Is Verizon Throttling Data?

[Ringfinger]

No matter where I am, I can't get more than a 1.0 Mbps download even with 3g and 5 bars. What gives?

 

[sting7k]

If you are in the top 0.5% of data users I think they will. Doesn't Verizon top out around 1.5Mbps downloads?

 

[andrewu750]

Mine is always under 1 mb as well

 

[aggieastrosfan]

I'm nowhere close to top 5% in usage, and I rarely see anything over 1.

 

[iSRS]

remember those are "up to" speeds they tell you.

 

[Ringfinger]

Yeah, well I have had 1.7 before, now it is like 0.5, pathetic!! That is download, not upload!!

 

[epphllps]

Where I live I top out at the speed you are complaining about lol. I'd love a consistent 1.0mbps. I had twice the speed when on Sprint with the EVO (1.0-1.2 Mbps) and that's with less signal strength.

 

[epphllps]

Any suggestions to why my speeds are this crappy in a 3G area with 4 bars?!?

 

[wcarlson40#IM]

I get ping 77 ms, Download 1.53 Mbps, and Upload 0.40 Mbps on Verizon - 4 bars

 

[iSRS]

Here is what I just got

 

[moneymike47]

I think a big part of it is that it depends on where you live. Maybe other places have better 3g speeds than other places.

 

[epphllps]

I have to be getting throttled. My speeds are pathetic. Again just got 0.26 down and 0.25 up. Same location and 4 bars. No excuse for that period. Plus my pre gets 3x those speeds at the very least.

Just spoke with Verizon and they said I'm in a perfectly fine 3G area that should have optimal speeds. They are going to look further into the issue.

 

[iSRS]

I have to be getting throttled. My speeds are pathetic. Again just got 0.26 down and 0.25 up. Same location and 4 bars. No excuse for that period. Plus my pre gets 3x those speeds at the very least.

Just spoke with Verizon and they said I'm in a perfectly fine 3G area that should have optimal speeds. They are going to look further into the issue.

What was your data use last month?

 

[epphllps]

This is my first month with the iPhone and back on VZW. I have used 6.3GB as I have NO access to wifi or high speed where I live and work. My phone is my everything. I just ran a test outside and got 17.2 kb/s up and 13.7 down on 3G and 4 bars. Without a doubt this has to be throttling.

Looks like I'm headed back to sprint if this is the case bc VZW throttles for 2 billing periods and this is my average use. Which in all honesty is not much compared to the people who use programs to tether. I'm very disappointed. I hope this is just an overloaded tower or something.

 

[iSRS]

This is my first month with the iPhone and back on VZW. I have used 6.3GB as I have NO access to wifi or high speed where I live and work. My phone is my everything. I just ran a test outside and got 17.2 kb/s up and 13.7 down on 3G and 4 bars. Without a doubt this has to be throttling.

Looks like I'm headed back to sprint if this is the case bc VZW throttles for 2 billing periods and this is my average use. Which in all honesty is not much compared to the people who use programs to tether. I'm very disappointed. I hope this is just an overloaded tower or something.

Wow. To both the speeds and the usage. When AT&T first introduced their capped plan at 2GB, they said 98% of their smartphone users used less than that. Not sure if Verizon is different, but if they see the same, then you are definitely in that group even though there are many with more.

 

[epphllps]

Wow. To both the speeds and the usage. When AT&T first introduced their capped plan at 2GB, they said 98% of their smartphone users used less than that. Not sure if Verizon is different, but if they see the same, then you are definitely in that group even though there are many with more.

So think about this...VZW said they are going to throttle the top 5% which will include people UNDER 2GB usage per month. The top 1% are the hogs with usage that would make you crap in your pants. With this method Verizon will certainly receive numerous complaints about data speeds that are worthless and will not be able to justify $30 per month from their customers.

I want to reiterate this again. VZW said they will throttle top 5% and "statistics" show that most carriers' smartphone users are under 2GB (98%). So that is 3% of users under 2GB that will get throttled based on this formula. This is all theory based on people trusting carriers stats which are most likely false.

Comments? I hope I am DEAD WRONG. Has to be a better formula than just saying top 5%.

 

[Iphonefour]

Any suggestions to why my speeds are this crappy in a 3G area with 4 bars?!?

Wow. That's crawling.

