Verizon plans on extreme throttling for extreme data users

February 3, 2011

Verizon is taking draconian measures to keep its network from dropping calls. Image: Flickr / Erick Hauser / CC-BY

The Verizon iPhone is finally on the market, officially. Initial reports are that Verizon iPhone data service is a bit slower, but much more reliable than AT&T service. Verizon has officially stated a policy that is sure to be unpopular, though — data throttling.

Initial reports of Verizon iPhone

The iPhone officially started shipping to Verizon customers on Feb. 3. After years of speculation,new  customers are giving the network a try. In most large cities and high-traffic areas, the phones do not appear to be dropping any calls. Download and upload speeds are a bit slower than AT&T’s peak service, but it does appear to be fulfilling the service promise of “more reliable.”

The policy of data throttling

AT&T has said in previous interviews that the company does not officially throttle any individual’s data use. However, the company is moving to a tiered data system in which the heaviest users of data will have to pay more for their data transfer. In a memo posted on the Verizon website this morning, however, the company officially took the stance that the company will data throttle, which means it will purposely slow the connections of certain users. This is for two reasons. First, because Verizon hopes to maintain its unlimited data plan. Second, Verizon plans to throttle the top 5 percent of users only during peak hours in order to prevent unreliable service for others.

Additional punishment for data overuse

Though Verizon Wireless has said that iPhone data will be throttled during the time of heaviest data use, it is another policy that is causing an unhappy uproar. Verizon Wireless will be limiting the data usage of the heaviest users for an extended period of time. For the month when the user is exceeding the top 5 percent limit, Verizon will throttle their service. The next month, though, Verizon will also throttle their service. In other words, go over the limit once and your service will be slowed for two months. Verizon says this is to maintain service reliability, but many customers are calling it draconian.

Source

Venture Beat http://venturebeat.com/2011/02/03/verizon-data-throttling/

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