Verizon's New Official Broadband Usage Specifics!

vpnavy · EVDO Junkie Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 168

Just got this letter today from Verizon. Looks like Verizon will let you do anything you want (i.e., IntraNet, etc.) and only throttle you if you exceed 5GB. Here is the letter:

May 9, 2008

Dear xxxxx

Verizon Wireless has expanded the permitted uses of its BroadbandAccess service to include all Internet usage, such as Internet browsing; email; intranet access; uploading, downloading and streaming of audio, video and games; and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).ln addition, Verizon Wireless no longer reserves the right to terminate the BroadbandAccess service of customers who use it to send and receive more than 5 gigabytes of data per line in a single monthly billing period. Instead, Verizon Wireless reserves the right to limit the throughput speed of the service to a maximum of 200 kilobytes per second for up to 30 days, without further notice, once 5 gigabytes have been used. (As an example, in order to reach 5 gigabytes in a monthly billing period, you would need to send and/or receive approximately 1,747,627 plain text emails, or download approximately 1,280 songs. See further examples on the reverse side of this letter, under" Approximate Data Usage Examples.") If your usage does not exceed 5 gigabytes in a billing period, your service will not be affected. You may assess and monitor your data usage during a particular billing period by accessing My Account online at verizonwireless.com/myaccount, or by contacting Customer Service at 1.800.xxx.xxxx.

Certain uses, such as uses that are illegal, infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others, directly interfere with other users, interfere with the network's ability to fairly allocate capacity among users or otherwise severely degrade service quality for all users, are still prohibited and are fully described in the new Data Plans and Features terms and conditions on the reverse side of this letter.

Because your data has at one time or another exceeded 4 gigabytes in one or more billing periods, and you-may be impacted by the speed limitation if you exceed 5 gigabytes in a single billing period in the future, you may maintain your service subject to the new policies described above or, if you are unhappy with these changes, you may cancel your BroadbandAccess service within 60 days of receiving this notice with no early-termination fee.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 1.800.xxx.xxxx. We appreciate your business.

Sincerely,
Verizon Wireless

BACKSIDE

Approximate Data Usage Examples:

Basic information and examples showing the approximate data usage for several common Internet activities appear below.

The speed of the Verizon Wireless data network is measured in kilo bits (Kb) per second.

However, the amount of data transmitted over the Verizon Wireless data network is measured in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB).

Bit A unit of information that represents a single character

Byte A unit of information composed of 8 bits

Kilobyte 1,024 bytes (measuring the number of kilobytes tells you the size of a file and/or the amount of data you have used)

Megabyte 1,024 kilobytes (measuring the number of megabytes tells you the size of a file and/or the amount of data you have used)

Gigabyte 1,024 megabytes (measuring the number of gigabytes tells you the amount of data you have used)

Examples

Email (1 text page without attachments) 3KB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to send and/or receive approximately 1,747,627 emails in a month to reach 5GB)

Word® Document (5 text pages) 70KB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to download approximately 74,897 Word® documents in a month to reach 5GB)

Typical Web Page Lookup 150KB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to look up approXimately 34,952 Web pages in a month [or over ,1 ,000 per day] to reach 5GB)

Low-Resolution Digital Photo - --.- ---
(Based on this assumption, you would need to download approximately 10,485 low-resolution digital photos in a month to reach 5GB) 500KB

PowerPoint® Presentation (20 text pages & light graphics) 3MB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to download approximately 1,707 PowerPoint presentations in a month to reach 5GB)

V CAST Music Over-the-Air Download (3-minute song) 2MB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to download approXimately 2,560 songs in a month to reach 5GB)

V CAST Music PC Download (3-minute song) 4MB
(Based on this assumption, you would need to download approximately 1,280 songs in a month [or over 40 per day] to reach 5GB)

Note: The above examples are just estimates, based on approximate size assumptions.

Actual file sizes and user experiences will vary.

The Data Plans or Features are for individual use only, and you may not offer them for resale.

We further reserve the right to take measures to protect our network and other users from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance. These measures may impact your service, and we reserve the right to deny, modify or terminate service, with or without notice, to anyone we believe is using Data Plans or Features in a manner that adversely impacts our network.

We may monitoryour compliance, or the compliance of other subscribers, with these terms and conditions, but we will not monitor the content of your communications except as otherwise expressly permitted or required by law. See www.verizonwireless.com/privacy

Peterfield · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 132

That's for people with accounts that began before March 3, 2008. Accounts established subsequent to that date are charged for the overage and I personally know of two subsribers who have alrady been tagged for over $400.00 in their latest monthly bill.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435