Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
radpp16
Enthusiast - Level 2

For the small community of 4G LTE unlimited data plan owners, Verizon will now start throttling your plan for overuse.

There is a petition going on to stop this: https://www.change.org/petitions/verizon-do-not-throttle-your-unlimited-data-customers

Also, you can email FCC Chairman Wheeler who is questioning Verizon's position on throttling.

http://www.fcc.gov/leadership/tom-wheeler-mail

Labels (1)
Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

As one of those members with the unlimited data plan on Verizon Wireless, here is my response to your "petition".

I DO NOT CARE!

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
radpp16
Enthusiast - Level 2

Sorry but I did not create the petition. I'm glad you have unlimited data.

Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
Not applicable

This is silly. Where were/are the petitions for At&t,Sprint and T-Mobile since they have similar or even more draconian polices for unlimited data users? Also where was this petition 2 years ago for those on 3G phones with unlimited data that have been getting throttled? It's also clear that you FAILED to actually READ what Verizon's plan are.

If you are unlimited you get "throttled" if

1. You're in the top 5%

2. You're on a congested tower.

as soon as the congestion ends or you move to a uncongested tower you are no longer throttled. So even of those in the top 5% how much of their data usage is actually going to be throttled? Also who is to say that such throttling will even be noticed mot of the time when it is occurring?

Also you fail to recognize Verizon is not even obligated to offer unlimited data and if the FCC can somehow stop Verizon from doing this Verizon can simply end unlimited data. Or make it even more difficult for unlimited data users to keep it.

Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
M9
Contributor - Level 1

Thanks for posting the links. I used them both. )))

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Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
radpp16
Enthusiast - Level 2
Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

The petitions are on the Internet. Here's one for AT&T: Petition | AT&T: Stop throttling the data speeds on plans with unlimited data! | Change.org  ... and for Sprint: Petition | Stop Sprint From Changing Our Contracts | Change.org. I won't even include T-Mobile here since their throttling doesn't kick in if you encrypt all of your traffic.

The big reason the FCC and the wireless community are going after Verizon Wireless for throttling/de-prioritizing their unlimited data users in the first place is due to the original license of the 700Mhz C Block (Band 13) spectrum. The license and terms of the deal clearly state that Verizon is not to impede the flow of legal traffic over Band 13 regardless of traffic type. They may manage traffic, but the extent of this includes pushing users to AWS (Band 4), adjusting device transmit levels to preserve spectrum efficiency and cell deployment and shifting to handle additional load. For all I'm concerned, the FCC has every reason to be concerned here, along with any users of that spectrum, and I would be more than happy to see the 700Mhz C Block license revoked if Verizon plans to impede traffic on that network. That would set a wonderful example as that would be a PR nightmare for Verizon Wireless. Of course, that probably won't happen. Verizon can do whatever they want to the 3G and AWS spectrum, if they really want to de-prioritize or throttle.

I'm not cool with any carrier throttling traffic. Throttling is a sign of poor network management and incompetence. Use Sprint as an example for this one. Between them shutting down the iDEN network inherited from a bad merger, to losing their ILEC status, to having a staggered LTE roll-out, to poor tower management and density, it's no wonder they're turning to throttling. They were losing a ton of money for a long time. AT&T has no reason to throttle given that their EDGE, HSPA, HSPA+ and LTE network combined has more capacity to spare in comparison to Verizon's network with 1xRTT (CDMA), EVDO-Rev.A (CDMA) and a lone 700Mhz C block LTE (GSM) network. Both Verizon and AT&T have no reason to be throttling when both are making record profits each quarter from wireless, both are ILECs, and Tier 1 providers with ample access to Fiber and land for additional cell sites.

Let's use an example here from Verizon's 3G network. If you have ever been throttled on the 3G network, you'll notice the following. First, on an unloaded rural tower equipped with both LTE and EVDO, you could switch your phone to use the 3G data network and receive a nice 2.8Mbps down, 700kbps up speed test result, and maintain such speeds solidly. If you have an unlimited data plan and use, say, 15MB of data, and you have gone over Verizon's statistic of 4.9GB for the month (even if that were all on LTE), your data speeds will suddenly shoot to 120kbps down, 120kbps up with 800ms latency. The speeds will hold there for an undetermined time, until you have not transferred data for a long period of time or you have moved back to LTE. At the same time where you're running at 120kbps, you can take another device and run a transfer test, and receive the full 2.7Mbps that you're supposed to.

