4G What a JOKE!!!

[imws]

I was with Sprint for about 2.5 years using their 3G broadband service and it was good in the beginning but in the last year the service quality has gone down.  The speeds are very low for whatever reason and hard to get a signal in places where I use to.  Imagine not being able to receive a 3G signal in Las Vegas, Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, JFK, etc., in closing the 3G coverage was spotty at best.  Now considering 4G I wanted to go with Sprint but had my doubts after reports of throttling by Clearwire with a big stick, LOL, after you went over 5GB for the month.  Also the nature of WiMax means that receiving the signal indoors can be challenging at times compared to LTE.  Something to do with the frequency of the signals makes LTE easier to receive than WiMax.  In any case the promise of the Verizon LTE coverage in 38 cities and 62 airports cinched the deal for me.  So it was with a heavy heart that I closed my account with Sprint, a company that has a wonderful track record with me, and went with Verizon, a company that well I tolerate, and their LTE service.  I ordered my card online, changed my plan and got the card a few days later.  I was able to activate and begin using the card on 4G without having to call Verizon other than to activate the card, which considering what I'm facing now is near a miracle that process actually worked.  Back to the service well it worked perfectly fine for more than two weeks.  So a few days ago as usual a Verizon rep went into my account and changed something and now I can't connect to 4G even though I'm receiving the 4G signal.  I don't have proof that her changes affected my 4G service but those were the only changes made to the account and the changes do not seem related to the 4G plan.  But this is my point, I don't know but I get the sense that Verizon has no clue about their back end systems and don't understand the myriad of hooks and triggers in their systems.  It's unfortunate that now I have to suffer the consequences with a service that does not work for me.  I want to blame someone but to pick on Verizon is a losing battle, they don't care about customer service, they don't care about resolving issues in a timely manner because they don't have the ability to understand their terribly built and maintained back end systems.  You can't blame the techs they are working on a very dysfunctional system to maintain accounts.   For now I have my VZAM set to negotiate only at 3G speeds so that I can use the device.  Yes Verizon 4G what a joke.

well thank god for american ingenuity and the internet.... I tried configuring my 4G modem directly on a Apple MacBook Pro bypassing VZAM and it works.  I'm getting 10.26 Mb/s down and 7.17 Mb/s up.  So it's the VZAM that is causing the issue.  My apologies to Verizon and their staff for bitching and moaning.

[toughbook]

1st thing, Netflix isnt on VZAM. It's on the internet.

IMWS; Have you taken your device into a store, a Company Owned Store, and have them look at it? Simply explain to them after they see 4G doesn't work that they either fix it, give you a new device, or go back to your 3G plan. If they are billing you for a service, they must either provide it, or give you your money back. Would we buy a 4WD vehicle and not have the dealer fix it if it only worked in 2WD? Same thing.

I completley understand the OTR drivers hitting the cap very quick if they watch Netflix or such. Here is what I would do. If you have iTunes on your computer you can download a movie, either rent it or buy it, when you are at a truck stop using there WiFi.Then you can watch it anytime on the road. Use the WiFi service on your VZAM to look for free hot spots. I completley understand this can be difficult in a large rig, but we have to get creative until things change.

Watch your Outlook as well. if you have it set to Send and Recieve every 5 minutes or so that will pull some data. If I was hitting my cap I would 1st make sure there is nothing in the background using up my bandwidth that I didn't need.

Let me know if you would like any specific help with that. I would be more than happy to help you!

[George2010a]

Following is an excerpt from an article on CNET.  Verizon advertises their 4G as being great for downloading movies (see "Or better yet download and view full length HD quality movies" in their online promo materials), but WHO WANTS TO PAY $100.00 PER MOVIE???????????????

Here's the excerpt:

To put this in numbers, the device consistently registered around 12Mbps, which means it can finish downloading 800MB of data (which is an entire CD) in just around 9 minutes, or a 2-hour Blu-ray movie at 1080p (about 10GB of data) in just slightly more than an hour. And chances are that's what you're going to do when you find out how fast it is.

