Verizon updates T&Cs to further redefine "unlimited" data usage
By Darren Murph 
posted Nov 2nd 2007 4:59PM
posted Nov 2nd 2007 4:59PM
After Verizon's ambiguousness ended up hitting it right where it hurts (read: the wallet), the carrier cleaned up its act a bit and redefined "unlimited" in a hot-off-the-press version of its Terms & Conditions. While perusing through the legalese, you'll notice that checking out "continuous web camera posts or broadcasts / automatic data feeds (RSS)" are strictly prohibited, right along with P2P sharing or using your BroadbandAccess as a "substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections." Moving on, you'll also see that exceeding 5GB of usage during any single billing period gives Verizon the right to "reduce throughput speeds of any application that would otherwise exceed such speed to a maximum of approximately 200Kbps." It gets worse -- these speeds are (unsurprisingly) "subject to change," so it sounds like your connection can be throttled right on down to a crawl should you pass the 5GB barrier. Have fun!*[Via jkOnTheRun]
*...just keep it under 5GB if you know what's good for you.
F Verizon, and F Comcast.
Brilliant use of the asterisk.
Are you people idiots?!? They are just trying to ensure that the network isn't overloaded by bandwith hogs & slowing everybody else down!!
Why the hell is it called unlimited if it isn't?
RSS is prohibited? WTF?!
Thank God I don't have VZW.
Wow. Who thinks Sprint is better now? Uhhh. Me!
The rss feeds being prohibited is in the direct case that you run a stream or support of rss feeds. Though in theory this should never be able to reach over 5 gig of data per month Verizon feltthe need to add it to the list of things like streaming music videos or file sharing.
As for the Five gig limit and the unlimited data speal this is not uncommon on any carrier sprint or att both have data cap restrictions and use the term "unlimited use" which even that term can be debated, Most companies should nmovie away form the term unlimited and to a gig standard the problem being quick boat jumping fan boys are always fast to jump to unlimited before reading the terms and conditions and in the end Verizon losses net adds and we get a whole lot of pissed off fan boys.
Anyway I'm sure you're carriers will all be happy to see you pay 175+ to jump ship and then jump ship again to you're original carrier.
Case and point read the terms and conditions if you atr unsure of what you're signing and you have 30 days for a reason if someone tells you something and you're unsure of it rtfm
do you know how freakin hard it is to pull 5GB of information on your data/air card in a single month? It's almost astronomical!!!! If you're wanting to do things like stream videos out the ying yang or pretty much play games online 24/7, then you'd probably be on your landline internet anyways. People to flip out when they find out that "unlimited" isn't really... well... UNLIMITED. But don't freak, they give you PLENTY of breathing room. I guess some of you really think "Satisfaction Guaranteed" really means it's completely guaranteed. Right.
Actually, it would only take about 8-10 hours of use at full speed.
The public demand for mobile bandwidth far exceeds VZW's ability to deliver it to the mass market.
That said, VZW shouldn't call a plan "unlimited" if it has, y'know...limits.
I suppose I can understand the frustration with this on the basis that "unlimited" really doesn't mean "unlimited", BUT, I have had Verizon's data package with a Treo 650 and now a Q for exactly 2 years and I have yet to exceed 30MB of data in a single billing period, including tethering to my laptop while traveling and moderate e-mail use.
I simply fail to see how anyone can run into a 5GB limit on these devices, even tethered unless you've simply cancelled your home high-speed connection and are using your mobile to download torrents.
Enlighten me - how do you use more than 5GB/mo from a smartphone?
It sounds like a lot, but it's actually only around 160 MB per day. That's a lot of email, but not that much if you start using advanced applications, like large streaming video. For instance, a Slingbox connection at 400 Kbits eats 180 MB per hour. At one megabit, it's 450 MB per hour. Also, some websites can reach impressively large sizes, as can Word documents, attachments, and software updates.
5GB is certainly enough for the large majority of users, those who don't need video or a replacement to a WiFi connection, but it's still not "unlimited" no matter how Verizon tries to bribe the dictionary people.
Slingbox type applications are explicitly not permitted per the Verizon ToS, and even so I've yet to see any actual use for Slingbox beyond the "wow" factor. Who wants to watch TV on a tiny smartphone screen?
I still can't come up with a way you can possibly exceed 5GB/mo on these data plans without clearly violating the ToS anyway. Its not made to be a always-on video feed or to replace your home connection. Even traveling, I first try to use a hotel wi-fi before I resort to tethering my phone.
I'll gladly take Verizon and their 5GB limit over AT&T and not being able to use my phone anywhere. In the states I travel, its Verizon or nothing. Sure, I'd love to have cheaper data but its a justified business expense, so you pay to play.
What are these carriers thinking? They make you pay out of the ass for data plans, advertise it like crazy, and then tell you that you can't use it for anything practically. This ain't Cartmanland. Great marketing dudes!
Verizon Wireless never once marketed this as taking the place of your ISP. It is marketed as being able to surf and get email from your laptop while out on the road at broadband speeds. I don't like the term unlimited anymore than the next guy, and cable/dsl operators don't offer unlimited access either. If you get caught running a server on one of their residential service lines and you will get turned off very quickly.
But either way, the carriers obviously need to clarify the terms of service on these devices now that they have reached speeds that are competitive with traditional broadband services. Again the pricing is not for the speed of the service it is for the ability to use it while traveling from New York to Miami for example, something you can' do with your landline service.
I can understand the fanboys getting peeved if Verizon Wireless/Sprint/AT&T marketed this like Hughes Satellite does as a broadband ISP you can get anywhere for your home data connection, but alas none of the carriers advertise it as a home ISP replacement. It is what it is, and it does it better than any other ISP can. It is a wireless broadband internet connection that you can use in many places in North America. It is not a replacement for your home ISP. If you got duped by a salesperson, I have some land and a couple of bridges to sell you and get rich quick scheme that you all you have to do is give me a few hundred bucks and then just wait for the cash to roll in... If you aren't that stupid, then read the Terms of Service and try it out. You get 30 days to cancel and return the device if you don't like it.
From VerizonWireless.com
"Wireless PC Card Plans
If your business keeps you on the move, you need more than Wi-Fi hotspots to stay productive. With our VZAccess® solution, use your notebook to wirelessly access the Internet, your intranet, or your email via our high-speed network. Connect at a worksite, a park, or even while riding in a taxi — wherever BroadbandAccess coverage is available"
TRUE, it technically isn't limited if they're actually putting a cap on your usage. However, 5GB is such a ridiculous amount of data that it might as well be called unlimited. So I'm guessing that such a limit wouldn't even affect 99% of you guys. Besides, if they let everybody hog the bandwidth like a lonely nerd downloading a virtual girlfriend at night, then god forbid, the ev-do might slow down to GSM speeds. Think of it as them doing you a huge favor.
you are all freaking retards. seriously. bitch all you want. blah blah. 5 gigs a month? seriously. download porn on your computers and stop bitching.
i hate you all verizon haters. go get an iphone and surf at shitty speeds.