Verizon's unlimited data limit of 150GB

[NY_Dutch]

4G and 5G are cellular protocols between the router and the cell tower(s). The router uses WiFi to connect to the devices it's serving.

Yes, it would have been clearer if I specified Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax from the hotspot to the device.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I've heard (but cannot verify) that the speed limiting applies only when there is substantial competition for the cellular service. If there isn't much traffic, you will continue to operate at higher speeds. So you might not actually notice any difference if in a low-demand area.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I've heard (but cannot verify) that the speed limiting applies only when there is substantial competition for the cellular service. If there isn't much traffic, you will continue to operate at higher speeds. So you might not actually notice any difference if in a low-demand area.

I have Visible on my cell phone. $35 a month for unlimited talk, text and data (including unlimited hotspot data). It does not have a data cap but they say up front you may be subject to slow downs (deprioritization) if there's network congestion from a lot of people using a cell tower. You're sent to the bottom of the priority list. Video streaming may suffer or it may take an extra couple of seconds to download a map or a webpage. When the congestion eases speeds return to normal. Voice calls aren't affected, just data.

I've had Visible for 5 years and I've only experienced slowdowns a handful of times in places where there are lots and lots of people like Quartzsite in January or Salida, CO over 4th a of July weekend where crowds exceeded expectations so much that the local Walmart ran short of food.

 

[DonTom]

I've heard (but cannot verify) that the speed limiting applies only when there is substantial competition for the cellular service. If there isn't much traffic, you will continue to operate at higher speeds. So you might not actually notice any difference if in a low-demand area.

I will have to compare this to different times and also to next week when I get my speed back to normal:

Interesting that my upload speed is now faster than my download speed.

-Don- (my last day at Gilbert Ray Park in Tucson, AZ)

 

[Lou Schneider]

Interesting that my upload speed is now faster than my download speed.

-Don- (my last day at Gilbert Ray Park in Tucson, AZ)

I've seen that occasionally, too. It's an indication that network congestion (deprioritization) is the speed limiting factor, not the physical layer between you and the cell tower.

 

[DonTom]

I've seen that occasionally, too. It's an indication that network congestion (deprioritization) is the speed limiting factor, not the physical layer between you and the cell tower.

I am now at the front area of Gunshot Wash for a lunch stop. A/C on, quite warm here.

I only get 4G here, I turned on the TV and it starts to load up the buffer or whatever. I could not use this computer when it was busy with that, so after about five minutes, I turned off the TV so I could type this message. Maybe later, I will keep the TV on for a half-hour or longer and see if it is usable at all.

I will drive down to Organ Pipe in a minute. If it is all closed down, I will come back here to Gunshot for the night.

-Don- Why, AZ

 

[DonTom]

At Gunshot Wash, as well as here in OPCNM, there is no 5G. I tried the TV at each place, and this is what happens:

About five minutes of loading, then about five seconds of video, and then another five minutes of loading. And keeps on doing this. Trying to watch TV with the unlimited plan is a big waste of time and effort, when the 150 GB limit is hit when on 4G.

But with 5G, I cannot even tell any difference after reaching the 150GB limit of the unlimited plan.

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

 

[DonTom]

I've heard (but cannot verify) that the speed limiting applies only when there is substantial competition for the cellular service. If there isn't much traffic, you will continue to operate at higher speeds. So you might not actually notice any difference if in a low-demand area.

I wonder if that is a 5G only thing, or if it is also true on 4G.

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

 

[DonTom]

3 Mbps is adequate for streaming to one TV.

Is it then just wasting the extra speed?

It's not "wasting" the speed since your device and application determine how much speed is needed up to the max available for the application you're using. The higher the speed, the quicker the data transfers, so if you're watching a streaming TV program, the best speed is one that will keep the buffer filled so the program can run uninterrupted even with minor interruptions in the data flow. The data transfer speed cannot be stored for use later, but the data can be.

Since I notice NO difference in any way at all, I do not see how you can say it is not being wasted if it is running faster than that 3Mbps when I have a 5G connection.

FWIW, I have been back at full speed with 4G here, since my plan renewed a few days ago. So now I can watch TV again at 4G. If 4G is slower than 5G, it makes me wonder if I can watch more TV per month with 4G than with 5G.

If so, I would call the 5G speed as being wasted. If not, then it makes no difference.

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

 

[NY_Dutch]

Since I notice NO difference in any way at all, I do not see how you can say it is not being wasted if it is running faster than that 3Mbps when I have a 5G connection.

FWIW, I have been back at full speed with 4G here, since my plan renewed a few days ago. So now I can watch TV again at 4G. If 4G is slower than 5G, it makes me wonder if I can watch more TV per month with 4G than with 5G.

If so, I would call the 5G speed as being wasted. If not, then it makes no difference.

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

Internet speeds are akin to electrical current. Your device only uses as much as it needs for the application up to it's limit. Your service might be capable of 1000 Mbps, but if the destination you're connecting to can only run at 10 Mbps due to transmission limitations or other factors, that's all your end will use. There's no "waste" any more than there's "waste" when you plug a device drawing 10 amps into a 20 amp capable outlet. How much speed or current is available doesn't indicate how much speed or current is used.

 

[Lou Schneider]

How much speed or current is available doesn't indicate how much speed or current is used.

And it's to the provider's benefit to have you use a low percentage of available high speed packets instead of monopolizing a larger percentage of a lower speed connection.

 

[DonTom]

Internet speeds are akin to electrical current

Good explanation and comparison.

IOW, I was only using ~3Mbps on 5G before as well as after the 150 GB slowdown as I watched TV.

IOW, no slowdown at all, AFAIMC, until I no longer have 5G.

