New Unlimited Data on Verizon

[Second Chance]

Without knowing how severe the throttling is, I think it is hard to make a judgement. I can tell you that the safe feature of the Verizon 16GB & 24GB plans will do email and texting and that is about it. Most webpages including weather take forever to load and may time out.

 

If you can live with the lesser coverage of the other carriers than they may be a better choice. If you are doing a lot of streaming of TV, then I think you need to compare the cost of cell phones with an adequate amount of data to the cost of satellite TV and a more modest data plan.

 

We have the older "More Everything" Verizon plan with the XXL (24GB) data plan with two smartphones and a 4G LTE MiFi. We surf the web (graphic-intensive pages) constantly, do email and Facebook, and my wife frequently streams clips from the Today Show. All this at MUCH faster speeds than we can get on any park WiFi. We typically have about 8GB roll over to the next month. For example, after last month's roll-over, we had 34GB to use this month - all at standard 4G LTE speeds. The only thing we don't do that we did with Comcast fiberoptic cable at the stix 'n brix is stream NetFlix and Amazon Prime movies. We have Dish HD for TV and are happy with it.

 

At my wife's urging, I called Verizon this AM to check and see what the new "Unlimited" plan would do for us. Besides upping our costs a bit, the agent said - after reviewing our usage history - that it probably didn't make sense for us to switch to the new unlimited plan.

 

Rob

[Daveh]

DaBus my understanding is that FoxFi would violate the contract but I have never heard that Verizon can actually see that FoxFi is being used.

[Solo18]

Amazing how difficult it is to find all of this out from Verizon's web site!! Grrrr. The really sneaky things are all the asterisks after numbers but no way to find out what the asterisks refer to.

 

I use my internet to teach online so I need about 22-26 gig per month on three lines: one phone and two data. Currently, I have 40 gig, which they occasionally try to get me to reduce to save a couple of bucks, but I got that three years ago when they doubled my gigs after about a dozen complaining (mostly me yelling) phone calls I made when I bought a new hotspot that started gobbling up data at a ridiculous rate. (Same usage on my part, same speed, same everything except what they said I used.)

 

3G speeds would mean I would spend half of the month taking twice as long to do tasks online. Not a good deal for me.

 

I use their services, but am extremely suspicious of any new deals, so I am glad I did not click the box to change my service.

[Zulu]

Amazing how difficult it is to find all of this out from Verizon's web site!! Grrrr. The really sneaky things are all the asterisks after numbers but no way to find out what the asterisks refer to.

 

 

Try Verizon's Unlimited Plan FAQ.

[IRUNL8R]

Just got back from Verizon store...Upgraded to the Unlimited Plan and added back my 6620 Jet Pack...Actually dropped my bill by over $10.00 monthly even with the adding of the jetpack ( Disclosure..Opened business account and am a veteran so received both discounts). Andi upgraded her line as well and saved $14.00 monthly from an 8GB plan to unlimited, (removed my line from her account). She has no jetpack and tethers off mine. So total we have 44GB data of which 10GB can be off the hotspot full speed. After 10GB slowed to 3G speed NOT 3G Network at their discretion depending on how busy towers are in the area we are at.

We don't stream movies much, maybe once or twice a week at the extreme max. Currently will keep my T mobile plan as well but most likely ditch it in the next billing cycle and that will save about $90.00 monthly as well. Only had it for the unlimited.

This plan may not be for everyone and make sure you do your research and ask questions. ( I spent hours going over the information and asking questions at the store). It was definitely worth it for Andi and I as we do not have a grandfathered plan.

SPECIAL THANKS TO CHERIE/CHRIS OVER AT TECHNOMADIA www.rvmobileinternet.com/tv FOR THE INFORMATIVE INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE!!

[Jack Mayer]

So total we have 44GB data of which 10GB can be off the hotspot full speed. After 10GB slowed to 3G speed NOT 3G Network at their discretion depending on how busy towers are in the area we are at.

 

I hope you are right about that. I'll be interested to hear your experience. The way I understand it, you get slowed to 3G speed, which they define as 600 mbps, after 10 gig on the Jetpack. Not "may be slowed". WILL be slowed. Nothing to do with tower congestion. The 22 Gig cap is what "may" be slowed depending on tower congestion.

[IRUNL8R]

I hope you are right about that. I'll be interested to hear your experience. The way I understand it, you get slowed to 3G speed, which they define as 600 mbps, after 10 gig on the Jetpack. Not "may be slowed". WILL be slowed. Nothing to do with tower congestion. The 22 Gig cap is what "may" be slowed depending on tower congestion.

Hi Jack,

I asked General Manager at Corporate store that exact question and he said it is not Mandatory to slow to 3G speed but at Verizon's discretion IF tower using is congested AND you have used your full 10 GB on Hotspot. He called main office and confirmed that. BUT.. Like you said I am interested in seeing the result as well.

