Verizon explains that the targeted users are jumping well over the 100 GB mark.
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It’s been discovered that Sprint is now testing a new plan called the Unlimited Freedom Plan.
In its report, Droid Life cited unnamed sources who said Verizon was “working on an unlimited data plan migration for the highest unlimited data users on their network”.
In a statement to Droid Life, Verizon defined excessive data users as using more data each month than allowed in Verizon’s top tier data plan – 100 gigabytes (GB). A year later, it required those who were upgrading service to ditch unlimited.
The changes made to the unlimited data plan will only affect a very small percentage of Verizon’s customer base. And only a fraction of them use inordinate amounts of data.
In 2014, Verizon tried throttling speeds for unlimited users who exceeded 4.7GB worth of data each month, an idea they eventually scrapped due to pressure from the Federal Communications Commission. Furthermore, the $450 plan is designed for more users not just one, but there are instances when a single Verizon user burns more data a month than multiple users let’s say from a company. This is quite expensive as compared to the nearly $50 that is being paid by users subscribed to unlimited data plans.
On an interesting side note, rival companies such as T-Mobile and AT&T still throttle their own heavy data users of unlimited data when their networks get overloaded, and the FCC seems fine with it.
Verizon Wireless customers who still have grandfathered-in unlimited data plans and use more than 100GB per month are being asked to pick a limited plan by August 31 – or face losing their accounts.
What the company saidThe company is taking action “because our network is a shared resource, and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon”, said the mobile carrier giant on a statement. According to Verizon, not many people are affected by the switch, but there are enough to prompt the company to make this unusual move.
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If you’ve been using your Verizon data to upload or download huge files onto the cloud or from torrent sites and your contract with them is fast running out, you might want to curb your usage starting now.
