Jetpack speed became very slow

[harrisde]

I've been using a Jetpack 5510L for several months. While it only gets about a 35% signal it's been very adequate for me with between anywhere beteeen 5 and 20 Mbps download speeds. A few days ago it dropped to around .25Mbps or less even though the signal strength is the same.  Could there be a problem with the tower(s) I get the signal from?  There was some lightning storms for a few days.  Could the device itself have become faulty (how would I tell)?  I've tried resetting, removing the sim card for a bit and many power off/on cycles but the speed hasn't improved.

[John_Getzke · Accepted solution]

A typical performance problem like the one you mentioned is normally resolved by the resets.  Considering the resets have not improved your situation the Jetpack itself could be defective or the towers in your area may require repair.

Best thing to do here is to contact VZW.  Report the performance problem and have them give you your service options under your remaining warranty.  The speeds that you posted are a clear sign of a defect and VZW normally will provide replacement hardware to solve that problem if they can.

Otherwise if there is a tower issue you will not be the only one to notice it.  VZW should be able to take a quick peek at the area and let you know if there are any serious issues.  Normally a tower issue will get a high priority and will be repaired within a few days.

[harrisde]

It would appear that even though my account is unlimited and on the manage my device page it is still listed as unlimited that Verizon is now throttling after reaching 5GB of downloads in a month.  Though with speeds of mostly .10 and less I would call it disabling, not throttling.  And this done with no advance warning in the middle of a billing cycle and no explanation whatsoever.  This seems like a breach of contract to me but I would guess there is special legalize in the contracts that allow them to change said contracts anytime they want.  This is why people absolutely hate mobile communications companies.  At this point I'm not sure if there is anything I can do to alleviate the issue other than dump Verizon.  Nice first 2 month experience with them.

[John_Getzke]

Wait, first 2 month experience and unlimited data?  How did you pull that one off?!?!  Unlimited data plans went the way of the Dodo many years ago when VZW migrated to 4G LTE.  You shouldn't have been able to get a new unlimited data plan.

Regarding throttling, VZW does not Throttle although that is the most popular term for the behavior. See VZWs policy on the subject for more info:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/support/information/data_disclosure.html

No, VZW does not throttle anyone, they optimize during peak hours and then return you to normal as the towers are freed up.  Only unlimited 3G contracts are subject to VZW data optimization policy.  4G LTE is not a part of the program so if your device is connected as 4G LTE and providing poor performance then something else is going on.

[harrisde]

It's actually through my employer (a university), so it's some kind of group account deal.  I don't really know how that works.  I assumed the device went faulty and asked them about it.  They said "We have just found out this week that they are starting to throttle heavy users on the Government accounts.".  Maybe these accounts are treated different than individuals.  All I really know is the device has basically been useless for a week or so.

[John_Getzke]

I'm skeptical and would love to see a statement confirming what your IT dept. has informed you about VZW.  If they have one could you please shoot us a link so we can share with others?

Don't get me wrong, it could be true, but I have not seen VZW target individuals or groups like that before.  Doesn't make much sense given VZWs history to do that.  It would be a direct contradiction to the posted data disclosure.

Since you do not own your VZW device you will have to work with the University's IT department to get the device serviced and swapped.  Ask them to send you a different one as they troubleshoot with VZW for you.

[harrisde]

Not sure this is the exact GSA contract format we have, but it shares some of the exact same text that our folks have shared with me.  So for your amusement: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CC0QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tr...

Some of the interesting bits are the prohibited stuff on page 8:

"

Unlimited Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY be used with wireless devices for the following purposes: Intemet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation). The Unlimited Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following:

continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or videc programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer- to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited.

"

I don't see any language specific to throttling speeds, but I'm told it is in ours (buried in the contract language) and they are just now enforcing it.  Guess I'll dump the device and plan.

[John_Getzke]

Oh I see.  Thanks for posting your contract.  This helps paint a better picture for me and I now understand that you do not have a typical contract with VZW like most consumers.  You were able to strike a deal with VZW for unlimited data on your Jetpacks with a stipulation built in.  IANAL but as I read it VZW reserves the right to do whatever they want if they feel you are "abusing" the contract.

