Outrageous Usage

[dave21]

Has anyone looked at their usage for this month and seen that they have used an outrageous amount of data? I have a 5G plan and after almost a year of rarely going over by more than 500 MB, this months usage claims I have used 26 G. That is physically impossible on this computer.

[BasquetteCase]

Until I started casually surfing throuh various blogs and forums looking for help with my Verizon MiFi, I thought that I was pretty much alone in using the MiFi for my home Internet service because I live in a rural community. The local telecom company has a monopoly because this is a rural area, which means they provide minimum service for maximum price. When the MiFi appeared, I jumped for it and cut off our landline company, entirely. I have been happy with it, except for the constant worry about the 5gb cap. I have to agree that, at the very least, Verizon (et al) should have to charge for overages at the rate of the first 5 gb. Ideally, competition will bring about unlimited usage. Truly, if they want to capture a market, they need to come after us rural dwellers. Every one that I know is unhappy with the local telecoms, and the satellite services are very expensive and, I've been told, a bit unreliable. We are ripe for the picking, with the right price and terms.

[geori1957]

After being hit last month with 150.00 in overages, needless to say I was slightly ***** !

Have had this card for 5 years and average about 2000 mb.

Suddenly I am seeing a usage of almost 4 times that amount. 

I called Verizon. They dropped it so only have to pay 75.00... Still really ****** !

They told me to set my computer so that Windows could no longer do auto updates suggesting that each update can suck up a tremendious amount of usage. 

I did.... Now checking about a week into this billing cycle and nothing has changed. !!

I ran virus checks... Nothing came up... 

Do I need to change to Sprint  or someone else ?

[Deamore]

Something else you can all do is right political leaders ie congressmen and senators and voice your concerns. Regretfully we consumers have no control over companies that monopolize or charge outlandish rates for broadband useage. The only way we can bring about change is to influence our governments to adopt laws that provide us a fair product for our money. 60 bucks plus surcharges is not competitive let alone fair for mobile broadband data use. In todays modern age of the internet 5GB of bandwidth is not alot. It's a measly amount of useable bandwidth to be honest. For 60+ dollars a month Verizon needs to jack the cap to at least 25GB per month imo. I might pay 80+ a month for  an unlimited mobile broadband plan and thats really to much if you ask me when you look at other options.

[Protege]

Take my post with a light heart and open mind.  You will need it as I can see that you feel the victim of an atrocious crime.

You had 26GB of use somehow, don't know how but it was there.

You were projected to have thousands of dollars in overages

How much was your overage?

Verizon Wireless allows users a hard cap on overage dollars as an educational piece.   So lets take what you should have paid for and minus it from what you did pay.  Yes, your bill was high but it could have been higher. 

Yet Verizon Wireless is still the enemy...does anyone else read up on what they do to improve the way the wireless industry works?  I guarantee you that if anything does come up and MBB prices need to be lowered Verizon Wireless will the the first major telecom company to do so.  They are giving smaller companies rights to their towers so that the little guys can build their own networks.  Does sprint, us cellular or AT&T do this?  No.  Do the other companies offer a variable ETF?  No.  Do other companies agree to never again have sole sellership of a single device for longer than 6 months? No.

With that being said....

Mobile broadband was designed to reach rural areas and help them stay connected with the rest of the world, to help business men and women work while they were away from home.  It's not designed to offer you unlimited web surfing whenever you want.  If you wanted internet speeds like Verizon Wireless offers but unlimited and a cheaper rate...well honestly, I have no idea what you would be able to find. 

And for the guy that lives 10 miles away from fios, thats too bad, someday they will run cable out to your house.  It has nothing to do with the fact that you are paying for mobile broadband.

And to the Original poster - If your PC is still running high data usage take it into a computer repair shop and get it fixed.  Make sure you aren't running peer to peer sharing files.  Make sure you aren't watching movies online.   Companies that generate monthly revenue based on consistant business have no intention of running up just your bill to make it look like you had severe amounts of overage. 

And if you want to switch to Sprint...

The grass isn't greener on the other side - I've been there.

[Greg4Wireless]

So,  EXPLAIN the  HARD CAP on our devices if we're using them ad educational devices???

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Verizon Wireless allows users a hard cap on overage dollars as an educational piece

[s2marks]

>>>You were projected to have thousands of dollars in overages

I did the Math's in my earlier post, according to the original posters contract, he could have  either $1K in overages or $5K (dependant on his contract), he'll have to respond as to what he was actually billed.  If it were me I'd feel sick if I received a bill for either amount for a service I was expecting to pay $60 for.

>>>How much was your overage?

Let's hope the original poster responds and lets us know.  Regardless though, even if Verizon decided to take it easy on him and quarter his bill, there is no guarantee they would do that for you I or anyone else if the same anomaly in usage occurred. 