While in Quartzsite in January, we used over are allowance for "tethering" from my T Mobile phone ( Again a business account for me) and they DID NOT charge me nor did they slow my speed. We actually went over double the allowance of 7GB and used almost 18GB just from tethering.

 

We purposely have two separate accounts with Verizon now to have the total of 44GB and can add a jetpack to Andi's account to make it a total of 20GB of Hotspot full speed if needed. To add a jetpack to her account would be $20 monthly extra.

We are keeping the T Mobile phone as well and they answered Verizon with now 10GB of tethering hi speed data instead of the 7GB.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

 

We have a old Verizon grandfathered unlimited data plan only which is 3G. While at our homebase in Livingston we rely on the MiFi 2200 3G due to weak signal on our unlimited AT&T account. We use a lot of data on 3G last month 110gbs. We stream Netflix and Amazon Prime on it. We may consider this new Verizon unlimited plan as we are already stuck in a 3G and it's getting very hard to get any 3G devices that will work with the plan. For years Verizon has refused to help with this or let us upgrade to 4G. Their just hoping we go away. We are not on contract and pay $85.53 a month for our unlimited 3G MiFi but it's not throttled.

 

My other question would be that there was talk that 3G was going away, I guess it's not?

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[dzwiss]

So what is a connected device? Does that mean if I use my laptop through my Jetpack I have to pay an additional $5 per month? I also use my printer an a second tablet through the jetpack.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

A device is a phone, MiFi, or modem

[dzwiss]

A device is a phone, MiFi, or modem

 

Thank you Mark.......however I am still confused. The plan says that it costs 20/mo for a phone, tablet or jetpack of which you can have 10. It also says that it costs $5 per month for a "connected device", of which you can have 20.

 

How many devices can I have on the new Verizon Plan Unlimited?

This depends if you have the multi-line plan or single line plan.

 

Multi-line

• 10 smartphones, basic phones, Jetpacks or tablets
• 20 connected devices like a smartwatch

 

A phone, jetpack and tablet require their own lines at $20/mo.. What else would be included in the connected device category for an additional $5/mo?

[jjwicklund]

Verizon offered me the XXL 24 gig plan last Oct. It was a no brainer saved $40. and went from 450 min on the phone to unlimited and free text. Add to that the carryover of unused data on the jetpak.

[usnlt]

I switched to the unlimited data plan yesterday morning. I asked a lot of questions but evidently not the right ones. After following this thread, I called them last night and told them to switch me back to my 12 gig plus 6 gig bonus data plan. At first they told me the 12 gig plan was no longer available but I persisted and they switched me back. Told me if I had waited till this morning it would not have been possible. I hope none of my old plan details got screwed up in the switch. NOT being able to use a smartphone as a hotspot and the 10 gig limitation on my jetpack were the two lost features that made unlimited a bad plan for me.

[cpaulsen]

I did the double up plan 3 years ago........went from 15G-0G for the same price. I will stick to what I have because the new plan does not offer 30g and I would lose my 15% discount.

[Jack Mayer]

You cannot use your smartphone as a hotspot? That is the first I heard of that.....

[usnlt]

I tried to use my Galaxy S6 as a hotspot last night. Before the switch to unlimited data it worked fine and after the switch it didn't. Now that I switched back to my old 12 gig plan it works again. I had thought that maybe there was a work around the issue of only 10 gig on the jetpack by using the phone as a hotspot but not so. I did check it with foxfi and it did work with foxfi. We're not full timers and for the months were traveling and use more than the 18 gig I have in the plan, I can bump it up to a larger plan. Now that it looks like they've done away with the 12 gig plan I guess I'll have to live with 8, 16 or 24. That's doable for us.

[Five Wood]

I switched to the unlimited data plan yesterday morning. I asked a lot of questions but evidently not the right ones. After following this thread, I called them last night and told them to switch me back to my 12 gig plus 6 gig bonus data plan. At first they told me the 12 gig plan was no longer available but I persisted and they switched me back. Told me if I had waited till this morning it would not have been possible. I hope none of my old plan details got screwed up in the switch. NOT being able to use a smartphone as a hotspot and the 10 gig limitation on my jetpack were the two lost features that made unlimited a bad plan for me.

 

According to the Verizon website you can use a smartphone as a hotspot and it is included in the base cost. Maybe someone here who has also switched over to the new plan could chime in and verify this.

 

Jim

[usnlt]

 

According to the Verizon website you can use a smartphone as a hotspot and it is included in the base cost.

 

Jim

I told Verizon that was one of the reasons I wanted to return to my old plan and they didn't comment to the contrary. I wonder if it did work, would phone/hotspot data used on ANY of the 4 phones count towards the 10 gig limit?

[chirakawa]

I tried to use my Galaxy S6 as a hotspot last night. Before the switch to unlimited data it worked fine and after the switch it didn't. Now that I switched back to my old 12 gig plan it works again. I had thought that maybe there was a work around the issue of only 10 gig on the jetpack by using the phone as a hotspot but not so. I did check it with foxfi and it did work with foxfi. We're not full timers and for the months were traveling and use more than the 18 gig I have in the plan, I can bump it up to a larger plan. Now that it looks like they've done away with the 12 gig plan I guess I'll have to live with 8, 16 or 24. That's doable for us.

