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Verizon Wireless will begin disconnecting its grandfathered unlimited data customers from its network if they use more than 100 GB of data a month and don't switch to one of the company's new wireless plans, according to a report from Droid Life. Verizon partially confirmed the news to Ars Technica.

verizonlogo-800x206.jpg

"Because our network is a shared resource and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon, we are notifying a very small group of customers on unlimited plans who use an extraordinary amount of data that they must move to one of the new Verizon Plans by August 31, 2016," a Verizon spokesperson told Ars. "These users are using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100GB). While the Verizon Plan at 100GB is designed to be shared across multiple users, each line receiving notification to move to the new Verizon Plan is using well in excess of that on a single device."
Verizon didn't confirm what would happen to customers who did not migrate to the new plans by August 31, but Droid Life reported they would have their access to the network cut off. Customers would be able to reinstate their accounts if they switch to a new plan within 50 days.

Last October, Verizon raised the price of its grandfathered unlimited data plan from $30 to $50 per month. Verizon's largest limited data plan is a 100 GB option that costs $450 a month. More recently, the company debuted a revamped version of its plans, adding features like Carryover Data and Safety Mode, which allows users to avoid overage fees and opt for throttled data speeds instead. The new plans start at $35 per month for 2 GB of data. The company also recently debuted a $20 fee when upgrading a device.

Article Link: Verizon to Cut Off Unlimited Data Customers Who Exceed 100GB of Usage Per Month
 

deany

macrumors 68030
Sep 16, 2012
2,873
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could you tether with that 100GB?, as I challenge anyone to use 100GB untethered.

I pay approx $56 for 100GB sim only data for WiFi use (EE UK 4g double speed up to 60mbps) so $450 seems extortionate
 
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jtrain907

macrumors newbie
Jun 9, 2012
12
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Verizon does a lot of stuff that's terrible and user-hostile, but this is honestly not one of them. There's no reason to be using >100GB per mobile device.

For those of us still using the 3G data sticks because we live in a rural area and don't want to deal with satellite internet, it's easy to use 100GB with 5 people who watch Netflix.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,922
12,470
NC
So these old grandfathered plans will now only let you use 100GB of data per month for $50 a month.

That still sounds pretty good.

A normal plan today offers only 4GB for $50 a month... or else it costs $450 a month to get 100GB.

But no... you're getting 100GB for $50 a month.

This is your reward for holding on to your old plan from the Blackberry days. It may not be "unlimited" anymore... but it's still pretty damn good. Almost unfair to everyone else.

Consider yourself lucky!
 
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ck2875

macrumors 65816
Mar 25, 2009
1,029
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Brighton
verizon-a-better-network-as-explained-by-a-door-large-1.jpg


- Verizon: "This is data on a wireless network."
- Guy 1: "Look a door!"
- Guy 2: "Let's all go through it together."
- Verizon: "When it gets busy, it can get overwhelmed."
- Verizon: "A better network prepares for heavy traffic with more capacity"
- Guy 1: "The door is bigger!"

...

- Verizon: "No, we just closed the door on everyone who used over 100GB of their "Unlimited" Data."
 

deany

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Sep 16, 2012
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North Wales

Bearxor

macrumors 6502a
Jun 7, 2007
768
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hope they don't charge $450!. I rely on a 4g 100GB for my internet with one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013P15G4K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 which I highly recommend, but you mention 3g only.
My mom is in this situation. In the middle of Northeast Oklahoma with no traditional internet access and she has a 3G MiFi that 4 people share. She uses 60-80GB a month.

When she bought it it was $30/mo for unlimited and they did increase it to $50/mo but from what I remember Verizon never offered an unlimited data LTE broadband plan on a MiFi so she's completely unable to upgrade but 3G is better than satellite.

I figure it's only a matter of time before before they decide to lower than 100GB threshold down to 80GB and then lower it even further to where it's unusable for her. Hopefully by then there will be additional internet options.
 
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Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
34,283
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In the middle of several books.
It doesn't matter whether there is a reason or not. It was Verizon who decided to call it "unlimited," not the users.
And I am sure that said term is specifically defined in the customer contract that the customer(s) signed. And if the contract is typical of what is in AT&T, Sprint, and others, "unlimited" isn't defined as a customer being able to use as much data as can be had every day of every week of every month, whereby the carrier believes that the customer is, or has abused the carrier's services, and such actions are not in line with what the carrier defines or may define as "reasonable."
 
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iReality85

macrumors 65816
Apr 29, 2008
1,107
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Upstate NY
Excuse my ignorance, but how does one even attain 100GB+ of data usage during a single month? I'm not talking multiple shared users, just one.

My guess is they have to be using it as a tether, right? As a sole means of Internet access, with no WiFi at all? And lots of video streaming? Seems to me the only way.

I could be wrong.
 

deany

macrumors 68030
Sep 16, 2012
2,873
2,086
North Wales
My mom is in this situation. In the middle of Northeast Oklahoma with no traditional internet access and she has a 3G MiFi that 4 people share. She uses 60-80GB a month.

When she bought it it was $30/mo for unlimited and they did increase it to $50/mo but from what I remember Verizon never offered an unlimited data LTE broadband plan on a MiFi so she's completely unable to upgrade but 3G is better than satellite.

I figure it's only a matter of time before before they decide to lower than 100GB threshold down to 80GB and then lower it even further to where it's unusable for her. Hopefully by then there will be additional internet options.

Its great that your mom can get the internet in a rural location. We cant get broadband here, rural North Wales but are lucky to have a 4g cell 1 1/2 miles away and get upto 50mbps it works out to about $56 for 100GB, we cancelled the landline and use Skype, very fortunate.
Hope they update your moms cell to 4g soon - we had the update last September, cheers
 
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Andres Cantu

macrumors 68040
May 31, 2015
3,252
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It might start with 100+GB, but then it'll be less and less until they completely abandon all unlimited customers. That's what they do.
 
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R3aping_Cha0s

macrumors newbie
Jul 21, 2016
1
0
AT&T does the Unlimited Data as long as you get the lowest DirecTv plan. I personally have 999GB to use each month of mobile data plus its still cheap as anything else!
 

sundog925

macrumors 6502a
Dec 19, 2011
948
971
Excuse my ignorance, but how does one even attain 100GB+ of data usage during a single month? I'm not talking multiple shared users, just one.

My guess is they have to be using it as a tether, right? As a sole means of Internet access, with no WiFi at all? And lots of video streaming? Seems to me the only way.

I could be wrong.

I can answer this.

Verizon sold me an UNLIMITED PLAN.

THIS MONTH ONLY.....

I don't have home internet.

I pay an extra $30/month for hotspot, total $60-data, comparable to comcast internet, which i cancelled.

I use it for netflix, hulu, HBO etc, podcasts, apple music, youtube, AIRPLAY movies from iPhone to apple TV.

I use the data because why not? Its my plan and Verizon say it 'has my back' to use my data how i want.

I have used just over 70GB.

We who have the plans use them since we are not tethered to Wi-fi all the time.

I usually average 20GB with normal use. This month, and months prior (as during a move) have been the exception.

When you just use data for iMessage and apps, i can see only using a couple GB's off wifi.

This isn't the case always in the real world with 1080p everything nowadays.
 
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