>>>>Verizon Wireless allows users a hard cap on overage dollars as an educational piece.   So let's take what you should have paid for and minus it from what you did pay.  Yes, your bill was high but it could have been higher. 

That's part of the problem, it's not a hard cap, if they offered a hard cap that I COULD NOT exceed (before they disabled my service until the end of the month) I could accept that.  But, the way things stand, if something happens that is either unnoticed or out of the control of the wireless user it can have a disastrous effect on their finances.  I don't want to risk that.

In order for me to continue my service I need both the following from Verizon with the 5Gb plan.

• A hard cap that I can set (say at 6Gb) so that I don't risk huge amounts of my hard earned money.
• Reasonable overage charges, 'double' charges once you exceed the 5Gb limit is perhaps reasonable, 5X or even 25X  plainly is not.

I am seriously considering going back to dialup.  I have no other alternative.  Verizon, please respond.

Thanks s2marks

[Protege]

A "Hard cap" refers to someone limiting your bill, that's what I meant.  So in this case if  he was supposed to have 1k in overages he would have only been charged $250 maximum before taxes.  I couldn't find any information on how many times they allow this cap but the point is that they allow you stop a wildfire from spreading in regards to your bill and this allows you to learn how to use your mobile broadband.

s2marks - you may feel sick about having a larger bill than expected, everyone would.  It sucks.  Regardless of how sick you feel about your bill, it comes down to the point that the usage was made.  We can't get credits from out electric company for leaving lights on accidentally or going on vacation, leaving a window open during the summer and leaving your thermostat at 75 degrees causing your AC to run constantly. 

So, the original poster is an unfortunate case but also fortunate.  His bill was limited but his usage was not.  He also received credits towards his balance. If you read around these boards more, you will see verizon wireless take's it easy on a lot of people - not just a few.

Verizon Wireless won't change the way it bills their calling plans because someone doesn't like the way it's billed or how much they can use.  I have no idea how many mobile broadband customers they actually have but most of them seem to be pretty content with the service they pay for.  Sure, lower prices would be sweet. 

In regards to "fair" overage charges, that's why verizon wireless changed from .25 cents per mb to .05 per mb right?  Or did they lower the overage minute to keep gouging us with unfair prices? 

And if you go to dial-up...then I really don't know what to say. 

Hope this helps clear up some information

[Doodle]

I also had outrageous usage this month. They capped my bill at $250.00. I went back through the usage data and there was usage reported when I wasn't connected, the laptop was turned off and the device was not plugged in. So far this month I've been watching my usage increase like wildfire. I don't download music, watch videos, etc. I've been playing the same couple of games since I started using verizon 7 months ago. I average 3500 per month.

When I called in they told me I was over my limit on the 5th my month starts on the 2nd. One thing I've also found is that you can not trust the VZ manage, last night it went from 1064. to 17.,

After someone at verizon called me a lair I was put on hold for 30 minutes when they came back on line they credited my account and are sending me a new device. Something and I still don't know what happened to cause the increase. What ever this problem is it is on Verizons end and they need to fix it.

I also told them I'd go back to dial up if I had that kind of bill again and they had better be ready to let me out my contract. I can not pay that kind of bill and live in a rural area and can not get anything else. Dail up may be slow but at least it's unlimited.

[#10]

Personally, I wouldn't use this service for playing games, watching videos, downloading music, etc.  I only use it for email, paying bills, buying and selling stock, etc., and non-data intensive internet activities.  If you're into those other data intensive activities, you probably should go with cable or DSL.  If that's not available where you live, you've got problems that Verizon wireless is not going to satisfy.

[s2marks]

Protege, thanks for your thoughtful reply.

>>>A "Hard cap" refers to someone limiting your bill, that's what I meant.  So in this case if  he was supposed to have 1k in overages he would have only been charged $250 maximum before taxes.  I couldn't find any information on how many times they allow this cap but the point is that they allow you stop a wildfire from spreading in regards to your bill and this allows you to learn how to use your mobile broadband.

I agree this is very cool and not something that I was aware of.

>>>it comes down to the point that the usage was made. 

I hear and understand exactly what you are saying.  The difference between my electric usage and my internet usage is that one is very much more controllable than the other imho.  As I said in my earlier post it sounds like the original poster got a virus or was snagged with some other bit of nasty ware.  If Verizon are going to be cool with him about it regarding the bill then agree that's good customer service.  I hope I receive the same should it ever happen to me.

>>> If you read around these boards more, you will see Verizon wireless take's it easy on a lot of people - not just a few.

Fair comment, but I'd respond that Verizon then realizes the extent of this problem so even more reason to support my idea that we should be allowed to police ourselves.  I'd like to set my hard cap at 5Gb.  I don't want ANY risk of even a $250 bill.  In the case of internet usage I don't think that is too much to ask for.

>>>Verizon Wireless won't change the way it bills their calling plans because someone doesn't like the way it's billed or how much they can use.  

