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Missing the Rural Opportunity

I’m part of the rural community, Verizon customer for many years, that has been waiting for Verizon 4G to provide us a lifeline. Ends-up waiting in vain.

We don’t have access to cable or DSL. Sprint 4g is a mile away and too many trees for the local line-of-site wireless service. Our only unlimited use choices are dial-up, satellite or a T1 line. The new Verizon 4G zone goes ten miles past us … encompassing thousands of potential rural converts.

I got the Verizon LG 4G modem the Sunday it became available. I was not aware of our true data use … The Verizon usage calculator put it a 4-8 gig. After two days of use our actual run rate was projecting closer to 40-50 gig. I returned it and cancelled the 4G service.

We have a small business with three users. We often have to send larger (15 meg) files and do some ooVoo video conferencing. Satellite is not practical. I was hoping the Verizon 4G would permit us to stop paying $325 for the T1. Not at this time. The Verizon 4G would cost us more without any consideration of watching / downloading a single movie over the internet.

It’s disappointing that Verizon does not have unlimited 4G use option like Sprint ($44.95 a month in our area), or an unlimited use option for those that don’t have access to Verizon DSL.

Verizon’s pricing / 4G service is focused on the corporate traveler, not the residential user or small business owner. It has spent billions on a superior wireless technology without a pricing strategy to maximize recouping its investment.

There are literally thousands of homes in our community that would dump their satellite or T1 and switch to Verizon if given a reasonable unlimited data pricing option. Right now the reasonable decision is to wait for Sprint to add another tower near us.

Any incites from others stuck in a similar unlimited access void would be appreciated.

Comments

cbrucem

I'm in the same situation near the Phoenix area. I was first in line last Sunday and was truly disappointed when I couldn't connect with 4G (inside my house). I was able to connect when outdoors but now there is no signal in or out. I opened a trouble ticket on Monday and have heard nothing back from Verizon. I'll keep hoping that they will resolve the problem before my 30 days are up but have much confidence in them working towards a solution. Being a residential user I'm not as concerned with the data use factor, would just like a reliable network as advertised!

markusw

I had a similar connection issue. Found out the LG600's default it to grab the strongest signal, not the fastest ... mine kept going to the slowest speed. Customer service had me change the Preferences (get the password from customer service)from Global to LTE to force it to the LTE signal. The speed would really drop if I got more than about 5 feet from a window, no coverage if I went to an interior room. Might do better when the Pantech becomes available here ... ability to use a remote antenna. Good luck.

steveanderson13

markusw wrote:
I got the Verizon LG 4G modem the Sunday it became available. I was not aware of our true data use … The Verizon usage calculator put it a 4-8 gig. After two days of use our actual run rate was projecting closer to 40-50 gig. I returned it and cancelled the 4G service.

We have a small business with three users. We often have to send larger (15 meg) files and do some ooVoo video conferencing. Satellite is not practical. I was hoping the Verizon 4G would permit us to stop paying $325 for the T1. Not at this time. The Verizon 4G would cost us more without any consideration of watching / downloading a single movie over the internet.

Since you are not a household user, may I suggest you contact the Verizon business section? You obviously need high volume, is high quality video also necessary? The reason I ask is 1) is 3g insufficient? They are priced the same anyway. 2) plans will likely develop based on speed according to CEO Seiderberg recently. I have gained much knowledge from Howardforums.com; check it out. It seems to be populated with very knowledgeable people who may be able to offer solutions or project future alternatives. I presume FIOS is not available there.

It’s disappointing that Verizon does not have unlimited 4G use option like Sprint ($44.95 a month in our area), or an unlimited use option for those that don’t have access to Verizon DSL.

I don't know where these figures come from. You may want to compare apples with apples. You said you were using a modem, so here are Sprint's prices from their web site:

http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/SubmitRegionAction?isUpgradePathForCoverage=false&currZipCode=&upgradeOption=&nextPage=DisplayPlans&equipmentSKUurlPart=?currentPage=ratePlanPage&filterStringParamName=&newZipCode=70589&x=-36&y=-39

4G/3G Mobile Broadband Connection Plan
Satisfy your need for speed with our superfast 4G connection in select cities. Outside of the 4G area, we've still got you covered with our nationwide 3G network. Check out 4G coverage and speeds.
This plan includes
Unlimited 4G usage. Download mammoth files, watch streaming videos and video conferencing without the lag. More coverage locations coming soon!
Peak download speeds of over 10 Mbps and average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps
3G coverage nationwide: 5GB/mo. in total or 300 MB/mo. while off-network roaming. Additional monthly usage over 5GB while on network costs 5¢/MB and over 300 MB while off-network roaming costs 25¢/MB. You can check your usage online anytime. Sign into www.sprint.com/mysprintand click on see all usage.
Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred. See what you can do with 5GB a month on a 3G connection plan.
> Learn more about what's included in this plan

Anytime Minutes Monthly Price Monthly Usage

$59.99

4G: Unlimited/3G: 5GB

Sprint looks like it costs $10/mo more. I highlighted the sentence on throttling and/or capping. It is not unliimited and 40-50g would not fly. You may wish to read up on what Sprint thinks is tolerable. (I read 7)

Verizon’s pricing / 4G service is focused on the corporate traveler, not the residential user or small business owner. It has spent billions on a superior wirThieless technology without a pricing strategy to maximize recouping its investment.

There are literally thousands of homes in our community that would dump their satellite or T1 and switch to Verizon if given a reasonable unlimitTed data pricing option.

Well said, but give it time to develop; it is brand new.

Right now the reasonable decision is to wait for Sprint to add another tower near us.

As you can see, that may not be true. Good luck and hope I've been of help.
.

steveanderson13

Sorry, Markusw, found what you were talking about. Not easy to navigate Sprint's site--so here it is.