This blub catches my eye in particular:

"We reserve the right to protect our network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, and to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using an Unlimited Data Plan or Feature in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels"

So then I would say yes, VZW can certainly throttle or outright terminate your users if they feel it is relevant under your current contract.  They have it worded very carefully so that they do not have to commit to a particular punishment which leave them able to do whatever they feel is best (apparently including termination).

[lookinforanswer]

John,

I am sorry, but they are throttling. The disclosure is crap. Especially, the devices that support AWS it seems.  Optimizing data isn't trickling data in 24 hrs a day so that it's unusable highest yet .21M↓ and not throughput speeds.  Download as you know is burstable. 

The truth here is that users that consume over 5GB of data are throttled and they call it RTR-Network Optimization.

[7e18n1]

On the last day of my 10 GB data plan, I had over 600 MB to burn, and I burned it.  I did the same thing last night, although I didn’t take pictures of it. It was still doing ~2 MB/s. Are you sure you’re not doing something wrong?

[lookinforanswer]

Is your service on a personal account?  That most likely makes the difference. Also, if you are on a 4G connection, that's still slow, though much faster than our users.

[7e18n1]

Of course it is!  You made a broad statement without boundaries.

1.78 to 2.96 megabytes per second is 4G and not slow.

[lookinforanswer]

+1

[lookinforanswer]

+1 on the speeds.  That is not slow however the advertised speeds are 4-12M considering 3G is 1.2M.

[7e18n1]

The Verizon advertized speed is 5-12 Mbps which means “megabits per second.”

Divide by 8 to get bytes or 0.625-1.5 MB/s megabytes per second.

I clipped the snip because it was going almost twice as fast expected and it still is.

1.78 MB/s ~ 15,000,000 bps

2.96 MB/s ~ 25,000,000 bps

[lookinforanswer]

Nice. Thanks.

[John_Getzke]

For the OP I admit throttling could be a real possibility.  I do not have enough experience to confirm how these special situations work.  The OP has a unique government contract that normal users do not have access to.  According to what was negotiated VZW could always throttle but only recently decided to enforce it.

For the rest of us on a normal data plan the data disclosure holds true and is our only real leverage against VZW.  We can and normally do work with VZW support reps in a slow performance situation to get devices swapped out or whatever else seems appropriate until the issue has been resolved. The perception of a throttling service is one thing, the actual application of it is another.

[lookinforanswer]

The fact remains that they are not implementing Network Optimization per se.  Contract or not is irrelevant they do and are throttling. 

All I'm saying is making sure there is sufficient service for all is Network Optimization from my understanding not that a certain group has to give up theirs to serve others which seems like discrimination to me.  As John stated the paragraph is not directed to any single or grouped use types they consider "harmful".  If "harmful" consists of checking email and normal surfing while staying within a limited data allowance with the account, (not unlimited) then there may be some upset users out there all in the name of Network Optimization.

In my opinion, "harmful" would constitute a. hosting an email server for public users, managing a public WIFI connection things like that.  If they limit the throughput of the data of users on an average for those in heavy use areas that would be understandable, hence Network Optimization.  If there is tower overload then it's understandable and wouldn't impact users as dramatically since it would be a shared responsibility for having access to a shared service.  Kind of like telephone party lines back in the day. (Is that showing my age?).

If you have one user that is simply being a data hog then so be it punish them and that would be understandable.

Maybe they should poll their coverage areas for interested parties to allow the erection of towers for them or something so they can provide the data to those that desire and also those that require the service.  There are hundreds of thousands of users out there that don't have the option of landline service and though this service was not intended for primary use, there are some out there who have no other choice besides dialup, yet in the current situation may be a better choice should they be punished with .25M download speeds.   Even if they squash the whole unlimited data thing, if that's the problem and impose limits based on averaging the past usage that would be acceptable and not make it seem as if they were out to bump certain groups of users.  Though I don't know if unlimited is the problem as there are users that don't have that luxury suffering from the same thing.

It also doesn't make sense to constantly be working on and implementing faster speeds when they won't allow the use of that data.

I shall step down from my soap box and turn the floor back over.