Verizon Introduces New EVDO Phone and Data Plans

jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

Wouldn't it seem reasonable to limit the extra megabyte charges to the maximum amount of the Unlimited Account since you would be getting equivalent service?

TigerFX · EVDO User Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 36

There is no unlimited data plan anymore.

LordTroan · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 20

There was never a real unlimited plan. I think they should offer an unlimited plan(even for extra $$'s). I really want to drop Verizon now because this outrageous overage fees, even if I am in the clear from getting these charges. Although I wouldn't mind paying cancellation fees and switching to Sprint. I can only get Verizon where I live.
I think there should be a sticky about the limits and fees.

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1899

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 414

Alex, see my earlier post. I spoke directly with Verizon's Account Investigation Unit and I provided the number. They were very clear on the matter with the overage charges on the new plans. It wasn't my opinion as it came straight from the horses mouth.

As I stated though it is for new customers, NOT existing customers. See my post and you guys give them a call.

I also agree with you that I've never known anyone to be throttled back for exceeding their bandwidth, BUT now (with new customers) they can charge for it! Since you do sell Verizon accounts I would definitely call the people at the above number and get the scoop.They seemed to have the new info and had answers ready in hand.

Tony

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1899

Tony, i did see your post, and took it up a couple levels.

Those higher levels told me what you were told was an option being discussed, but it was not yet a 'final decision'.

My guess is, some folks are saying it out loud to 'gauge response' and see how it would play out.

Until its in 'black and white' somewhere on verizon site that everyone can see for themselves... i choose to reserve judgment.

speculation turns into some pretty wild interpretations sometimes... and quite often, none of what's said on a blog by someone who isn't even a customer, can be verified as truth.

all i'm trying to do is balance the speculative rumors with a call for common sense:

read the terms of service yourself

don't even believe what a verizon person tells you on the phone. we all know that recorded evidence from a few months back, was offered as proof that a high rate of misinformation is given by verizon over the phone.

phone calls to any carrier... be it verizon/sprint/att... resemble a game that i am calling "agent roulette"...

you never know what you're going to get on the phone, but most of the time, its a "blank" Shocked

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 414

Thanks Alex for some clarification and hopping up a couple levels. I agree 120% not to set anything in concrete until you can see it such as a TOS published. Boy that guy I talked to was pretty blunt and to the point and had me convinced lol! Kind of a weird way of testing waters eh lol? Well I guess time will tell as their new plans evolve and the TOS come out for our viewing pleasure. I'll reserve final judgment until then.

Tony

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1899

Tony, i'm guessing you haven't watched that video i linked to. you should:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdKwRdWocco

most of the agents answering the questions, sounded pretty sure of themselves, too.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 414

I did see that, but I guess I put too much credence in the title of the dept. I called "Verizon's Accounts Investigative Unit". Starting to take 'ol Forest Gump a little more serious. EVDO is like a box of chocolates, ya never know what you're gonna get. Smile

Guess we'll see how it plays out with them.

Tony

xenophon · EVDO Addict Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 1969

I agree with Alex that the overcharges reported aren't solid until Verizon clarifies it in writing, the TOS or otherwise.

NewtownGal · EVDO Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Cellular broadband was never intended to be a replacement for wired broadband Internet access. Orange, a big cellular provider in Europe, has a limit (total upload + download) of 1 GB/day or 3 GB/month, so Verizon's 5 GB/month limit is generous.

And it's not just the speed of a particular tower, the backhaul speed, which connects towers and ultimately the Internet, is limited, too.

Just what kind of data are the folks who are complaining so much moving ? If they're downloading motion pictures over cellular, or continuously uploading / streaming video surveillance, cellular is not the place for them.

If you search for VerizonWireless and Fair Usage Bandwidth Policy, you'll find an article that says Verizon terminated more than 13,000 customers in 2007 for excessive bandwidth usage.
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-- NewtownGal

xenophon · EVDO Addict Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 1969

EVDO can replace cable/dsl for some if the capacity is there. I dumped my cable modem and do EVDO exclusively. I can't stream really really high quality video (though NetFlix streaming works well) and VoIP isn't quite solid enough but it certainly can compete with cable/dsl for even above average users.

