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Usage log Please help and a warning!

New to the broadband setup, so please help with the following observations.

The actual billing account for data usage is 3 days lagging!

The Usage log on VZAM is way off, by factor of 5 minimum!

So my actual usage is 350 Mb, I unplugged the usb modem Monday 22nd. Billing caught up yesterday 24th so actual usage is 350 Mb.

Usage log shows usage at 1,698 Mb yep almost 1.7 gig.

Very scary indeed, seeing that you have NO reliable method of monitoring your usage.

Follow the logic and please comment.

If you use the VZAM usage log to track your usage, you will not be able to use what you have paid for. That is 5gig of service, because the usage log is way off. But it is your real time clock and only source of instant data.

It follows that you will be short on your usage for the billing cycle.

If you use the actual billing data, you stand a very good chance of going over. Since it is lagging by 3 days, never allowing you to see what you have left on your billing cycle.

It then follows that you may go over and have to pay overage charges.

Both cases a win win for Verizon, you have to give it to them. That is thinking! Now lets see if they can change!

Comments

Macriver

Mine usage is delayed being posted to my account is about 6 hours. I have a spread sheet posted that starts on the 13th of each month @ 170 megs a day. It adds 170 megs everyday so the 14th of the month I should have used 340 megs as the 15th of the month its 510 megs.

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/846/63/

LukeTech

XP can show you the KB usage on a dial up connection, in real time. Unfortunately, when you close the connection (or it drops) that count is reset. I have two solutions for you:

A) Open VZAM and the Network Connections window (Control Panels> Network Connections). Begin the connection process in VZAM. Now, switch to the Network Connections window. Watch as the "Verizon Wireless - VZAccess" icon turns from gray to blue. Double-click it once it becomes blue and you'll see the byte sent/receive count increment in real time. Before you disconnect, note both of those numbers and log them in a spreadsheet or something.

Caution: Far more technical, you have been warned!
Use a protocol analyzer like Wireshark (google it, first listing that comes up). After installing Wireshark: Capture menu> Interfaces> click Start by "WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface." Then, dial up as you normally would. Accept any default settings and go. Wireshark will keep track of all packets moving in/out through the data card. Check it periodically in the Statistics> Summary menu. There is a "bytes" field under traffic. This shows the sum of all received/sent traffic. My suggestion would be, start Wireshark, then dial up and use the EVDO connection as you normally would. When you finish for the day, log the byte count and add them up.

I would be interested to see how VZAM, XP, and Wireshark all compare.

uuuh

OH BOY, do not get me started on this subject....to late :smileyhappy: I recieved a bill from VZW saying I went over my 5gig about 100 bucks worth or something, either way I have 2 phones with all the perks and usb aircard so for me it was a bit expensive! So I checked it out online etc... checked vzmgr,,it did not match the data verizon was showing. So my first thought was GREAT... how am I gonna prove what my data says. Call talk to customer service very friendly, took it off my bill since first time going over. She connected me to IT dept. The IT assoc. told me.."Well VZMGR does not log correctly theres a bug in it, you have to go to your vzw account and look at your usage" ME: "What!? So what your telling me is the software that you provided me to keep track of my own data and usage is useless and I have to count on you to tell me how much I use?" (IT)"If you want to put it that way, it just does not log correctly, you have to log onto your account and not streamvideo because it uses a lot of data" Well I had a lot of things to say but basically just laughed and told them it was absolutely ridiculous.

So I checked out what was going on with my Log and Theirs because it appeared that all the numbers were the same except the usage amount was about 2-3GIGS! different. I went by each day, date time and amount of data. My log and vzw log had exact same data, So I started adding, which a month worth of data is a bit of numbers especially since usb always shuts off. PROBLEM SOLVED....VZWMGR WAS NOT ADDING CORRECTLY, That seems to be the dumbest glitch and also ripoff scheme I have encountered, painfully obvious.

ANOTHER WARNING via it assoc. This I did not know, may be obvious to others. If your aircard is powered on and connected yet you are NOT browsing or even touching your computer nothing opened You will be incurring Data Usage. Since I have learned that I have been very aware of having the USB in the computer, other wise just throwing money out the window and again VZW stealing right out of my pocket.

dave1812

I only check with "My Verizon" usage--never the manager program. Most of my MiFi usage is via a Touch, which doesn't interface with VZManager. :smileyhappy:

jeorider

Everyone, thanks for the replies.

I too noticed a lot of the "Look at the monkey" speak when I talked to verizon about this. Basically trying to distract you by saying not to download videos!!!!????

That got a laugh out of me also, They sold me 5 gigs of service, then say not to watch videos?

If I want to watch 5 gigs of penguins on youtube in one day that is my perogative. What does videos have to do with the data you advertised and sold me?

Lots of folks are complaining about the way we can monitor our usage, and the best Verizon comes up with is not to watch videos.

Sounds like they are trying to limit the usage of bandwidth they have sold, basically overselling at its best!

jeorider

Thanks for the help

I have Vista but hopefully that function was carried over.

You know this method Verizon has of monitoring the usage is like buying a new car, with a full tank of gas, but the gas guage lets you know how much gas you have used 3 days ago.

A fat lot of help that is!

Complain and their only response is to not watch videos! What a hoot.

Macriver

Hey I'm not crazy about the 5-gig limit either. I signed up 8/07 when they advertised unlimited as unlimited of which I will have to go with the new plan in another month. Do I like the 5-gig limit why a BIG NO but all we have were I'm at is dial up or its go to satellite internet. There is also a limit on satellite internet too.If you watch to watch youtube video's then go right on ahead and watch them till you computer screen falls apart but remember 5 gig is 5 gig. untill they upgrade this 2 lane highway I guess people are stuck up this plan. I just make sure of my own usage. Oh I guess one could teather their cell phones or if one has a iphone plan they could use data that way. The deal with that is how long will the unlimited data plan on smart phones last.

Let me tell you about my first Motorola V551 and teathering to my ibook with a media works unlimited data plan that almost turned into a $7100 cell phone bill a fews years ago with another cell phone service provider. Talk about pulling my hair out trying to get it straighten out. In the end I just had to pay $150. Thats why I switched a couple of years ago after talking to 100 reps and getting 200 different answer's.

jeorider

Yep I know the 5 gig cap is low to some. The main issue we cannot lose track of (although Verizon wants us to) is that they do not give you the ability to monitor your usage in a timely fashion.

I have no doubt that the system to charge you overage fees is fully functional and in place, waiting to pounce.

Yet we as users have no method of assuring we do not go over, no matter what our internet habits are.

Verizon bets on the customer erroring on the side of caution, so they do not get to use what they have payed for.

The Overage machine will take care of the customers who try to get what they payed for.

Verizon_Support