Verizon To Limit Unlimited Data Plans

Published: July 23, 2016 9:30 AM /

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Verizon

Droid-Life is reporting that Verizon plans to put limits on their remaining unlimited data plans. Their sources say that all users that use “an extraordinary amount of data” will be notified via mail. After August 31, users using that “extraordinary” amount may be cut off entirely.

Droid-Life has updated their article with a Verizon statement that appears to set the cutoff point at 100GB:

“These users are using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100 GB). While the 100 GB plan is designed to be shared across multiple users, each line receiving notification to move to the new Verizon Plan is using well in excess of that on a single device.”

Verizon has not offered an unlimited data option for several years, so any remaining users are grandfathered into the plan. They have made attempts to throttle data speeds after a certain threshold is reached, a practice that the FCC has fought against.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler went as far as to characterize the throttling as a means of increasing revenue. Verizon claimed that it was necessary for network management.

“Reasonable network management concerns the technical management of your network; it is not a loophole designed to enhance your revenue streams. It is disturbing to me that Verizon Wireless would base its “network management” on distinctions among its customers’ data plans, rather than on network architecture or technology.” - Tom Wheeler

In that instance, Verizon eventually relented. However, the disputes over throttling and net neutrality are not settled. Verizon still throttles 3G data after 4.7GB. They have not announced plans to throttle 4G/LTE with this announcement, but their past actions seem to indicate a desire to.  


Quick Take

The only surprising thing is that it’s taken Verizon this long to go after remaining plans. Despite being unlimited in name, they’ve gone to great lengths to limit plans that were largely introduced to combat AT&T’s exclusivity with Apple. Heavy data users will likely have to look elsewhere.

Are you a Verizon subscriber affected by this change? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


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I've been a lover of video games, writing, and technology for as long as I remember. I have a B.A. in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana… More about John