My view on 5 gig data plan in the New Mobile world

[Macriver]

I have had Verizon mobile broadband ( USB720) modem-Macintosh since 8-07 and it was Unlimited I thought. As I understand it now there is a 5 gig limit on the new plans. Since finding out about the new 5 gig limit I have been keeping better track of the usage I use. I guess that's the end if  youtube video's , downloading any movies. Now 170 megs a day is alot unless is downloading movies. I found out about the 5 gig limit after a friend emailed me about how I really didn't have unlimited anymore.  I have been watching my usage and have yet to go over 170 megs a day since keeping better track of what I use. I keep track via the Verizon Access manager  of gig usage. If one goes online and compares his kb usage and converts to gig usage it will be the same as to what one reads on his Verizon Access manager.

Go online and get your kb usage and enter it in this link as kb usage.

http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/calculate/

It will tell you how many megs, gigs, terabytes you use. I did mine and it was about the same as Verizon has about a 12 hour delay in posting you usage to your account. So if your on using the internet for say 1 hour @ 15 megs as to what you Verizon access manager says in the log area. It will be some 12 houes until its posted to you account as usage.

If one goes over with the new data plan 5 gig limit one is looking at $51.20 a gig.

I'm not crazy aout the new 5 gig limit but then again I'm not a heavy user who downloads terabytes. It would have been nice if the limit was 10 gig or 15 gig limit. In this day and age of people being mobile, smart phone, downloaded movies I just don't understand. Then again maybe time will tell and Verizon will change their plans with a little more usage like 10 to maybe 20 gig usage a month.

I got Verizon because I had dial up and where I live there isn't any cable,DSL.

[rimbaud]

Verizon reports your usage in KB, MB and GB, but caluclates any fraction up to the next whole MB or GB.  Since they charge anything over your 5 GB limit at $0.05 per MB, you want to know how many MB you have gone over your 5,120 MB limit.  Divide your KB usage by 1024 and then use the next highest MB, i.e. CEILING((Used_KB/1024),5) .   

[JMacy]

You've had better success with the data useage on MyVerizon.

I check it at least once a day and thought I had 600 MB at end of billig period. Come to find out I was over by 141 MB.

 

It seems that there was about a three day lag in posting on my account, even though the details showed daily postings.

So, you really got'ta watch it or you'll end up paying and paying.

 

Here's another tip. If you have an employer discount and want to know what's covered
don't ask customer service,
don't ask the store manager,
ask the billing department. 

[vic_montanna]

In order to understand any billing questions on any bill fyi, there is no billing department that you speak with you would need to speak with a customer service rep, the only time you would speak with another member of vzw team about your bill is if you don't pay your bill. Customer service rep are your best friends.

[blackwidowinsc]

What type of price plan do you have.  You need 1024 megabyte to equal 1GB.  You may want to have your billed reviewed in order to ensure that you have a price plan that fits your need and that you understand it correctly.

[StormModder]

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Macriver wrote:

I guess that's the end if  youtube video's , downloading any movies.

---

and this is EXACTLY why the limit is in place - to reduce the amount of excessive usage in order to maintain network integrity and ensure equal access to as many people as possible.

[rickvh]

5gb is a joke.  What am i supposed to be doing with this, online banking and shopping at amazon?  No I would like to use my internet as I would at home if i'm paying $59 a month for it.

[Macriver]

I understand the deal about excessive usage. I signed up 8/07 on unlimited Wireless internet that Verizon was advertising in my neighborhood with there unlimited internet signs. I went back and have checked my download data usage, It ran on a average of 8.5 gigs a month some months were higher and some months were lower. Yes I did download some Youtube videos. I don't consider myself a heavey user as in downloading terabytes. I have since watch my usage better. I stay under a 170 meg a day . In fact in 5 1/2 days I have only used 454.325 MB. I figure that around 82.60 megs a day or 2.41992 gig a month. I wonder if I only use half of my alloted gig limit for the month will the excess get rolled over as like cell phone  minutes do. {keep it courteous please} But if I go over my data usage of 5-gig I get charged.

Hmmmmm!

Message Edited by WendyM on 06-18-2009 04:30 PM

[blackwidowinsc]

Unless something has changed w/in Verizon over the past month, I would presume that they do not have a rollover for minutes or data usage.  The best thing to do is review your bill and see what assistance you can find in managing your bill and services better.

