NewsVerizon Wireless Charges for Going over 5 GB Limits
Verizon Wireless has just announced that starting March 2nd, the $59.99 BroadBand Access data plan will not only be capped at 5 GB per month, but will now carry an an overage charge of $0.49 per MB. This is the third time Verizon has modified key terms of usage to their EV-DO data service.
The carrier previously had to change its promotion of BroadbandAccess service from “unlimited” to “unlimited*”, with a notation that the limit was 5 GB. While the limit has always been in-place internally, Verizon did not inform users about it until they had gone over the limit. Previously however, the only penalty for going over would be termination of service (without early termination fee).
Because the plan’s data usage is difficult to measure during a billing cycle, Verizon gave no mention of how mobile broadband card owners would be able to easily track usage. There is no indication that users will be notified when they are approaching the 5 GB limit.
Verizon today also announced a second data tier for mobile broadband cards; $39.99 for 50MB with an overage charge of $0.99 per MB. This matches their existing BroadbandAccess-only option for PDAs and Smartphones.
AT&T earlier this month matched Verizon’s 5 GB limit. However, they are not enforcing any overages, and like Sprint, have said they will work with customers that have gone over the limit repeatedly.
Dashboard Widget
First, this article is old. Every forum and their mother has recycled this article to death for close to a week. Second, what you state at the end of the article is incorrect. Sprint is not working “with customers that have gone over the limit repeatedly” because there is no limit. There is no stated, rumored, or implied soft cap with Sprint.
That’s wrong on a few levels… okay, fine, all the levels.
There is a soft cap on Sprint. Many have confirmed this with letters from Sprint, and calls from the Sprint Loyalty Group.
As to this news being “recycled all week”… I think you’re confusing that with the news of Unlimited Calling Plans that the carriers have released. The additional charge for going over 5 GB on Verizon is new.
I can’t imagine anyone spending $40 a month for 50mb for data…. you might as well spend the extra $20 to get 5070mb more of data.
I think everyone should realize that sprint is actually a better service for broadband card users. I would ditch verizon and at&t for a true unlimted plan. Not to mention that unlimited calling plan has everything including data and text for only 100 smackeroos!
I still stand by my statement that this site was the last to discuss this topic (Verizon’s new data overage) and was not being confused with the recently announced unlimited plans. EVDOforums, howardforums, treocentral, and others had been discussing this topic for a couple days before it was posted here.
As far as the implied soft cap on Sprint data that “many” have attested to, can you inform us on what the amount is?
It’s ok if you stand behind your statement. But face facts, Sprint has a much better broadband plan and is stepping up to show customers they are willing to provide phones, planning and pricing that won’t nickle and dime them to death. Verizon is huge and because of that think they can do anything they want. And as long as you folks continue to buy into this “can you hear me now crap” they are going to milk you for every cent they can get out of you.
I have had a few phone providers, Midwestern Celular was my first carrier, followed by Aeral, then Sprint (then I left Sprint because they p/o me), Cingular for 6 months and back to Sprint. It took all the dropped calls Cingular had to offer, along with a very tough time getting to talk to someone and a few really bad billing overcharges to drive me back to Sprint. Since I have been back, their plans and services have been getting better.
Guess what I’m saying you can either buy into the hype you see on the TV, or you can give Sprint a try. Hey, what do you have to lose — don’t like it you can always cancel within 30 days……………..
A happy, loyal Sprint Customer………….
There really is “soft cap” per say with Sprint on broadband data access. The letters certain customers received was basically telling them that Sprint was not making money off them and wanted them to leave ASAP. Yeah, some of these customers most likely used crazy amounts of data usage on their plan and were shown the door. However, there is nothing in writing that suggests any sort of finite number for a cap on how much you can use. If you use 5+ gigs a month, Sprint wont charge you or anything.
