New unlimited plan effect on HomeFusion Broadband

[CrazyBear]

I have Home Fusion broadband at home, 30gig plan, and I go over limit pretty much every month.

But I also have a smartphone with a grandfathered unlimited data plan, that I use an additional 20gig on every month.

It seems almost too good to be true to go to this new "Single smartphone plan" (says with up to 2 additional devices also) and to change my current base price from $260 a month, down to $110 a month. And get unlimited data?

I am seriously wondering what's the catch? What am I missing?

Kevin J

[Weth]

The home fusion would be limited to 10GB before being slowed to an unlimited amount at 3G speed. Hotspot on phone would get another 10 GB before slowed to 3G

[rcschnoor]

While you may be right, I don't think it is so clear on this device as it IS NOT listed under "Mobile Hotspots" but instead listed under "Home & Office Solutions". With this distinction, Verizon does not necessarily consider it a "hotspot".

Regardless, dropping from $260/month(+ overages) to a much lower amount, even at 3G speeds, is quite the savings. I guess it depends on how important speed on that device is to you before you switch from your Home Fusion plan. It seems if Verizon wants to sell ANY of these devices they would treat it a bit differently if they expect to charge a premium for having one vs a mifi, or else they need to drop the price on these drastically.

[Weth]

Putting on the Verizon executive thinking cap, the thing Verizon hated with the old unlimited plan was people using unlimited data as replacement for home internet.  There was never an unlimited home fusion plan, people just put unlimited phone SIMS in a home device and used it as unlimited internet. 

They designed a plan to prevent that again.   That is why any device that can allow other devices to connect to it (hotspot, jetpack, home fusion) will have the 10 GB high speed limit. 

The limit is for any Internet device as Verizon defines it.

[rcschnoor]

Weth wrote:

The limit is for any Internet device as Verizon defines it.

Actually, the wording is for "Mobile Hotspot", not "Internet device", and Home Fusion is NOT mobile as the cantenna is mounted to your home, not to be moved except by a Verizon tech. You may say the term "tethered", but people don't normally use that term when connected to their home wifi router which is exactly what Home Fusion is. The distinguishing factor is that it is not a MOBILE hotspot which is what is indicated in Verizon's terminology AND what MiFi devices are categorized under. MiFi devices have always been handled differently than Home Fusion which actually had a completely different plan not available to MiFi devices. It is not inconceivable that Verizon would treat these differently unless they simply want this technology or portion of their business to fade away.

Verizon Unlimited faq:

"What happens once I've used the 10 GB limit for Mobile Hotspot?

With the new Verizon Plan Unlimited, you get a 10 GB allowance of high-speed 4G LTE data for Mobile Hotspot each billing cycle. Once you've used the 10 GB of 4G LTE data, your Mobile Hotspot data speed will be reduced to 3G speed for the rest of the billing cycle. Data will continue to be unlimited while your Mobile Hotspot is reduced to 3G speed."

[woodinthewoods]

I just spoke to a Rep.that guaranteed the mifi will be unlimited and when I brought up that it's being also mentioned that it will only be 10 GB she said that was wrong.. got it in writing!

[rcschnoor · Accepted solution]

woodinthewoods wrote:

I just spoke to a Rep.that guaranteed the mifi will be unlimited and when I brought up that it's being also mentioned that it will only be 10 GB she said that was wrong.. got it in writing!

You are mistaking being "slowed" after 10 GB as being "capped" at 10 GB. 10 GB at 4G speeds followed by UNLIMITED GB at 3G speeds is still UNLIMITED.

[CrazyBear]

Talked with a online tech this morning, and they agreed. The home fusion broadband would be unlimited at 3G after the first 10gb.

[BPL506]

This is what Verizon calls "3G Speeds" after the 10GB.

Dial-up is faster!!

[Ann154]

Actually it isn't. Dialup speeds have maximum possible speed of 53 kbps or 0.053 mbps. The VZW reps here have stated up 600 kbps or 0.6 mbps for the 3G speeds. You are getting 0.26 mbps (260 kbps) download and 0.37 mbps (370 kbps) upload. I would speculate you are within the 3G speed range. For the tiered new Verizon Plans, the Safety Mode expected speed is 128 kbps or 0.128 mbps.

Dial Up vs. High Speed Internet - Dialup, DSL & Cable Compared

[BPL506]

Apparently Ann is here to defend Verizon, than you for the lesson... You say Tomato, I say Tomato.