 

Probably a glitch in this hastily run out new plan.

 

Each device (smartphone, tablet, or mifi) on the new plan gets 22 gb 4g service before de-prioritization including 10 gb hotspot capability before throttling down to 3g 600 kb unlimited hotspot.

 

So, if you have one smartphone and one mifi on the new plan, you will get 44 gb unrestricted 4g service including a total of 20 gb 4g hotspot before being throttled.

[BlueLghtning]

So what is a connected device? Does that mean if I use my laptop through my Jetpack I have to pay an additional $5 per month? I also use my printer an a second tablet through the jetpack.

 

It doesn't look like anyone answered your question, but a connected device is something like a smart watch that has it's own sim card and can connect to the cellular network. These devices don't pull alot of data and hence why they are only $5.00 to add to a plan. Devices you connect through a wifi hotspot like your laptop would just count against your hotspot data usage. Verizon can't charge you extra for those devices connected over wifi.

[BlueLghtning]

I hope you are right about that. I'll be interested to hear your experience. The way I understand it, you get slowed to 3G speed, which they define as 600 mbps, after 10 gig on the Jetpack. Not "may be slowed". WILL be slowed. Nothing to do with tower congestion. The 22 Gig cap is what "may" be slowed depending on tower congestion.

 

 

Hi Jack,

I asked General Manager at Corporate store that exact question and he said it is not Mandatory to slow to 3G speed but at Verizon's discretion IF tower using is congested AND you have used your full 10 GB on Hotspot. He called main office and confirmed that. BUT.. Like you said I am interested in seeing the result as well.

While in Quartzsite in January, we used over are allowance for "tethering" from my T Mobile phone ( Again a business account for me) and they DID NOT charge me nor did they slow my speed. We actually went over double the allowance of 7GB and used almost 18GB just from tethering.

 

We purposely have two separate accounts with Verizon now to have the total of 44GB and can add a jetpack to Andi's account to make it a total of 20GB of Hotspot full speed if needed. To add a jetpack to her account would be $20 monthly extra.

We are keeping the T Mobile phone as well and they answered Verizon with now 10GB of tethering hi speed data instead of the 7GB.

 

I'm curious about that too. I heard what Jack said and that the 10gb limit isn't based on congestion, it's an actual limit of your tethering data where the 22gb is rather part of the network management and you maybe limited if congestion calls for it. The only good thing is if my wife and I both have lines, then that's 20gb of hotspot data tolal and we could add another line for $20 and get another 10gb of hotspot data. That's only $2/gb so not terrible.

 

Even the FAQ right on their page states the same

With the new Verizon Plan Unlimited, you get a 10 GB allowance of high-speed 4G LTE data for Mobile Hotspot each billing cycle. Once you've used the 10 GB of 4G LTE data, your Mobile Hotspot data speed will be reduced to 3G speed for the rest of the billing cycle. Data will continue to be unlimited while your Mobile Hotspot is reduced to 3G speed.

 

 

At first I was okay with this as I have one of the 3g unlimited hotspots and I regularly pull between 1-1.5mbs on it so 3g isn't terrible, but when Chris/Cherie stated it was limited to 600kbs, that's pretty slow. The nice thing is though at least this pulls off 4g towers where my 3g unlimited only pulls from 3g towers and that service is only going to continue to get worse as they decomission those.

[GlennWest]

That 10 gig limit for hotspot just will not work for us. Can't see how that could work for any of us unless one uses a large tablet solely for phone and internet.

[chirakawa]

That 10 gig limit for hotspot just will not work for us. Can't see how that could work for any of us unless one uses a large tablet solely for phone and internet.

 

Glenn, not to be argumentative, but it will work for many of us. I rarely use more than 10 gb data per month. Others may not either. A couple with two smartphones and one mifi would have 30 gb hotspot at 4g speeds. They might have to shuffle devices toward the end of the month, but it is doable.

 

Also, it is not a 10 gb limit. Speeds of 600 kbs are more than adequate to do internet surfing, browsing, stream music and/or video, watch youtube, etc. The hotspot feature is unlimited at that speed.

 

If it doesn't work for you, okay. But, I don't think it's fair to say that it wouldn't "work for any of us".

[GlennWest]

Those of us that are full time have nothing but our cell phones or park wifi. If all we can use is 10 gig with hotspot that leaves no data for device updates and such. We run just shy of 15 gig a month and 90% is hot spot.

[dzwiss]

 

It doesn't look like anyone answered your question, but a connected device is something like a smart watch that has it's own sim card and can connect to the cellular network. These devices don't pull alot of data and hence why they are only $5.00 to add to a plan. Devices you connect through a wifi hotspot like your laptop would just count against your hotspot data usage. Verizon can't charge you extra for those devices connected over wifi.

 

Thank you.

 

Dennis