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Two separate submissions on the same topic here.
Verizon to Disconnect Unlimited Data Users Who Use "Extraordinary" Amounts of Data
According to sources of ours, Verizon is working on an Unlimited Data Plan Migration for the highest unlimited data users on their network. Starting tomorrow, July 21, Verizon will begin notifying users who have been flagged as using that "extraordinary" amount via mailer and through bill messages and explain to them their options to stay with Big Red.
What are their options? Verizon is forcing these out of contract "extraordinary" data users to move to The Verizon Plan (a tiered plan) by August 31 or they will shut down the line. If they don't take that option by August 31 and their line is disconnected, they will have up to 50 days to re-activate, but of course, they can only do so by switching over to The Verizon Plan.
Source: http://www.droid-life.com/2016/07/20/verizon-unlimited-data-rip-tetherers/
Verizon to disconnect unlimited data customers who use over 100GB/month
Verizon Wireless customers who have held on to unlimited data plans and use significantly more than 100GB a month will be disconnected from the network on August 31 unless they agree to move to limited data packages that require payment of overage fees.
Verizon stopped offering unlimited data to new smartphone customers in 2011, but some customers have been able to hang on to the old plans instead of switching to ones with monthly data limits. Verizon has tried to convert the holdouts by raising the price $20 a month and occasionally throttling heavy users but stopped that practice after net neutrality rules took effect. Now Verizon is implementing a formal policy for disconnecting the heaviest users.
The news was reported by Droid Life yesterday, and Verizon confirmed the changes to Ars this morning.
"Because our network is a shared resource and we need to ensure all customers have a great mobile experience with Verizon, we are notifying a very small group of customers on unlimited plans who use an extraordinary amount of data that they must move to one of the new Verizon Plans by August 31, 2016," a Verizon spokesperson told Ars. "These users are using data amounts well in excess of our largest plan size (100GB). While the Verizon Plan at 100GB is designed to be shared across multiple users, each line receiving notification to move to the new Verizon Plan is using well in excess of that on a single device."
The 100GB plan costs $450 a month.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 23 2016, @10:34AM
What's missing in the article is how much they're paying now, to show what Verizon's trying to get.
They're currently paying $49.99 a month for unlimited data, up from the original $29.99 offered with the original unlimited plan.
Verizon's trying to convert them to paying $450 a month for a 100 GB cap plus obscene charges per MB over the limit, instead of $49.99.
Why would anyone take this deal? The only smart move is to run it into the ground until Verizon cancels their account, and only then seek new contracts. Probably with anyone who isn't Verizon.
I see what Verizon's doing here. They stand to make thousands of dollars a month on any of these accounts using vast amounts of data, due to overage charges. In their eyes, this is equivalent to lost income to have these people on Unlimited plans, so they'd rather lose the accounts than keep the status quo, and if they convert a mere 5 percent then they're likely ahead of the game. But seriously. Going from $49.99 for Unlimited to $450 a month for 100 GB? Their customers aren't going to be happy.