With that said, Verizon's throttling as seen in the wild, so far does not agree with what their written policy is stating. Verizon doesn't state if load constitutes a "tower maxed out scenario," a situation where you have a ton of phones in a sector idly connecting to the network, or if you have a situation where only two phones are in a sector, one has unlimited data, and another is metered, and the unlimited data user gets a major shaft when pulling a full data rate.

As far as I'm concerned, the carriers treat wireless as magic pixie dust and have advertised it as such. When they haven't figured out that their networks lose range and much of the perceived load is due to overhead associated with having a ton of devices connected to an inadequately designed network, I can't feel sorry for them.

Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
M9
Contributor - Level 1

After alll the bad publicity they've gotten in the last couple of days I

bet they even stop throttling on 3G unlimited )))).

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Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
BobScott
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am being throttled on my Unlimited Data Plan and have the Ookla Speedtest results as evidence.  I went to my local Verizon store and a representative told me that there were tower issues within my zip code area.  Went home and contacted Verizon via phone.  Spent 2 hours troubleshooting with a final explanation that I would be contacted via txt msg in the next 5 days.  During the 2 hours my phone was factory reset because of procedure the representative on the phone was required to follow in order to submit my problem to the next tier of support.  I wasted 2 1/2 hours jacking with Verizon (in store and on phone) when they know and I know that I'm being throttled. Additionally during the Ookla Speedtests I compared my data throughput with AT&T and US Celluar and they were 20 times faster than my VERIZON phone.

 

I received the promised Txt Msg about my Trouble Ticket within 2 days and it read:

 

  FREE VZW MSG-DO NOT REPLY:

  Your network ticket is resolved. Coverage in your area is marginal. Indoor signal will be weak & is not

  guaranteed. Questions? Call 611

 

Is the below caution posted on entrances to the local Verizon Store????

 

BEWARE:  Marginal Coverage & Weak Indoor Signal is not guaranteed.

 

  Today I traveled 90 miles north of my home town passing through a large town (same results as at home using Ookla Speedtest) with my destination being Oklahoma City.  I was assured by the local Verizon representative that if I was to travel away from the towers in my home area that the Download/Upload speeds would increase.  Wrong!!  I stopped
in at a Verizon Store on Pennsylvania Ave and asked a representative if he could run the Ookla speedtest on one of the Note 4 phones in the store with my Note 4 beside it, running Ookla speedtest,  he did.  The speeds were 6 times faster on the store Note 4 than my Note 4.  The store representative looked at me and asked if I was on the Unlimited Plan explaining that I’m probably being throttled.  I also have a Note 2 Samsung phone (not on my unlimited plan) and the speeds on it are equivalent to the speeds on the Note 4 from the OKC Verizon store.  The speeds of the Note 2 at my home are equivalent to the speeds of the Note 4 belong to the OKC Verizon store.

 

Unfortunately nothing can be done about this other than cancelling my plan and going to another service provider.  Verizon loses me as a customer and my measly monthly $190.61




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 





Re: Petition Against VZW to Throttle 4G Unlimited Data Plans
Not applicable

Hi All,

I have worked for Verizon Wireless for 3 years 2008 -2011. Been a customer since 2008.  I have unlimited data and ever since they increase the price from $30 to $50, I noticed my data being throttled or shut off.  I listed to ESPN radio all during the work day and this did not happen prior to Nov. 2015.  Coincidently around the same time Verizon Commercials came out CLAIMING they don't throttle data.  Hmmm.? Why would a company, all of sudden come out and say they are not throttling customers data?  BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY ARE THROTTLING CUSTOMERS DATA.

Verizon reps. replying to this, please check MARS, if you got the access, before you tell me I am not being throttled.

For years , my brother has tempted me to go to Sprint because, at least, we know there isn't anyone on their network to throttle.

I might finally take that plunge and cut the cord with Verizon

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