Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Verizon to Begin Spot Throttling of High-Usage Customers on Unlimited LTE Plans

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,441
30,642



Following a report by Droid Life yesterday, Verizon has now confirmed to Gigaom that starting October 1 the carrier will begin spot throttling of certain high-usage customers connecting to carrier's LTE network. The policy affects users on grandfathered unlimited data plans that are no longer offered and who rank in the top five percent of data users at Verizon.

verizon_lte_reliable.jpg
While Verizon has had a similar policy in place for its 3G network for several years, the extension of it to the LTE network that now handles 76 percent of the carrier's data traffic will be noticeable for a number of users.
On October 1, Verizon will start throttling back LTE speeds on its heaviest unlimited-plan subscribers when they move into congested cells on its networks. What that means is that when the network gets crowded, Verizon will prioritize 4G customers who buy their data by the gigabyte over unlimited plan customers who fall into the top fifth percentile of monthly data usage.

As of today, the top five percent consists of customers who use 4.7GB or more of data each month, though that number will fluctuate month-to-month as traffic patterns change.
Click to expand...
Rather than blanket throttling of users speeds when they hit certain thresholds, Verizon will be weighing demand on individual cell sites and assigning these unlimited users lower priority and thus slower speeds than other customers during periods of high demand.
Verizon said that its new policy will only apply to customers who have fulfilled their contract terms (so if you renewed your data plan under contract in the last two years, you're safe). The policy remains in effect for a subscriber for the entirety of a billing period. If you're still in the top 5 percentile of users at the end of that month, then the throttling policy continues for another billing period. But if you're not, then all restrictions are lifted - at least until your next bill.
Click to expand...
With the explosion in smartphone usage in recent years, carriers have been turning to throttling to help manage demand on their networks. The policies are also being used to encourage users to move away from the unlimited data plans that were popular in the early smartphone days but which have been phased out by carriers in a shift to tiered data plans in which the amount users pay is tied to their data usage.

Article Link: Verizon to Begin Spot Throttling of High-Usage Customers on Unlimited LTE Plans
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/07/25/verizon-spot-throttling-unlimited-lte/
B

benh911f

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
427
447
These carriers can't keep calling these plans "unlimited" if they're not actually unlimited.
 
tliede20

tliede20

macrumors regular
Nov 19, 2013
169
54
Los Angeles, CA
Ugh?

Not vibing with this and I'm sure a lot of people are going to begin to bitch about it seeing as Verizon doesn't really offer true unlimited anymore. I'll definitely be in the bunch seeing as I have my grandfathered plan and I'm stuck paying full price for upgrades unless I find a loophole like I did with the 5s. Sigh, everything to make a dime for them.

Anyone else seeing a "class action incoming"??
 
A

auero

macrumors 65816
Sep 15, 2006
1,386
114
We can thank those who consume buckets of data (~20GB+) each month for ruininig it for the rest of us. I see people brag about abusing the network by downloading torrents and other crap via their phones.

tliede20 said:
Not vibing with this and I'm sure a lot of people are going to begin to bitch about it seeing as Verizon doesn't really offer true unlimited anymore. I'll definitely be in the bunch seeing as I have my grandfathered plan and I'm stuck paying full price for upgrades unless I find a loophole like I did with the 5s. Sigh, everything to make a dime for them.

Anyone else seeing a "class action incoming"??
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure their fine print states that they can do whatever they want. AT&T has been doing this for quite some time now. They're sporadic with spending me warnings.
 
Justinb51

Justinb51

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2010
374
40
Indianapolis, IN
Prof. said:
I support this. If you want more you should be forced to pay more.
Click to expand...

That's BS!

Some if us were forced to buy unlimited plans when we signed up! (I for one didn't want unlimited!)

It's not our fault that it's not advantageous for the carrier now.

(Now I love unlimited, no worries)

If I make an error I have to pay for it! Time for the carriers to have to deal with it. Not to mention the prices on these plans are outrageous any way. These carriers are making money hand over fist!
 
X

xero9

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2006
863
486
I'm torn. On one hand I feel like if it's unlimited, you should be able to use it and enjoy it all you like. On the flip side, if you're one of those people who are tethering it and using it as a replacement to broadband internet at home and are torrenting gig after gig after gig, then I feel like you're abusing it.

I know I'm kind of contradicting my arguments, but I'm sure most will see what I'm getting at.

What Fido did with their unlimited plan was smart.. Simply don't let them have access to LTE. You want unlimited, you stay on HSPA.
 
bushido

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
benh911f said:
These carriers can't keep calling these plans "unlimited" if they're not actually unlimited.
Click to expand...

tell that to all of europe :p technically it is unlimited you just dont get the full speed anymore but u do not have to pay extra therefore it is unlimited.

we have unlimited plans over here that get throttled after 200mb ###
 
QuarterSwede

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,780
2,030
Colorado Springs, CO
This isn't as big a deal as everyone will make it out the be. AT&T has been doing this for years and it really doesn't affect normal users. I'm an unlimited user, I still stream everything when I drive, watch videos an download/update apps here and there while out and I've only been throttled once during a holiday season for one day (it was at the end of the cycle).
 
