Verizon Confirms It's Booting Unlimited Data Users Verizon has confirmed leaked plans to crack down (again) on the company's grandfathered unlimited data users. As we noted last week, Verizon employees have been anonymously posting over at Reddit about the crackdown, which involves telling customers that eat more than 200 GB in any given month that they may lose their connections if they don't slow down their consumption. Verizon eliminated unlimited data plans in 2011, but grandfathered remaining unlimited users at the time.

However, Verizon (like AT&T) has been waging a quiet war on these users ever since, attempting to drive them to metered plans. From blocking certain services from working on unlimited plans to throttling these users only after a few gigs of consumption, carriers have worked tirelessly to kill off these remaining users. They've also consistently raised rates on these users at the same time (AT&T raised its unlimited data prices by another $5 just this week). "Because our network is a shared resource and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon, we are notifying a small group of customers on unlimited plans who use more than 200GB a month that they must move to a Verizon Plan by February 16, 2017," Verizon spokesperson Kelly Crummey told Ars Technica. Verizon has consistently insisted that users think they want unlimited data plans, but they're wrong. "At the end of the day, people don't need unlimited plans," Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo told attendees of an investor conference last September. "You cannot make money in an unlimited data world," the CFO added. "At the end of the day, people don't need unlimited plans," Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo told attendees of an investor conference last September. "You cannot make money in an unlimited data world," the CFO added.







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Most recommended from 97 comments

tyrant_

Wannabe Billionaire

join:2013-07-07 25 recommendations tyrant_ Member "Can't make money in an unlimited world"



It'll be funny when they're coverage matches VZW and they have to start all over again w/ the unlimited plans. Meanwhile, T-Mobile does the exact opposite and its ARPU actually goes up! Oh the ironyIt'll be funny when they're coverage matches VZW and they have to start all over again w/ the unlimited plans. Corporate

join:2014-10-04 9 recommendations Corporate Member Verizon is going backwards Unlimited data is the future, the data bucket is a remnant from metered minute days.



Sprint backed off plans to eliminate unlimited data and AT&T brought back unlimited data.



AT&T/T-Mobile even brought unlimited data to their prepaid divisions, Cricket/Metro PCS, something that was previously unheard of.



It's clear who will lose out in the long run, and its not the carriers that offer unlimited data.

Mike

Mod

join:2000-09-17

Pittsburgh, PA 6 recommendations Mike Mod Hindsight is 20/20 Back in the old days I switched from unlimited to 200mb/month from ATT since I got nowhere near using it all. I was proud that I saved $15 a month.



Was.

Anon2c0f9

@cox.net 5 recommendations Anon2c0f9 Anon "You cannot make money in an unlimited data world," WTF? Sure you can make money! Charge a fair rate and manage your networks just the same way everyone else does, QOS. Telecom companies (which all the Wireless carriers really are) have always tried to charge for "measured rates" that somehow they produce data bits the same way energy companies produce power. This is ridiculous! ISP's are just hi paid plumbers providing infrastructure for us to connect to other parties, the same as telcos provide the copper and the equipment for us to speak to the other party. It doesn't cost them any more for speaking extra syllables or typing an extra sentence. If the network gets overloaded, then you must expand and charge a fair rate to do so. Stop trying to rape the consumers! mkapr84

join:2015-02-17

Cuba, NY 4 recommendations mkapr84 Member Bye Bye Verizon I received my notice in the mail today that my unlimited plan will be terminated Feb. 16. Once they started their little inquisition by going after "extreme users" I knew that they would eventually lower that "extreme usage" bar lower and lower and will most likely continue to do so until all unlimited plans are gone. Any of you that feel safe now being under the 200gb cap I suggest to find an alternative.



The reason for my higher usage is that it was my only viable means of internet (this, dial-up or satellite). I even pay for the tethering service and only do large downloads after peak hours and in steam I throttle it to max dload speed of 3 MBps. I am a gamer so that ate up the majority of the data I used due to digital distribution becoming the standard for PC games and the releasing of inferior products that require more and more multiple GB patches.



How about Verizon fulfill their statement that dsl would be available to me "within the year"...19 years later it still isn't.

Also, just last summer one of their reps said fios would be available which was a blatant lie.



So I just plan to ride this out until Feb. 16 and let them terminate my entire service. So instead of getting $150+ a month from me they will get the donut.



Time to move. Thistool

join:2013-12-05

Auburn, WA 3 recommendations Thistool Member No dog in the fight. Anyone on this board still grandfathered and willing to ride this one through? Verizon has done this multiple times in the past and relented at 11th hour. i can quote this site for doubters. howver if anyone is willing to risk it i would be fascinated to see if this isnt just a straight scare tactic?