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Verizon's EV-DO service is capped at 5GB per month

Verizon Wireless has gotten its hands caught in the cookie jar over the use of the term "unlimited" when referring to its EV-DO broadband service. Verizon advertised the unlimited service even though users could actually bump up against an artificial limit.

Verizon has been dropping customers for the past few years for excessive data usage, but the actual limits weren't until recently revealed in the terms of service (TOS). Verizon recently changed its TOS to indicate that the previously invisible download cap is actually 5GB per month.

In addition to the 5GB cap, the TOS also shows that, "Prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections." The TOS continues, "Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice."

According to Verizon, its broadband service should only be used for Internet browsing, email and intranet access.

Verizon Wireless' Jeffrey Nelson had this to say about the change to the TOS, "Been reading and want to acknowledge that we added the 5GB language to the Ts and Cs of our "Unlimited FOR" Broadband Access plan several months ago. And, as some have noted here, while the Ts and Cs have remained the same, for those who don't go through the fine-print and get their impression of what the "plan" is just from advertising, we've been migrating the visuals away from a big "unlimited for" to providing more detailed information about our monthly broadband plan."

Verizon's website no longer uses the term "unlimited" to describe its EV-DO service.

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Where the hell is the FCC?
By FXi on 4/4/2007 10:35:12 PM , Rating: 3
Where is the FCC during this kind of stuff? Or Comcast's "unlimited" for that matter what about that? Oh yes, this is the same government that can't read a weather report for Louisiana, I forgot.

The terms have to mean the terms. And our government is "supposed" to enforce contracts when the public can't defend themselves. The companies, all of them, reap the benefits of luring people in, and then don't deliver, or, even better, say change the "real terms" midway in the contract! Verizon should be forced to refund every single early termination fee they've charged since the service started. Boy would that teach them!

And Comcast, since they have been often community backed (paid for by taxes) should be forced to deliver "unlimited" no matter what the cost to themselves. And if the backbones slow down, they should be forced to increase them. No additional fees to be paid for 10 years (as a penalty) on anyone having service who was issued the "unlimited" statement. That'd teach them too!

The governments broke up Ma Bell back in the day. They paid to get cable companies to wire up cities that were poor. And they did this all on our tax dollars. And now where is that protection from predatory contracts? Freakin government is useless and overpaid.




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