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Verizon officials were contrite and apologetic during a California State Assembly committee hearing that was convened Friday to examine mobile Internet throttling experienced by firefighters during recent blazes. "We all make mistakes from time to time, the true measure of leadership is how soon we admit it, own it," Rudy Reyes told the Select Committee on Natural Disaster, Response, Recovery, and Rebuilding after reading from a statement that the company released hours earlier.
In that statement, Verizon said it would be introducing a "new plan" with truly unlimited data and "priority access" for first responders nationwide. "As of yesterday, we removed all speed cap restrictions for first responders on the West Coast and in Hawaii to support current firefighting and Hurricane Lane efforts," the company said. "Further, in the event of another disaster, Verizon will lift restrictions on public safety customers, providing full network access."
The executives spoke shortly after hearing from Santa Clara County Fire Chief Tony Bowden who said that his agency had experienced similar throttling in December 2017. The Santa Clara department had tried to address it with the Verizon accounts manager at the time.
See also: Verizon stops throttling more firefighters, plans unlimited data "with no caps"
California State Assembly plans hearing on Verizon throttling of firefighters' data
Previously on SN: Verizon Throttled Fire Department's "Unlimited" Data During California Wildfire
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Acabatag on Saturday August 25 2018, @10:03PM (2 children)
This whole story smells more and more like a hit-piece on Verizon.
I have never been a Verizon customer so I feel no rage at them for any reason.
The term 'Unlimited' with Internet access has always been dubious and subject to interpretation.
A lot of the raging on the topic in this thread is by people making the generic rant about 'Unlimited.' The marketing folk are never going to give up their distorted use of the word, but it just seems silly for us to rage about that fact.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Sunday August 26 2018, @02:01AM
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(Score: 2) by RS3 on Sunday August 26 2018, @02:26AM
Sorry, I don't mean to troll or flamebait, just expressing my personal experience with Verizon.
I am and have been a Verizon customer for an absurd number of years. They suck. Their reps are incredibly rude. It's exactly what you expect from a very profitable near monopoly. A few years ago I (finally) gave up my landline. They were raising the price at an insane rate, and an absolutely minimal useless landline cost more than an unlimited talk and good data cell phone plan. I'm in a very weak cell area or I'd have done it sooner. When I told them I was cancelling, they acted all sorry and wanted to know why and what they could do to keep me. I said you've raised the price too much and they said "we're charging the federally allowed amount". Yes, the amount you lobby for. Incredibly profitable company, which means I was paying more than the actual cost of the phone. In my humble opinion, if a company is a monopoly like power, phone, water, sewer, Internet, etc., it should be mandated to be non-profit with fully open accounting books.
And that's just the landline rant. I won't get started about how horrible they are as an ISP, both home and business.
And yes, I'll be switching to Comcast soon- currently the lesser of evils.