B

benh911f

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
427
447
bushido said:
tell that to all of europe :p technically it is unlimited you just dont get the full speed anymore but u do not have to pay extra therefore it is unlimited.

we have unlimited plans over here that get throttled after 200mb ###
Click to expand...

Well that's even worse for you guys over there, but by the very definition of unlimited, they shouldn't be throttling the speed at any point. If they are, they can't call it unlimited.
If you go to a restaurant with unlimited free drink refills, you're going to get as many as you want. THAT'S unlimited.
 
Prof.

Prof.

macrumors 603
Aug 17, 2007
5,304
2,012
Chicagoland
auero said:
We can thank those who consume buckets of data (~20GB+) each month for ruininig it for the rest of us. I see people brag about abusing the network by downloading torrents and other crap via their phones.
Click to expand...
Yep. Just a few mins ago I read someone was using 486GBs a month with their grandfathered data plan.
 
M

ManWithAPlan

macrumors member
Feb 4, 2008
71
0
Last nail in the coffin...bu bye VZ, hello T-Mobile....did the T-Mobile Test Drive a month ago, and the coverage and throughput was insane compared to Verizon LTE. VZ has really gotten horrible lately, even in parts of the Northeast here, and T-Mobile is truly unlimited for 80 bucks/month. Done and done.
 
E

edgonzalez32

Suspended
Jul 21, 2011
673
1,256
xero9 said:
I'm torn. On one hand I feel like if it's unlimited, you should be able to use it and enjoy it all you like. On the flip side, if you're one of those people who are tethering it and using it as a replacement to broadband internet at home and are torrenting gig after gig after gig, then I feel like you're abusing it.

I know I'm kind of contradicting my arguments, but I'm sure most will see what I'm getting at.

What Fido did with their unlimited plan was smart.. Simply don't let them have access to LTE. You want unlimited, you stay on HSPA.
Click to expand...

I can't see how that's abusing it. It's unlimited data. How they use it is up to them. "You can have unlimited data but try not to do these things" bull ****
 
djbuddha

djbuddha

macrumors 6502
Aug 7, 2011
387
424
xero9 said:
I'm torn. On one hand I feel like if it's unlimited, you should be able to use it and enjoy it all you like. On the flip side, if you're one of those people who are tethering it and using it as a replacement to broadband internet at home and are torrenting gig after gig after gig, then I feel like you're abusing it.

I know I'm kind of contradicting my arguments, but I'm sure most will see what I'm getting at.

What Fido did with their unlimited plan was smart.. Simply don't let them have access to LTE. You want unlimited, you stay on HSPA.
Click to expand...

When did Fido offer unlimted HSPA???!!! :eek:

I've had the 6 GB/$30 month plan since 2008 (iPhone 3G launch). I called them about higher plans and even unlimited and they said they don't offer anything to cater to me (even after a lengthy conversation about how our needs as consumers have changed. The rep didn't agree. HD phones these days, more apps, light tethering ..)

I modded my vehicle and installed an iPad. I'd love to be able to stream music while using google maps without checking my usage every few hours.

I agree, those who are abusing it are hurting it for the rest of us should really pony up extra cash. But I average between 6 and 9 gigs a month and I have a really good high speed connection at home, not to mention that I use wifi almost everywhere I can. Let's face it. Our data needs have changed.

When the 3G came out here, we had a major outcry in Canada about data plans and got the 6 GB/$30 plan. But it took petitions and news reports and activism lol. 6 years later, we're moving backwards. It's all BS. Sometimes I wonder if people would abuse the system if it wasn't limited for most. I feel like the majority of those who abuse it are only doing it because they feel like they're getting away with something. Unlimited, true unlimited as an add-on should be prices around $60ish and add tethering for $10-$15 more. They'll make hand over fist money and everybody wins. Eventually the prices drop and we really win (eventually anyway).
 
marshallbedsaul

marshallbedsaul

macrumors 6502a
Nov 14, 2007
892
72
Utah
tliede20 said:
Not vibing with this and I'm sure a lot of people are going to begin to bitch about it seeing as Verizon doesn't really offer true unlimited anymore. I'll definitely be in the bunch seeing as I have my grandfathered plan and I'm stuck paying full price for upgrades unless I find a loophole like I did with the 5s. Sigh, everything to make a dime for them.

Anyone else seeing a "class action incoming"??
Click to expand...

I'm with you on this wtf. I use at least 10gb a month. And always have to pay out of pocket for upgrades. No this crap
 
U

uwdude

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2014
918
469
It's just like if you go to an All-You-Can-Eat buffet at a restaurant. Most people take 2 or 3 plates worth of food, and they're full. But once in a while you get someone who weighs more than 500 pounds come in, and try to eat every ounce of food in the whole restaurant, and restaurants do have the discretion on these deals to cut it off after a certain amount. That's all Verizon is saying. I think it really should be more like top 1%, since those are the real offenders, but whatever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom