Bandwidth
chomps100
Newbie

Hi.  I need to address an issue that has been disrupting the maximum benefits of using VW's service.  I surf the web daily as a source of income but am very conscientious of my usage.  This is demonstrated through bandwidth monitoring, disabling automatic updates, not streaming, not uploading images, and downloading a minimum amount of pages.  However, after some documentation through monitoring my bandwidth and matching it to the websites that I visit, I discovered a highly disproportionate ratio.  For instance, today I came online to find a different anti virus program because I was unsure if what I had currently was faulty.  I went to about four different websites and re chose Avast (after uninstalling it), in which it informed me would take up about 150 mb.  After the download completed, I checked my bandwidth monitor and it stated that I had used already 600 mb of data!  Then, without engaging in more activity, I watched the amount of mb I was using spike to 670.  This problem has been consistent for approximately three months and I have tried several attempts to finding a solution.  There was a period about three days ago where it showed the appropriate amount of bandwidth I used; on average, I used two hundred mb a day.  Just yesterday, the numbers starting jumping again.  What are the possible reasons for this matter? 

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Re: Bandwidth
renecone
Enthusiast - Level 2

I suppose that Verizon is a for profit company. Since no customer can prove how much data is actually used, Verizon could be at liberty to bill as much data as they wish. This is probably the reason unlimited data plans are no longer and for consumers is a conflict of interest. Unless customers have the ability to verify how much data they are actually using the consumer is at the complete mercy of the company and their data use measurement practices . I would assume at some point since this will become a problem as customers realize they are being taken advantage of. Eventually this will be brought to the FTC and proven an unfair practice. Until then we are all at the mercy of the company having honest practices. I think most consumers realize that relying on a large company to have honest practices where no checks and balances exist is non-existent. Unfotunate for the consumer and more profits for the company.   

Re: Bandwidth: A Letter to Verizon Wireless.
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Good morning chomps100,

Thank you for sharing your wireless concern with us. I can certainly understand that you want to monitor your usage on a daily basis. This is a great way to proactivaly ensure that you are on the best plan for your needs. I would love the opportunity to assist on monitoring how much data you are using on a daily basis. May I ask what make and model device are you using? Also, how are you monitoring your data usage right now? There are several ways to monitor your data usage, most of which depends on what device that you have. One of the best ways to monitor data usage is My Verizon. This is because on My Verizon it will specify how much data has been used as of a specific time and day. Once you share the details of the questions above then we can partner together and get this taken care of for you.

Thank you...

ArnettH_VZW
VZWSupport
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: Bandwidth
Not applicable

renecone wrote:

I suppose that Verizon is a for profit company. Since no customer can prove how much data is actually used, Verizon could be at liberty to bill as much data as they wish. This is probably the reason unlimited data plans are no longer and for consumers is a conflict of interest. Unless customers have the ability to verify how much data they are actually using the consumer is at the complete mercy of the company and their data use measurement practices . I would assume at some point since this will become a problem as customers realize they are being taken advantage of. Eventually this will be brought to the FTC and proven an unfair practice. Until then we are all at the mercy of the company having honest practices. I think most consumers realize that relying on a large company to have honest practices where no checks and balances exist is non-existent. Unfotunate for the consumer and more profits for the company.   

Yes you figured out Verizon's nefarious plan. To overcharge you so they can be investigated by the government and the CEO put in prison for a few extra $$$$. Not to mention the billions in lost revenue due to customer defection because of this genius plan. Yep that's the ticket!

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Re: Bandwidth
renecone
Enthusiast - Level 2

Spoken like a true sympathetic Verizon employee. What other logical reason would Verizon have for limiting data plans? Also how many large companies are investigated annually because of nefarious corporate practices.

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Re: Bandwidth
Not applicable

renecone wrote:

Spoken like a true sympathetic Verizon employee. What other logical reason would Verizon have for limiting data plans? Also how many large companies are investigated annually because of nefarious corporate practices.

Because the network can't handle it. Because they have 10 MHz for LTE on uplink and 10 MHz for downlink. Now each tower could have thousands of connections on it at one time. I'm not sure how you think you could have them all using unlimited amounts of data with that little spectrum. But maybe you have some knowledge in this area I don't have, so I'm willing to read your explanation of how this is possible.

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Re: Bandwidth
renecone
Enthusiast - Level 2

But if the same data is being used by customers regardless of the hypothetical "everyone using unlimited data" how does that change anything. Since the avg consumer uses only 2-4 gigs of data monthly how does placing data limits and charging for overages prevent overwhelming the capacity of any tower? How is it that all wireless companies use the same towers yet the towers are not going up in smoke because of overuse on a particular hertz spectrum.

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Re: Bandwidth
Not applicable

renecone wrote:

But if the same data is being used by customers regardless of the hypothetical "everyone using unlimited data" how does that change anything. Since the avg consumer uses only 2-4 gigs of data monthly how does placing data limits and charging for overages prevent overwhelming the capacity of any tower? How is it that all wireless companies use the same towers yet the towers are not going up in smoke because of overuse on a particular hertz spectrum.

They are using that NOW. This number ALWAYS goes up. Also they are only using 2-4 GB because they are capped. Share Everything plans have free tethering included. If Verizon offered unlimited data you don't think people would start tethering their phones to their PCs? Why would I continue to pay $50 a month to Charter if I can get unlimited data from Verizon and tether my phone to my PC? Also if people are using 2-4 GB a month then why all the clamoring for unlimited? Why do you need unlimited if you are using only 4 GB a month?

Mobile companies don't use the same spectrum. That's why you can't use a Verizon Galaxy SIII on another carrier and vise versa. And it also has nothing to do with overheating. You comment shows your lack of knowledge. The fact is a tower can only handle so much data at one time. It's FINITE. To think a 1000 people can stream HD Netflix at the same time not realistic.

Guess what a couple dozen people sharing your sector trying to stream HD video will eat up most the of bandwidth and everyone else will get slow data connections. Is that fair? You don't have to believe me. You don't have to believe 2+2=4 it still is 4.

Verizon uses a total 10 MHz for uplink and 10 MHz for downlink. Each tower has 3 sectors. LTE has a spectral efficiency of 15 bps per Hz. So for 10 MHz that's 150 Mbps per sector. That's not 150 Mbps per user. That's 150 Mbps TOTAL. Whether that's 1 user or 1000 users. Ten people using the same sector as you streaming HD Netflix will use up almost 50 Mbps of that 150 Mbps. So 10 people are using 1/3 of the bandwidth. Basically 32 people in sector streaming HD Netflix at the same time will use up all the bandwidth. Totally fair to the other several hundred people in that sector who may want to use the data they are paying for. Uplink is even worse it has a total of 37.5 Mbps capacity total.

Unlimited data isn't coming back. Not anytime soon. In fact it will soon go away for all. You can ask, beg, plead, start facebook pages, twitter whatever. It's not coming back. In 6-8 years maybe, when the technology allows it

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Re: Bandwidth
renecone
Enthusiast - Level 2

In response to your many questions. First, why put a limit if most people use 2-4 gigs of data per month...and why would the usage continue to go up? There are only so many leisure time hours in a day. If tethering is the concern then don't allow tethering. Why should everyone be penalized because Verizon allows tethering. Verizon needs to figure out a better solution because customer are paying the price for poor planning. Here's a thought if someone wants to stream video then make those customers have limited plans. Customers just want to use their phones without watching the data meter. This is akin to when talk and text was limited. So basically we are forced too take two steps back in time.

I know mobile users use different bandwidths but Verizon could also use various bandwidths for the same service. Also, if consumers were allowed to buy unlocked phones and switch the sim card to another service provider as they use too customers could change providers if they were unhappy with the service. That's FAIR. Most cell phones can work on any mobile provider network for the most part but the inaccessible sim cards don't allow consumers to switch providers if need be...not to mention the ridiculous two year contracts. "Towers going up in smoke" is a metaphor for towers bandwith being maxed out...this shows your lack of knowledge.

You don't have to believe unhappy customers = declining revenue but it still does. Perhaps if the wireless infrastructure received as much funding as the executive committee this would be a mute point.

Perhaps unlimited won't come back anytime soon. But Wireless providers will soon invest in the necessary Infrastructure to accommodate the customer as they should. Until then consumers have to pay extra for the same services at the same speed.

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Re: Bandwidth
Not applicable

I'm sure capacity has something to do with Verizon's decision to eliminate unlimited data plans, but I think profit has more to do with it.  Suppose you have some "data hog" using 30GB per month and paying $30.  Now, take that same 30GB and sell it to 15 customers on a Share Everything data plan of 2GB for $60 each.  Let's see, revenue of $30 versus $900.  Or, sell that same 30GB to 15 customers on a 2GB tiered data plan at $30 each for $450 in revenue.  You don't have to be a marketing genius to figure that out.  So, if Verizon does actually have limited capacity, would it make sense to build more capacity to support unlimited data hogs at $30 per month?  I don't think so.  When you calculate the ROI for new capacity, you get one answer based on average mix of users.  You get quite a different answer when based on the data hogs.  Get rid of the data hogs.  Problem solved.

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