VERIZON (hasn't) TERMINATED MY SERVICE

sgdt · EVDO Newbie Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

OK, some background. I got Verizon EVDO a while back, and was quite happy until the "Terminated my Service" threads started. I made sure my family wasn't going over the limits, didn't stream any audio or video, turned off automatic updates, etc.

I checked my usage daily, and noticed the amount they saw in traffic was much higher than what my computer said it was generating (ie. 30MB of send + receive for the day would be reported as nearly 100MB). It was almost exactly 3 times the amount I actually used. I had (incorrectly) figured this was do to re-transmits or something like that.

Anyway, trying to limit my family and myself to below 1GB per month (to ensure we never hit 5GB) was VERY frustrating. And THEN, on TWO occasions, they forgot to reset the meter (had me panicked that they would terminate my service because they thought we used 6GB). Did I mention that I didn't even let my family browse web sites that had large pictures? Or click a thumbnail to enlarge it?

My family hated me, and really, I couldn't blame them.

I had it with the stress, so I went with a Competitor a few months back. I had *assumed* from everything I read that if I just let the kids go nuts it for a bit, that would get me terminated, and I'd be done with it.

So I ordered, let the kids have the old one, and checked the mail daily for my letter.

From our side, usage went up (as expected). But now it was pretty much exactly what Verizon was reporting.

I began rewarding my kids for browsing for bigger pictures, still not enough. I introduced them to YouTube and the like, and great, got it up to like 12GB.

Still no letter.

So, the next month I had them downloading like crazy, transferring files via instant messenger, never watching the same YouTube video twice, etc. 30GB!!!

Still no letter.

And still no letter again.

And last month we did like 70GB, I'm begriming to think they are ignoring me.

I've been told by friends I should report myself as a "spammer" or something.

It's so frustrating, because I would have been totally happy with 5-10GB per month. It was the inaccuracy of their reporting thingy that was limiting us to like 1GB / month of actual usage that was frustrating, and caused me to want to switch providers.

1 Gig of actual usage is VERY easy to exceed, but 5-10GB, if your not MASSIVELY streaming, is quite hard to exceed. Doing 70GB in a month, on EVDO, is a frik'n miracle!

Anyway, I switched, and I can't dump the new one either because (you guessed it) they have pretty much the exact same early termination fee.

I had gotten in before Verizon agreed to pro-rate termination fees, I don't think they will. I've been very happy (aside from the stress) with the actual service of both providers. More than fast enough for anything we do.

Hell, if I had NEVER read the TERMINATED MY SERVICE threads, I'd still be ecstatically pleased with Verizon. If they reported accurately, I'd still have stayed, as I could have gotten by 5-10GB easy.

But right now, what I *really* need, is a letter. Crying or Very sad

karlyn · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:23 am Post subject:

Can't help you with your letter Crying or Very sad

but you get the prize for the funniest post I've read on this forum! Laughing

clarkgable · EVDO User Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 89

I think the whole idea of a cap is a legacy from the Baby Bell days when the Bells could more or less dictate to consumers what they could or could not do.

cblzac · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 11

lol just use it till they kill ya then go with sprints evdo setup.

editor1 · EVDO User Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 82

Referring to the Baby Bell comment: consider that a bandwidth user's behavior actually does impinge upon the experience of other users, so the cap conceivably protects the interests of some customers.

riptides · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 11

Perhaps your not in an area of high use. I would expect monitoring of certain segments which have higher than "expected" utilization.

jon8105 · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 148

After reading this I am really considering trying out Verizon EVDO. I was waiting for Sprint, which all I get is that we should get it soon (which has been about 4-6 months now), because of the bandwidth cap, but if I can get away with 10 GB a month I can go with Verizon. I have dial-up now and HATE it, but I am not going with satellite because of the ping. So, should I give Verizon a shot if I can maintain about a 10GB/month bandwidth usage?

Also, I live outside a town with about 55,000 people, which is were the tower is. So maybe since I live in an area where a lot of people don't have EVDO (Because of Bellsouth DSL and Charter Cable) they might care as much as they would in a highly populated area?!?

andy6432668 · EVDO User Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 65

yes you can go with vzw the most they will do if you use more than there limit they will just give you the boot without the E.T.F. then go with another carrier without the cap.

jon8105 · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 148

So then I guess I can give them a try, and if I do get terminated oh well!! I will just be out the money used to buy the equipment. But as of right now my ONLY high speed choices are Verizon EVDO and Satellite. And since I am not going to get satellite, I don't have an option. I was just hoping that if I waited long enough Sprint would be out my way!!

rickster · EVDO Junkie Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 216

Get the EVDO I was once in your situation. EVDO from either carrier beats dialup frustration. ... my 2 cents.

magicpie · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 10

I've had my service for nearly 2 years and I normally use around 8-10gigs a month, this is my primary internet access for my home and do online gaming(despite horrible ping) large downloads and stream videos regularly. I have yet to receive a letter, nor was it ever mentioned when I called about a problem a few months back.

I think the monitoring is within high usage areas, am in a small town and could properly count on one hand the number of EVDO users on the tower I use. I think this also maybe the reason I see download speeds faster then the average person on here, I plan to switch to Rev A next month and hope I dont have to worry about exceeding the limit, for me higher speed, means more downloading Very Happy

jon8105 · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 148

Thanks guys, that is probably what I will do. I am estimating that I will use about 7 GB/month, and I too live in a relatively small city (55,000). I don't know of anyone who has Verizon EVDO REV A because everyone, except me, can get Bellsouth DSL or Charter High Speed.

note: I actually don't live in the city limits, but that is where the tower is located, and I know I can get service because I have my cell phone through them. Where I live there is only a population of 650 PEOPLE!!!! Very Happy

editor1 · EVDO User Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 82

Be sure to check coverage maps (here on this site and on the provider's website) before you get the service, because the fact that you have cellphone coverage does not mean you also have Rev 0/A coverage. I had to wait a very long time in my area (extremely low pop density) before EVDO was here, even though cell coverage was well established.

jon8105 · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 148

No, I know I have Verizon EVDO Rev A. My phone shows the EV above the 1X icon, and I know that the tower in Decatur, which is the one I will be using, is Rev A!

PegAir · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 10

The termination fee is substantially less than continuing the service .. just cancel it! Smile