Now this is great until you realize that 10GB is the largest monthly data cap that Verizon's top-tier data plan gives you (which, by the way, costs a whopping $80/month. The only other plan is for 5GB/month and costs $50).

It doesn't makes sense when the 4G connection shares basically the same data cap as the company's 3G connection. As the 4G connection has proved to be about 10 times faster, it should have around 10 times the amount of data allowance.

Of course, you can still use the device after the cap has been reached; it's just that it'll cost another $10 for each additional gigabyte, which translates into about $100 for another 10GB high-def movie.

You can read the full article at:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20025337-1.html

GIVE ME A BREAK VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!  WHO ARE THEY KIDDING????????  DO THEY THINK WE ARE ALL MORONS?????

[#4]

You still have the same 5 GB for $50 or 10 GB for $80 with 4G as with 3G. Only difference is you can download the same amount of data much quicker. Would you rather take 5 seconds or one minute to download something? Bottom line is 4G will save you a bunch of time, but won't allow you to download any additional amount of data. If you want to download a blu-ray movie, I would suggest you go home and use your unlimited cable internet connection.

[ZipTurtle]

I've had a 3G MiFi now for 2 years and have used 3G for almost 2 years longer than that.  I use it with my football (netbook), a computer I take with me everywhere so that I can access work or other remote sites where ever I happen to be.  I even use it at work sometimes to stream baseball games that I can't get over the corp network (slingbox to home).

But basically, it is a business tool.  For recreation, I wait till I get home and use the 50mb cable connection there.  With the exception of streaming via Slingmedia occassionally to get a baseball game or some breaking news event, the 3G connection is used for connections to work or client sites, Outlook, Remote Desktop, VPN, VNC, SSH, some browsing for email, looking up data... etc... None of which really uses a lot of data.

Works great for that.  I don't download large files with it, I don't watch movies with it....  Don't do Netflix though the data usage on that seems to be a lot less than what I'm seeing mentioned here (I was seeing about ~148mb per 40mins when I tried it)

In the 3+ years I've used the service, I have never exceeded 5GB. That is with 3G...

4G is faster, so yep, you can use more data, but I don't plan on changing how I use it.  Most likely will get the 10GB connection as I might use it a bit more than before but with the corp discount and the fact I don't pay for this anyway as a business expense... not that big of a deal.

As for marketting 4G as a replacement for a wired connection, that is a hard sell.  The costs currently don't match up.  Until Verizon markets 4G for the purpose it is hard economically to think of it as a viable alternative.  Maybe a year or two down the road...

None of the providers are really providing true unlimited access. They all have caps or limits in some form or another.

[crimedoggies]

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George2010a wrote:

Following is an excerpt from an article on CNET.  Verizon advertises their 4G as being great for downloading movies (see "Or better yet download and view full length HD quality movies" in their online promo materials), but WHO WANTS TO PAY $100.00 PER MOVIE???????????????

Here's the excerpt:

To put this in numbers, the device consistently registered around 12Mbps, which means it can finish downloading 800MB of data (which is an entire CD) in just around 9 minutes, or a 2-hour Blu-ray movie at 1080p (about 10GB of data) in just slightly more than an hour. And chances are that's what you're going to do when you find out how fast it is.

Now this is great until you realize that 10GB is the largest monthly data cap that Verizon's top-tier data plan gives you (which, by the way, costs a whopping $80/month. The only other plan is for 5GB/month and costs $50).

It doesn't makes sense when the 4G connection shares basically the same data cap as the company's 3G connection. As the 4G connection has proved to be about 10 times faster, it should have around 10 times the amount of data allowance.

Of course, you can still use the device after the cap has been reached; it's just that it'll cost another $10 for each additional gigabyte, which translates into about $100 for another 10GB high-def movie.

You can read the full article at:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20025337-1.html

GIVE ME A BREAK VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!  WHO ARE THEY KIDDING????????  DO THEY THINK WE ARE ALL MORONS?????

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If you think they are going to invest in creating a network that gives you a connection 10 times faster than currently available and then increase the data amount 10 times for the same price, then yes I think they would put you in that category!!!