But one thing we should all agree on is that the "Stated" speeds for VZW's unlimited plan past 10GB are unacceptable. No where in any documentation or on their website do they state what their "Stated" 3Gspeeds are going to be!! 3G speeds in the area I live generally run from 2 to 5mbps. They are being deceptive and raking in thousands of dollars and not providing good service.

[harleyman22]

The current 3G download speed on my AT&T GoPhone is 2.2mbps. That's 2200 kbps to you, Ann.

[JAYTUR77]

I trust that your answer is correct, however, it doesn't answer all the questions I see here about people's internet speed being reducing to basically nothing. where can I go to get answers on this? I'm searching for a home internet service that I can depend on for work and internet work searches.  Thx

[MRAKRAK6530]

JAYTUR77....Ann154 answers are correct, but she doesn't want to admit that 3G speeds on the Home Fusion system are slower than dial-up. I had Verizon confirm this after they finally admitted that I was being severely throttled after10GB, and not prioritized after 22GB as first promised. I had the Home Fusion system for almost 5 years when I switched to the Verizon Unlimited....but when I saw the slowdown in speeds to where it couldn't even be used, I had enough of VZW and cancelled. There is a company that I refer to in a thread above that provides real unlimited internet, if you have a decent cell signal. No contracts and great customer service. I switched about 2 months ago and I can finally stream movies in my home without buffering or worrying about going over my data!! There is also a code provided above to save $$ upon joining. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Grumpy67]

That is what mine looks like also, and yes, dial up is faster. I have found, luckily that during nighttime hours, the upload speed is better. But still, this is equivalent to 1G or 1X speed. 3G is between 3 and 5 megs as stated.

The honest thing for VZ would be to advise us with LTE internet of the effects ahead of time, and ask us what we want to do. I would have appreciated THAT. As it is, I cannot even change it back just going online.

Also, I have a device which is phone only. My old plan, shared 40 gig between 4 devices. At least then we got ALL the 40G and would go over if and when we exceeded. As it is now, I pay for 10G for the landline that NEVER gets used, as that is a phone and cannot use data, and as for the cell phones, we don't use 20G between us.

It is downright shady on their part.

[Weth]

The error here is waiting until you get the answer you want and then claiming it as fact.  Reps are often wrong.  The last one to answer is not always right.  It is well known that you can ask 5 reps a question and get 6 answers.  The reps that have been more reliable, and there are several saying the same thing, it is 10 GB LTE then unlimited 3 G speed data. 

[woodinthewoods]

We have discussed your change to the unlimited plan which includes a Jetpack Mifi device. Your Mifi device has unlimited access to your new plan. Your device will access to at least 22Gb of 4G LTE speeds and may throttle down after that depending priority of usage

[rcschnoor]

It just so happens the statement you have posted is contrary to MANY other reps "who have put it in writing", one example which is listed below:

Re: New Unlimited plan concerning Data only devices

AND the unlimited plan faq listed on this website:

"What happens once I've used the 10 GB limit for Mobile Hotspot?

With the new Verizon Plan Unlimited, you get a 10 GB allowance of high-speed 4G LTE data for Mobile Hotspot each billing cycle. Once you've used the 10 GB of 4G LTE data, your Mobile Hotspot data speed will be reduced to 3G speed for the rest of the billing cycle. Data will continue to be unlimited while your Mobile Hotspot is reduced to 3G speed."

[nancyh128]

I have LTE installed connected to a cantenna on my roof. My device is a 4G data only device. The Verizon website says it cannot be used on the 3G network. It is on my new unlimited plan. I have exceeded 10GB and expect that if I hit 22GB on this line, it will be subject to potential priortization. I experienced no change at 10GB and I presume it is because my LTE Installed device is 4G only, unlike mobile hotspots.  I think people with different devices may be getting answers that appear contradictory  but are really just specific to their type of device.

[rcschnoor]

nancyh128 wrote:

I have LTE installed connected to a cantenna on my roof. My device is a 4G data only device. The Verizon website says it cannot be used on the 3G network.

Except Verizon does not say that data use will be relegated to the "3G network", just that the speed of that data use will be reduced to "3G speeds". Data use on the 4G network CAN be slowed down to 3G speeds and STILL be carried over the 4G network.

However, when unlimited was introduced again I was stating the unlimited faq mentioned "mobile hotspots" being slowed to 3G speeds. I argued that LTE Installed could in no way be considered "mobile" and therefore did not fall into that category. Good to hear that your speeds have not been slowed down after exceeding 10 GB. That could be good news if it turns out to be the case.

[cdtierce]

is the installed LTE (home fusion) a $20 per line access fee or still the higher fee for the installed LTE pricing?