I now use over 5GB/month on Sprint ever since replacing my cable modem. I know that there are a few people in my condo building that use Sprint EVDO too, yet I still get 1-2Mbps at home. I often stream 128Kbps radio with no issues.

Verizon doesn't appear to have as much average capacity as Sprint. They have 65 million users on under 30,000 cellsites. Sprint has about 40m CDMA users on well over 30K cellsites. Sprint has also been adding CDMA cellsites (on existing Nextel sites) at a faster rate than Verizon.

For now Sprint seems to be able to handle it, granted with tower issues here and there. If/When they get WiMAX out the door, which should allow VoIP and HQ video, the load on EVDO should actually decrease, but only in markets where WiMAX is present. Verizon probably can't support heavy users as well as Sprint could (on average), hence the Verizon 5GB limit. Speedtests avg results imply that Sprint has more capacity than Verizon - of course it depends, but the user/tower ratio situation is a reasonable explanation.

Sprint not only allows WiFi routers, they sell them, implying they do intend EVDO to replace landline broadband. WiMAX is better suited but EVDO is a reasonable transition for many users.

But if Verizon canceled only 13K users, that's probably only about 1% of their laptop card users.

P.S. Come on Sprint. Get some balls and announce $60-$80/month for unlimited voice.

theguero · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

Here is the scoop.

I am a cell tech for VZW and I do love my job and my company. However, like all of you I was very disappointed to hear the news on 2/20.

The new Broadband Access plans do not offically start until March 2. So if you want to be grandfathered under the current plan, BUY NOW!

It is true. Grandfathered Broadband Access customers MAY BE throttled back if they go over 5GB per month. This is am imporvement over the old policy which was to send you a nasty letter in the mail if you exceeded 5GB two months in a row OR 10GB in one month.

I can live with 200kbps for a couple of weeks as long as I am not harassed.

But for the customers that sign a 2 year after March 2, 2008, it is a completely different story. You will be paying for 5GB per month for $59.99. If you exceed the 5GB you will be billed $.50 per MB.

I look at this as a huge step backwards! I have been saying for the past 3 years that the next thing I want is to have oxygen pumped into the marketing department at Verizon Wireless. It appears they are quite retarted!

As far as the speed difference between Sprint and VZW, there is a couple of reasons. Yes one being the amount of use between the two networks. The other is that Sprint since day one has had compression enabled on their EVDO network. This makes a huge difference. VZW will be enabling compression within the first half of 2008. So this should make it a more level playing field. I am not the crazy about compression personally but I guess to please the masses it has to be done.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confussion.
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595, 595U, 5750

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 414

This is also what I was told, BUT as Alex has mentioned when I see it in a new TOS and in writing then I'll be a more of a believer. Too many left hands that don't know what the right hands are doing or saying. When it comes out on paper and published on the Verizon site I might put some credence in it. Until then there has been way too much cross information given out by Verizon themselves. If correct I agree it's a step backwards for them and gives Sprint a boost ahead which is alright by me!

Like mentioned earlier Sprint even encourages and sells routers where I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) it's against Verizon's TOS to use a router. At this point all I can say is I'm sure glad I bailed to Sprint last week. I hope I don't eat crow lol!

theguero · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject:

You are correct. Verizon Wireless does not support or "allow" the use of routers unless it is one of the models they sell with a "pay per MB" price plan. This is currently available and I would like to think is on the website somewhere. It has been available for over 6 months now.

March 2 is the date you will see all this. They would not post it now because it is NOT the TOS that is in effect today.

I can tell you that I have been extremely busy adding 2nd and 3rd EVDO carriers to a boat load of cell sites here in SoCal.

Just so you all know, a single EVDO carrier is 3.1MB per second of data. So a cell site with 2 or 3 carriers is 6.2 or 9.3MB per second. They are serious about putting Sprint in the toilet. Of course the only problem is that if they cap the customer on the usage, that will be very hard to do.

In VZW's favor, Sprint has announced to the rest of the industry that they have canceled ALL network upgrades for 2008 due to a serious financial situation. So here in SoCal we are aquiring many licenses that Sprint held for new coverage.
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595, 595U, 5750