[dirkbonn]

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crimedoggies wrote:

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George2010a wrote:

GIVE ME A BREAK VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!  WHO ARE THEY KIDDING????????  DO THEY THINK WE ARE ALL MORONS?????

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you think they are going to invest in creating a network that gives you a connection 10 times faster than currently available and then increase the data amount 10 times for the same price, then yes I think they would put you in that category!!!

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Excellent observation...... Haha!!!

[George2010a]

You guys are missing the point.

I'm not the one who is suggesting that people use Verizon's 4G to download HD movies!  VERIZON IS!!!!   You may be smart enough to figure out that downloading HD movies is a totally ridiculous idea, but most people are not and will get suckered in. 

The following link is the "what can I do with it" selection in Verizon's website for their new 4G LTE.  Not only are they suggesting people download movies, but it's the very first thing they mention!  They even say full-length HD quality movies. 

http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/capabilities

Here's exactly what it says in the link:

"Into movies?  Stream your favorite director's cut without annoying buffering.  Or better yet, download and view full-length HD quality movies."

Talk about false and misleading advertising!

I understand why the limits are there, but I think that Verizon is not being truthful when they tell people what they can do with 4G.  Who wants do business with someone who lies to you to get you to buy their product. 

[crimedoggies]

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George2010a wrote:

You guys are missing the point.

I'm not the one who is suggesting that people use Verizon's 4G to download HD movies!  VERIZON IS!!!!   You may be smart enough to figure out that downloading HD movies is a totally ridiculous idea, but most people are not and will get suckered in. 

The following link is the "what can I do with it" selection in Verizon's website for their new 4G LTE.  Not only are they suggesting people download movies, but it's the very first thing they mention!  They even say full-length HD quality movies. 

http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/capabilities

Here's exactly what it says in the link:

"Into movies?  Stream your favorite director's cut without annoying buffering.  Or better yet, download and view full-length HD quality movies."

Talk about false and misleading advertising!

I understand why the limits are there, but I think that Verizon is not being truthful when they tell people what they can do with 4G.  Who wants do business with someone who lies to you to get you to buy their product. 

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Does it say anything about unlimited 4G data?  Can customers use it to download or stream full-length HD movies?  Please indicate for me where the false and misleading advertising is.  Are you brand new to marketing strategies that sell the sizzle?  At the end of the day, I don't feel I'm missing the point at all.  Verizon invested billions to build and develop a 4G network.  They have priced access to that network at this point as either $50  for 5GB or $80 for 10 GB.  The 4G is roughly 10 times faster than 3G and will use the same amount of data as anything you did with 3G, it will just do it faster. 

[George2010a]

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crimedoggies wrote:

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George2010a wrote:

You guys are missing the point.

I'm not the one who is suggesting that people use Verizon's 4G to download HD movies!  VERIZON IS!!!!   You may be smart enough to figure out that downloading HD movies is a totally ridiculous idea, but most people are not and will get suckered in. 

The following link is the "what can I do with it" selection in Verizon's website for their new 4G LTE.  Not only are they suggesting people download movies, but it's the very first thing they mention!  They even say full-length HD quality movies. 

http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/capabilities

Here's exactly what it says in the link:

"Into movies?  Stream your favorite director's cut without annoying buffering.  Or better yet, download and view full-length HD quality movies."

Talk about false and misleading advertising!

I understand why the limits are there, but I think that Verizon is not being truthful when they tell people what they can do with 4G.  Who wants do business with someone who lies to you to get you to buy their product. 

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Does it say anything about unlimited 4G data?  Can customers use it to download or stream full-length HD movies?  Please indicate for me where the false and misleading advertising is.  Are you brand new to marketing strategies that sell the sizzle?  At the end of the day, I don't feel I'm missing the point at all.  Verizon invested billions to build and develop a 4G network.  They have priced access to that network at this point as either $50  for 5GB or $80 for 10 GB.  The 4G is roughly 10 times faster than 3G and will use the same amount of data as anything you did with 3G, it will just do it faster. 

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So you are saying that if you had purchased Verizon's 4G product to download or stream full-length HD movies that you would be a happy camper?  If you answer no, then you have figured out where the false and misleading advertising is.