4G Desktop Modem Connection Plan

Finally, you can cut the cord. Plug into our blazing fast 4G Network with our desktop modem at your home or office. Available in select cities. Check out our 4G coverage and speeds.

This plan includes

Unlimited 4G usage. Download mammoth files, watch streaming videos and video conferencing without the lag. More coverage locations coming soon!
Peak download speeds of over 10 Mbps and average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps
Prohibited network uses apply. Seesprint.com/termsandconditions for details.
• Available to existing Sprint customers.
> Learn more about what's included in this planI

Anytime Minutes Monthly Price Monthly Usage

$44.99

Unlimited

I see it says "available to existing customers.

markusw

Thanks Steve for your input. No ... fiber optic is not available either. Modern wired techology stops about half a mile from us. And as new housing developments are built, they get the tech and the older subdivisions are left in the cold ... Charter cable will bring us cable if our 11 homeowners pony-up $24,000 for the install.

I see where Verizon in November talked about a pricing structure based on the speed you get. In our neighborhood which is only 3/8 mile end to end, some homes were getting 15 down, 7 up where others were getting 4 down and .44 up. Tough to price. We must be at the end of the range of the closest tower. I was getting 7 down and .6 up. Not lightning, but accomodated our needs.

While my desire for an unlimited use pricing option is obviously self-serving, I'm also trying to put a corporate finance hat on ... Verizon has a big LTE operating bill to pay. Where sprint and Verizon compete for 4g, who would sign-up for Verizon? 8 meg vs 15 meg is not material for the average customer. But $44.95 vs cab meter pricing ... that is very material. In our area all the Verizon 4G advertising / awareness has been a sales boom for the local Sprint store operator.

Verizon has been great for us ... the only cell service we can get reliable service in our area. It's just disspointing they don't have multi-service pricing ... like having your home and car insured with the same insurance company. In this case, giving DSL pricing for wireless broadband to cell phone customers where their DSL service is not available.

markusw

OK Mr. Seiderberg, here’s a suggestion using our area as example. Uncap the 4G service and price it at $79.99 as a stand-alone service. Here’s why.

For the thousands of homes in our area that now have access to Verizon 4G and NOT Sprint 4G, DSL or cable … $80 is your competitions key price point … WildBlue Pro (1.5 down, .25 up) and WisperISP Premier (3 down, 1 up). In my neighborhood alone you’d have 10 or our 11 homes convert … one doesn’t have a home computer. (7 WildBlue, 1 WisperISP, 2 T1’s)

Why not price it at $99.99? People are already mad they are paying an extra $50 a month for Internet over comparable DSL speeds. $79.99 makes this a simple decision and reduces the upcharge for getting a comparable DSL speed to $30 … Verizon’s comparable DSL speed is $49.99 with phone service.

Where you do compete with Sprint 4G this is your value-added stand-alone pricing for a value-added service.

And to complement the phone/internet packaging like you do with DSL/phone, compete better with Sprint, $49.99 when bundled with Verizon cell phone service.

Give Verizon 3G customers the replacement 4G modem for free for upgrading their service.

If they have Verizon DSL, add 4G mobile access at $29.99 for when they travel.

This also addresses the critic’s bashing Verizon for charging 3G prices for a 4G service you’ve stated will cost half as much to operate.

I’d implement this or something similar asap. Appease those that have already signed-up for the $80 price point … nothing will make them angrier than running up a $130 - $300 bill and then have an upcapped service announced. You’ll also get the $50 4G subscribers to upgrade to $80 for usage protection.

Uncapped 4G usage pricing is inevitable. Better to do it sooner than later than continue to lose customer loyalty and public credibility.

Iamfeathers

We're in the same boat although, we don't even have 3G here. A little over 3 years ago we moved here and found out there is no access to DSL or cable and AT&T's service is even worse than Verizons. When I first called to inquire about the coverage here I was told we are in the 3G coverage area, however this proved to be different after calling several months to the support division to find out after a year that this area is a known "trouble spot" and that I could drop the service if I so chose. I didn't at that time because there is NO other options. Satellite companies only come to this area every 6 months to do installations and at that time, there was no known time for future installations. We do not live in the boonies as it would sound. We are located about an hour west south west of Clarksville and a little more of the same northeast of Jackson, TN. About a 1/2 mile off of HWY 79 and very close to KY lake. It's not as though there was no one else living here and there is a verizon tower about 5 miles straight through the hills and woods from us. According to Verizon, this tower has directional antenna and currently are directed towards more populated areas. When 4G became available to many......all of us wondered..why didn't they FIX 3G. Of course...the only answer was the money made providing the populated areas far exceeded providing a good service to the areas outside the big cities. What burns me is that we still PAY the high price of getting a service that isn't provided and if we don't like it...that's too bad for us. I'm all for verizon and other companies to provide better services but feel they should provide the service to a person who's money is just as good in the countryside as is the condoside.

markusw

Just found this article. Hopefully the SkyTerra1 will come on-line soon making towers irrelevant. Article doesn't say which LTE providers will be using their antenna.

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-11/largest-communication-antenna-ever-put-space-will-brings-4g-where-towers-wont

borregomark

I am patiently waiting for Verizon to install a proposed new tower that will have 4G. Meanwhile I have found Wilson Antenna products have several options to economically bring in the signal. If you have any signal from a tower you can have 3 bars inside of your house for about $70.00. Wireless amps that give a full 300ft radius around the home for up to 3 wireless devices are under $300.00. My son has mostly excellent gaming with Sprint 3G and am hoping the new 4G Verizon tower will improve the connectivity issues of 3G. Any input from 4G gamers would be appreciated.

Borregomark in the boonies

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