I only have 4G available here (Verizon), but I now have all my speed back as my monthly plan was renewed on 11/09.

IOW, 4G cannot do the 3Mbps after the data limit of 150 GB is reached until the plan renews.

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

 

[Tom]

I have Visible on my cell phone. $35 a month for unlimited talk, text and data (including unlimited hotspot data). It does not have a data cap ...

Lou, thanks to your prior comments re this carrier, I recently switched to Visible for my cell service, and I'm waiting to see what happens going forward. I'm on VZW's 5G network here at home, and I'll check what happens when we get to Ohio in a few weeks (probably VZW).

I had to switch to an unlocked phone to be able to switch to Visible, but my cell phone was long overdue for an upgrade anyway. Used their Back Market suggestion and bought a nearly-new unlocked phone for a fraction of the price of a new one.

The only thing I've found so far is that I can't make international calls. Not a big issue since most voice and video calls to family and friends overseas are done via WhatsApp (a freebie Meta enhancement of voice-over-IP). But, once a year around this time, I have to make a call to a Scottish financial institution to verify I'm still alive, so they'll continue monthly annuity payments from an old UK pension scheme; They don't use WhatsApp. Chris' phone is on Comcast/Xfinity which uses VZW's network and, for now, I still have VZW's Home Connect, both of which can make international calls.

 

[DonTom]

I will have to compare this to different times and also to next week when I get my speed back to normal:

After slowdown on 5G:

Now on 4G when back to normal speeds:

-Don- OPCNM, AZ

 

[NY_Dutch]

Lou, thanks to your prior comments re this carrier, I recently switched to Visible for my cell service, and I'm waiting to see what happens going forward. I'm on VZW's 5G network here at home, and I'll check what happens when we get to Ohio in a few weeks (probably VZW).

I had to switch to an unlocked phone to be able to switch to Visible, but my cell phone was long overdue for an upgrade anyway. Used their Back Market suggestion and bought a nearly-new unlocked phone for a fraction of the price of a new one.

The only thing I've found so far is that I can't make international calls. Not a big issue since most voice and video calls to family and friends overseas are done via WhatsApp (a freebie Meta enhancement of voice-over-IP). But, once a year around this time, I have to make a call to a Scottish institution to verify I'm still alive, so they'll continue monthly annuity payments from an old UK pension scheme; They don't use WhatsApp. Chris' phone is on Comcast/Xfinity which uses VZW's network and, for now, I still have VZW's Home Connect, both of which can make international calls.

The Visible+ Pro plan includes 500 minutes of international calling to 85 countries and texting to 200 countries at no extra charge.

Visible Unlimited Prepaid Phone Plans | No Annual Contract

Browse our one-line unlimited phone plans and see why we have the best deal in the industry! We offer two simple plans starting as low as $25/month!

www.visible.com

 

[whiteva]

The County built a new 1-5 grade school very close to my home. That brought traffic backup during mornings and afternoons for about 20 to 30 minutes on school days. Those times correspond to a slow down with the internet speeds. I must assume the parents are on their phones while waiting and clog up the only VZW tower across the lake. And to think 30 years ago I moved to the country trying to get away from town.

 

[Tom]

The Visible+ Pro plan includes 500 minutes of international calling to 85 countries and texting to 200 countries at no extra charge.

Understood, but I'm on Visible+ which limits "international" to Canada and Mexico. I have no reason to pay the extra for Visible Pro to be able to make one brief call a year to the UK. Over the years, I paid many $$$$ to different carriers so I could get international access and attempt to minimize the per-min charge. WhatsApp eliminated that, except for the one brief call I mentioned.

On the international subject, years ago I took one of my prior Myfi equivalents on IIRC T-mobile to the UK. Just couldn't get a signal in my son's house, until I remembered that the walls were 28" thick stone; Went out into the garden, sat at his patio table, and voilla! I was online.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Understood, but I'm on Visible+ which limits "international" to Canada and Mexico. I have no reason to pay the extra for Visible Pro to be able to make one brief call a year to the UK. Over the years, I paid many $$$$ to different carriers so I could get international access and attempt to minimize the per-min charge. WhatsApp eliminated that, except for the one brief call I mentioned.

On the international subject, I took one of my prior Myfi equivalents on IIRC T-mobile to the UK. Just couldn't get a signal in my son's house, until I remembered that the walls were 28" thick stone; Went out into the garden, sat at his patio table, and voilla!

Another option would be to set up a free Google Voice phone number and install the Google Voice app on your Visible phone. Google Voice supports international calling at nominal rates.

Make international calls with Google Voice - Google Voice Help

International calling rates Inside the US: If you have a US phone number and call an international phone number, you’re charged international rates. Outside th

support.google.com

 

[Tom]

Another option would be to set up a free Google Voice phone number and install the Google Voice app on your Visible phone. Google Voice supports international calling at nominal rates.

Make international calls with Google Voice - Google Voice Help

International calling rates Inside the US: If you have a US phone number and call an international phone number, you’re charged international rates. Outside th

support.google.com

Interesting, thanks. I'm going to wait and see what VZW Xfinity charges me for that one recent call. Haven't bothered to look at prior years' bills to see what I paid. Nor have I bothered with the alternative option of filling out a form and mailing it; I suspect the brief phone call won't cost more than the USPS 'Global' mail stamp.

 

[DonTom]

Your Mobile Hotspot data speed has been reduced to 600 kbps when in 4G/5G NW or 3 Mbps when in 5G Ultra Wideband for the rest of the billing cycle. For more information, visit our FAQs."

What does the "NW" stand for?

It sounds like it is saying 5G can be either 600 kps or 3Mpbs, and that is a large difference.

-Don- Gila Bend, AZ