[Macriver]

 Verizon access manager seem to do a good job at the data one has used, There is a time gap where one has used data and it isn't posted for some hours. The Verizon access manage is somewhat different from the Vista version.

I'm still under the old Unlimited data plan. I was unaware that ISP had changed to a 5 gig limit plan. I guess I'm still covered under the old plan but to be safe I lowered my downloading last month after a friend with a iphone was asking about Verizon's data plans. Well I came in right under the wire at 4.97 gigs used. Where I live there is just dialup which I had which was like having a tooth pulled. Verizon advertised in my neighborhood for their broadband internet, We have 2 plans one for the wife and one for me. I use mine when I go work on the Mississippi River.

Bottom line IMHO if one downloads movies and spends countless hours on the internet surfing  web pages heavey with pictures then 5 gig will not last. I check my email, read goggle news, read about Apple Computer News, check news about the barge industry the ply the inland rivers. I figure about 80 to 100 megs a day with 70, Forums use less data vs web pages with lots of pictures will burn up kb fast.

[Macriver]

It should say the Macintosh Verizon access manage is somewhat different from the Vista version.

[Jagger-VzW · Accepted solution]

Sorry, but it is what it is... We had to move from Unlimited to 5 GB... as there is just not enough bandwith for everyone to have unlimited data.  Customer data trending and analysis were conducted for months and the 5GB plan was what was best for most people.  While you could move to Sprint you may have issues getting any service as so many people are in the data pipeline and it is a fixed amount that can be in there at any one time.

[w4csc]

I just found the forum, so pardon me if I'm supposed to act like I love Verizon and I don't.

I'm an Alltel data customer in Charleston, SC, being taken over by the Borg next month.  Alltel has never complained of my data usage, which always exceeds 5GB/month.  We have (had) truly unlimited service and their reps would say so.  I'm paying $25/mo for tethered (bluetooth to my Nokia N800 Linux tablets and USB to my Samsung NC10 netbook with Alltel Quicklink software).  I've asked 6 Verizon reps and gotten 6 different answers as to what is to become of my data connection once the Borg assimilate us.  Many other Alltel data customers have had similar experiences from "nothing will change" to a nasty "your data is an addon plan we can do anything we want to with as it's not part of your Alltel contract".

Do you have any information in between these two limits?

Luckily, in Charleston, I can simply dump it all and go to Cricket.  I'm using a Cricket USB modem to a broadband router which creates a hotspot whereever I am and can simply churn to that if my data plan is trashed by the Borg.  My condolences to others who cannot.

[poetrydiva]

I would like to agree with w4csc.  I am also one of those Alltel customers who was assimilated by the Borg.  We just bought a new package with Sprint today and are waiting the 2 - 4 days to receive the new card.  We can handle the 5 GB limit but could NOT handle the worse than slow dial-up connection that we have been almost consistently getting since the merger.

We are still under the Alltel unlimited plan but it does us no good at all if we can't use it because of the stupid lack of speed!  Not to mention the fact that there is only one VZW tower in our area so all the VZW traffic is being routed through that one tower.  There are 3 Sprint towers within a 10 mile radius of us and 2 of them are less than a mile away with guaranteed connections of 600kbps DL and 400kbps UL.

We do not stream anything and very rarely download large files.  The only thing my husband does other than email is one multiplayer online game that only uses about 50 kbps upload and download within several hours.

[Greg4Wireless]

How does a comment by a VERIZON employee make this issue "SOLVED?"  ROFLMAO

[junglejim300]

Very disappointed with this service first month I was over by 800mb,Im on the 8th. day of my second month and im allready at 2.8gb.

just realized this is because I like youtube.for 59.00 a month I have to watch my daily limit.i thought is was going to be a cool service but not if all I can do is check e-mail,bank accounts and maybe the days headlines.

{keep it courteous}

Message Edited by WendyM on 06-23-2009 11:21 PM

[Macriver]

I'm not happy but its internet. Where I live its all there is beside dialup. ts about 170 megs a day. Its like a two lane highway. You can always get up to speed but the more cars the slower the traffic. I like youtube also but youtube can really eat up some bandwith. I'm at the 11th day of 30 days and have used 1.32 gig.and one can still watch youtube video's but not all day and night.

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