but then again they got fat grants from the government to expand coverage into rural areas specifically for this, so fuck them.
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But they didn't expand into their areas. That is part of the issue. There people are all off network.

Technically they don't cover that area and are just supplementing their network by letting you use the LTE network of some rural carrier. Which has different cost and limitations associated with them. If we want to get down to it, you are paying for unlimited data on Verizon's network, not the network of the other 5+ people they use for small parts of their network. That is like saying that you pay for unlimited data in the USA so you should get unlimited in Spain when you are there for 3 months for the exact same price as part of your plan.
 
Exavior said:
But they didn't expand into their areas. That is part of the issue. There people are all off network.

Technically they don't cover that area and are just supplementing their network by letting you use the LTE network of some rural carrier. Which has different cost and limitations associated with them. If we want to get down to it, you are paying for unlimited data on Verizon's network, not the network of the other 5+ people they use for small parts of their network. That is like saying that you pay for unlimited data in the USA so you should get unlimited in Spain when you are there for 3 months for the exact same price as part of your plan.
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Well Verizon probably ran the numbers, figured that paying off local providers for "their customers" all the while cashing the checks Uncle Sam is writing to them was more cost effective than putting their own towers up.
 
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Sovereign said:
If they don't want people using their unmetered (which is IMO a better word than unlimited
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The marketing department wouldn't like that too much. Remember, they're not dealing with honesty here - Just money.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Well Verizon probably ran the numbers, figured that paying off local providers for "their customers" all the while cashing the checks Uncle Sam is writing to them was more cost effective than putting their own towers up.
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That could be. Although if like last time they got money most went to bonuses, the rest went to crunching the numbers at which point they didn't have enough left to actually do any work.

I don't know anything about the cell phone side of things. You want to know how telephone companies or ISP work, I can tell you all about that till you want to cut my fingers off to keep me from typing. Want to know something about a cellphone network or the cellular side of a telephone company. Can't help you there.
 
Exavior said:
But they didn't expand into their areas. That is part of the issue. There people are all off network.

Technically they don't cover that area and are just supplementing their network by letting you use the LTE network of some rural carrier. Which has different cost and limitations associated with them. If we want to get down to it, you are paying for unlimited data on Verizon's network, not the network of the other 5+ people they use for small parts of their network. That is like saying that you pay for unlimited data in the USA so you should get unlimited in Spain when you are there for 3 months for the exact same price as part of your plan.
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While I technically agree, the other part of this is most of these people had no clue they weren't on Verizon's network. This analogy only makes sense if Verizon claims it's covering Spain as well until they determine your using to much. I work quite a bit in these areas and know a load of people using mifi as their internet instead of their only other option of extremely expensive satellite internet. They are sold the Verizon plan as unlimited and their area is covered.. Except it isn't. The upshot here is at least Verizon is actually being somewhat decent and buying out the contracts.
 
At least on this side, the contract for all "unlimited" bandwidth mobile data has a "fair-use" clause that if the company sees your phone line exceed "normal expected use" of mobile data, they have the right to throttle it.

However, that is basically on paper, and really only used to deter small businesses using 1 single mobile phone as a hotspot for internet for the entire office, the telecom I use claims they have yet to enforce that rule even against that kind of activity, let alone normal customers.

At least here, the more you let them do it, the less they actually will. EG Costco, where the refund service is far ahead of everything else on the island, yet the stores have record lowest return rates of all Costco stores around the world.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
While I technically agree, the other part of this is most of these people had no clue they weren't on Verizon's network. This analogy only makes sense if Verizon claims it's covering Spain as well until they determine your using to much. I work quite a bit in these areas and know a load of people using mifi as their internet instead of their only other option of extremely expensive satellite internet. They are sold the Verizon plan as unlimited and their area is covered.. Except it isn't. The upshot here is at least Verizon is actually being somewhat decent and buying out the contracts.
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I was just speaking from a technical standpoint. He was trying to play devil's advocate and justify their actions so I was giving him more support towards that argument. That is very possible that they had no idea they weren't on a Verizon network and are very much confused as to what this is all about. But like you said it is good that they are buying them out.
 
Let me see if I got this straight...

1. "data limit" cash grab scheme implemented by the major carriers.

2. almost all carriers have now adopted this scheme.

3. Verizon has to pay the 3rd party partner carrier for large amounts of data used by their customers that are proxied on the 3rd party partner networks because the scheme is now biting their own asses.

4. Verizon beancounters alert the execs because the company isn't making their target margin of profit off of a small percentage of their overall customer base.

5. Verizon is determined to fuck over all its customers one way or the other, so they drum up a bullshit ultimatum for this small percentage of customers.

6. This story goes public and there's just no way to spin it in a positive way.

7. Could have avoided negative shit like this if they didn't implement the bullshit data cap cash grab scheme in the first place.

8. Unfortunately, not much is going to come of this and it won't impact Verizon in any measurable sense.
 
The only way to fix this is for the FCC to issue rules for how to officially name these services.

Right now any of the providers can't call it by what it truly is because the other providers would still call it unlimited. So in the eyes of the typical consumer the service wouldn't be "unlimited" compared to other providers' services that are "unlimited"...even though there is no difference.

It's the same for capacitors. The listed capacitance and rated voltage is a lie. You can't get the advertised capacitance at the rated voltages, but no manufacturer will call it what it is because their competitors would have a better "spec" at the unobtainable capacitance and voltage. So the industry goes on using unrealistic descriptions.

So the fix needs to be official labeling requirements, just like what the FDA has done for advertising real juice, real chicken, etc, instead of imitations.
 
Xrave said:
The only way to fix this is for the FCC to issue rules--
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Which isn't a fix in the current political atmosphere.

I'd like to see an end to all corporate welfare or at least for states to actually hold companies accountable when they don't implement the services and infrastructure that they were subsidized to implement. Unfortunately, neither approach is "pro-business".
 
Galvin said:
Holy shit stop calling it unlimited, that's the problem right there.
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Verizon also needs to stop calling it broadband and/or coverage. That roaming agreement they have is how they are justifying multiple repeated failures to make good on their promise to roll out broadband state wide in rerturn for state funds. They have done thiis in many states.

Comcast may be the worst CS in the world, but verizon is largely constructed form assholes it seems.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Devil's Advocate moment... sounds fine to me.

Wonder how much more data these guys are using to get booted. The 22GB nature before throttling doesn't seem like one could use too much above and beyond that. I think Verizon should just nut it up and say "nope we don't cover that area" but then again they got fat grants from the government to expand coverage into rural areas specifically for this, so fuck them.
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When I travel, I use around 60gb+ in less than a month. My contract is with AT&T and I've never, ever been threatened with removal. They have sent me text stating I'll be throttled. But, by then, I've already cleared most of Season 1 Daredevil. :p
 
I find it funny during Verzion commericals they keep saying "With our unlimited 10GB data plan!"

Seriously... they need to stop messing with that word.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
While I technically agree, the other part of this is most of these people had no clue they weren't on Verizon's network. This analogy only makes sense if Verizon claims it's covering Spain as well until they determine your using to much. I work quite a bit in these areas and know a load of people using mifi as their internet instead of their only other option of extremely expensive satellite internet. They are sold the Verizon plan as unlimited and their area is covered.. Except it isn't. The upshot here is at least Verizon is actually being somewhat decent and buying out the contracts.
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the easiest way to fix that is for Verizon to set their phones to no roaming data... Crap even Windows 10 phones do this by default (you have to specifically enable download over metered connections in the OS). I like how Tmobile does it, they just throttle you after X data and that's only if you are in a busy area...
 
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