When is unlimited data not really unlimited? When it’s throttled and shaped. In addition to reserving the right to throttle bandwidth for the top five percent of data users, Verizon also reserves the right to shape and manipulate bandwidth for all its customers. According to Wired:
Verizon incidentally announced a plan for “data optimization” for all customers, which may degrade the appearance of videos streamed on smartphones, for example.
The “optimization” method involves caching less data and resizing video, which “may minimally impact the appearance of the file as displayed on your device” — and that affects every Verizon customer.
This makes choosing an iPhone carrier a bit more difficult, hey? AT&T has shoddier service, but faster speeds. Verizon is more reliable, but it’s slower and the company reserves the right to make its vaunted “unlimited” service sucky. In the immortal words of Dennis Hopper, “What do you do? What do you do?”
i'm going to stick with my faster shoddier service. We are about to lose millions of users in the next few days!
I'm curious to see if it will help service in NY and SF.
I know what to do, don't get an iPhone or stay away from the V!
Burners for the masses! Jk
I heard something about this a couple days ago, that if you use too much data they will slow you down. That's too bad that they are doing this, it would be nice to not have to choose between what people think is the lesser of two evils. Why can't we as consumers just have something that's good and works quickly?
All four majors have too much power compared to their counterparts in Asia and Europe. That's, sadly, just how our market works.
Because charging you for something they don't want you to use but is necessary is brilliant for them.
I hate it.
My favorite model is in some Southeast Asian countries I've visited. There are a number of pre-paid voice and data rates you can select from. Even the most expensive pre-paid choice is much cheaper than what's available in America. Naturally, those countries are easier to wire because they're much smaller.
It is very sad, but that is the American way—charging outrageous amounts of money for simple services because we think we need them, or we compromise and become willing to pay the price for the enjoyment of making things simpler for ourselves.
I’m still tempted to drive to the Verizon store on Thursday morning to get one.
DId you see that the Thunderbolt got pushed back? Interesting.