Carlos, I don’t see a news submission from you. In fact, we reported in a very timely manner as we require independent confirmation (this is why we aren’t rumor mongers, we are a reliable source for wireless news). If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem:
http://www.phonenews.com/contact-us-submit-news/
As to the soft cap on Sprint… the very nature of being a soft cap means that there is no number I can give you. It doesn’t work that way. Sprint evaluates this on a case-by-case basis. People who are excessive for a single month probably won’t hear a thing from Sprint.
I’m with Dan if you don’t like it cancel in 30 days.
Everyone keeps talking about “softcap” “unlimited” yada yada yada. Well, Sprint has unlimited text. They don’t call you up after a couple thousand text messages and tell you to stop. My teenage kid averages 5k a month. Yep.. gives that rumor a run for it’s money. No calls from sprint telling me (her) to STOP. Having a air card, I don’t even bother checking my download amounts but they are hug. No calls from sprint. So, provide some proof that sprint has “soft caps” on their unlimited statements.
Switchtech, there is a huge difference between unlimited text messaging, and unlimited data.
SMS Text Messages use a fraction of a kilobyte to send, they hardly use any data at all.
Packet Data (which is what Vision and Power Vision use), can easily overload a cell site with just two or three people constantly draining it of bandwidth.
To compare the two is simply fallacious… post in the forums if you want others to confirm the data soft cap.
so has anyone seens any attorney’s yet to sue verizon for breech of contract or entrapment with false or imposed promises to get current clients suckked in by them out of teh service thye are not providing? Would really like to see what happens here. I basically am tired of companies liying to custormers to attian the clients, then after your hardware is paid for and they have you as a client for about 3-5 months thye deny service to your account or over charge ya for teh service with contractual modification to thier benifit.
i have a sprint broadband card and am constantly downloading, if i had to guess, close to 8 gigs a month on average the past 3 months due to torrents and movie files. I havent been notified of anything BUT I have noticed that even when the program says I have full service it is much slower than it should be. Has anybody heard of this before? I know it has been an issue with comcast and Verizon DSL service but can they do this with broadband cards?
Just got a bill by e-mail from verizon wireless broadband. $2500 went over the cap in 3wks. I watch alot of you tube and send/receive video of my daughter to/from her dad two states away. WTF?!?!?!? Looks like I’m going back to sprint.
Just got my Verizon Bill. I was told by the sales rep that the $59 plan was unlimited. Bill for April $1740.00. Have been to the store and spoken to several service reps. I am told that the bill is ligit and they cannot help me. Furthur more my log says I have not even hit 5 Gigs since I purchased the card in March. The reps on the phone don’t even know the plans, how do they expect the customers to know what’s going on? My company will switch to another service if not resolved ASAP.
Not Happy!!!
hahaha… all the Sprint-apologists are going to be eating crow when their company announces their new 5GB usage limits in the coming weeks.
wow. I think the cap is just a complete scam. I was thinking about getting the card because someone told me it was unlimitted. Forget that. There is no way that I am going to monitor my usage. Bad business move on their part.
Just switched from Verizon’s National Access to their Broadband access and the bill for my first month of the new service is over $1700. WTF? I’m scared to even turn the damn computer on now!
I’ve been burning through 250mb day stream stock data. I’m not sure what value my wireless card is providing since I don’t have the freedom to use it the way I intended. What resolution have people been able to obtain when going over? There is no way I can pay a $1700 bill. I’m considering canceling.
I just got the Cricket broadband wireless thing and I’m starting to realize, with the amount of surfing and downloading I do on the internet…. I’m definitely going to exceed this 5GB limit fast! That sucks that Cricket advertised “unlimited internet” and they don’t tell you the real story up front and you have to later find out for yourself! Damnit! They should be taken to court for false advertising!
Cricket really charges over the limit fees!!! I was about to sign up with them. How is that possible when EVERYTHING says UNLIMITED!?!?!? Who has 100% unlimited broadband besides Sprint. I am a current customer and they suck bigtime!