I hope you're not right, I hope they read message boards like this one they provide and see the problems some of its users are having with some of its contracts.

>>>In regards to "fair" overage charges, that's why Verizon wireless changed from .25 cents per mb to .05 per mb right?  Or did they lower the overage minute to keep gouging us with unfair prices? 

No,  I had to call them to get the change in my contract (was as a direct result of this thread) if I had still been on the $0.25 overage plan I wonder if they would have hard capped me at $250.   I don't know, I was delighted to get the change, but I'd still like to be cut off hard and fast each month when I hit that 5Gb limit.  I understand the limit (think it's too small but I DO understand it's there), I just can't monitor it closely enough and pull the plug myself.

>>>And if you go to dial-up...then I really don't know what to say. 

'Good Luck' would be nice 😉 

Don't get me wrong I'm cool with your responses, it's just that I don't think what I am looking for is unreasonable.  If 5Gb of usage cost about 1c per Gb, then why not everything above 5Gb costing the same?  My Electric bill actually gets cheaper per watt hour the more I use.  Also, why not the auto-cap?  This is 2009 computer stuff, I can't believe it's that hard to implement.

>>>Hope this helps clear up some information

Yes the 'forgiveness' bill from Verizon IS a big deal.  Thanks for clarifying.

s2marks

[Protege]

You know what s2marks

I have something to say to you

You are absolutely...

cool.  I was unsure how you would take my response to be honest

Good luck if you do go to dial-up as well =D

And in regards to Verizon hard capping it's not totally out of the question.  They currently offer usage controls to set hard limits on calls and messages, so, with that said it may very well be possible.  I hadn't actually thought about usage controls and using it for mobile broadband.  That is a very very very good thought...

I must go back to my lair and dwell on this.

[#13]

Affordable health care for everyone in this country should be a right, but not wireless broadband.  Government intervention is not the answer.  Supply and demand, competition, and free enterprise market forces will fix the problem.

[LukeTech]

---

jimfitzgerald wrote:

Affordable health care for everyone in this country should be a right, but not wireless broadband.  Government intervention is not the answer.  Supply and demand, competition, and free enterprise market forces will fix the problem.

---

I agree, but with the rate of consolidation competition is lacking.

[jim_2009]

I signed on to verizon on 9/8/2009 and am really surprised and disappointed with daily usage amounts. Each morning I check previous day's usage and the report/system/accounting for accumulated Mg usage produced for me to monitor my usage is extremely erratic. And more importantly,I do not believe it is correct. For instance,

begin new billing period:10/13----64mb..... ok, now that's great I thought, but then

                                             10/14----260mb........not so good but ony 130mb avg per day, but the morning of 10/16 the report said

                                             10/14(again)----611mb......yikes, what's going on ?????, but then in morning of 10/17  system said

                                             10/16----827mb.....Holy cow! I had  disconnected from  verizon early that day of 10/16 and gone

                                                                               back to dial-up but usage report showed I'd used 216mb?! What's going on?

I'm calling verizon today. Maybe there's some thing wrong!? With my somewhat curtailed usage, the system nevertheless shows me accumulating greater amounts.........827mb and 4 days, that's 260+mb per day.

This is not the pleasurable experience I expected from high speed connection.

Thanks,

Jim

[jim_2009]

OOPS!......206mb per day.

[#17]

Wow, something is obviously going on.  I would try unplugging your Verizon device (card or USB) except when actually connecting to the internet.  Are you using a router?  If you are, maybe someone has hacked into your router.

[jim_2009]

I'm using a Belkin G Wireless USB Network Adapter on my 2004 Dell Dimension 4600 desktop that supplies wireless connection for my 2008 Lenovo Y710 laptop.

This morning's usage report showed 828mb after keeping mifi 2200 off all day yesterday except to check usage while it was directly connected to USB of Lenovo.

I did not call Verizon yet.........want another day or two fo experience.

[pjk]

we always turn off our wifi device when not in use. Went way over and now I have to be the internet police for my family. Not what I wanted to do. I'm not surprised this person went way over--too bad they advertised it as for heavy users.

[Doodle]

pjk join the club. I live alone and have had outrageous overages. When I would call they would always blame it on me. I was calling them about everyother day. I was told many things, like the tower was damaged. They have credit my account for all my overages that is one good thing. But I felt like it was a full time job also. I've started staying off line, even when I'd like to get online. I'm just tired of calling ever few days.

I'm just waiting out the time till I can cancel this. I guess I'll go back to dail up. By the way about half the time I'm on National Access and it's slower than dail up anyway. I live 2000 feet from the tower so I should have a good connection.

[Shimelle]

You really would go back to dialup??? In this day and age???  I simply could not, would not, uh-uh, no way.

[Doodle]

Shimelle I'm connecting with National Access so much and it is slower than dial-up. It can take as long as 3 min. for the Verizon web site to open. My dail-up was faster than that.