So think about this...VZW said they are going to throttle the top 5% which will include people UNDER 2GB usage per month. The top 1% are the hogs with usage that would make you crap in your pants. With this method Verizon will certainly receive numerous complaints about data speeds that are worthless and will not be able to justify $30 per month from their customers.

I want to reiterate this again. VZW said they will throttle top 5% and "statistics" show that most carriers' smartphone users are under 2GB (98%). So that is 3% of users under 2GB that will get throttled based on this formula. This is all theory based on people trusting carriers stats which are most likely false.

Comments? I hope I am DEAD WRONG. Has to be a better formula than just saying top 5%.

The problem with the "top 5%" is that there will always be one.

No matter how much or how little data a huge group of people use, unless they are all using darn near the same exact amount, there will always be a "top 5%". Or worse. A top 4, 3, 2 or top 1%. There will always be one.

In other words, Verizon will always, every month, have a group of folks being throttled for the remainder of the billing cycle, and the next. ......And/Or another batch of folks standing by to be throttled, if any member(s) of the last batch falls off the wagon and makes it above that 5% cutoff. There will be somebody else to take his place.

Whenever they recalculate, be it monthly or whenever, there will be a top 5%.

In theory, 1 extra megabyte could land you into the top 5%.

The other problem with it, is they slow you down for the rest of the current billing cycle, and then the next one.

So when you are coming off being throttled going into your third month, somebody else is standing by to take your place to be added to the throttled list.....for the remainder of that month and the next.....because there will always be a top 5%.

That's IF you come out of the penalty box.

Otherwise, it simply means that other people will be joining you in it.

Unless you somehow get "bumped" out of the top 5%.

Which from the usage you describe, it's probably not likely.

 

[iSRS]

So think about this...VZW said they are going to throttle the top 5% which will include people UNDER 2GB usage per month. The top 1% are the hogs with usage that would make you crap in your pants. With this method Verizon will certainly receive numerous complaints about data speeds that are worthless and will not be able to justify $30 per month from their customers.

I want to reiterate this again. VZW said they will throttle top 5% and "statistics" show that most carriers' smartphone users are under 2GB (98%). So that is 3% of users under 2GB that will get throttled based on this formula. This is all theory based on people trusting carriers stats which are most likely false.

Comments? I hope I am DEAD WRONG. Has to be a better formula than just saying top 5%.

Good point. I forgot about the top 5% part. The 2 GB must not be true.

 

[epphllps]

Wow. That's crawling.



The problem with the "top 5%" is that there will always be one.

No matter how much or how little data a huge group of people use, unless they are all using darn near the same exact amount, there will always be a "top 5%". Or worse. A top 4, 3, 2 or top 1%. There will always be one.

In other words, Verizon will always, every month, have a group of folks being throttled for the remainder of the billing cycle, and the next. ......And/Or another batch of folks standing by to be throttled, if any member(s) of the last batch falls off the wagon and makes it above that 5% cutoff. There will be somebody else to take his place.

Whenever they recalculate, be it monthly or whenever, there will be a top 5%.

In theory, 1 extra megabyte could land you into the top 5%.

The other problem with it, is they slow you down for the rest of the current billing cycle, and then the next one.

So when you are coming off being throttled going into your third month, somebody else is standing by to take your place to be added to the throttled list.....for the remainder of that month and the next.....because there will always be a top 5%.

That's IF you come out of the penalty box.

Otherwise, it simply means that other people will be joining you in it.

Unless you somehow get "bumped" out of the top 5%.

Which from the usage you describe, it's probably not likely.

Exactly and if I use 5GB a month, for example, I should NOT even be considered for throttling. This makes my phone useless and I am a customer who does not have access to the Internet outside of my phone. As I said, my phone does everything for me. Send videos to family, emails, watch movies from time to time, everything that uses data all the time. So after all my usage if I am only at a measly 6.5GB and I am throttled for the remainder of my contract I will find recourse one way or the other along with many who are being throttled for using much less than myself.

The problem is the people who hit 20+ GB a month and that is a HUGE amount, believe it or not. The top 1% are the ones who are stealing the bandwidth. I am not even remotely close. Also, even before my crap speeds, I topped out at maybe 0.60 Mbps up and down. I'm sick and tired of the bad practices of wireless providers and their pathetic games. If I'm paying $90 a month with 22% off and can't even use my phone, what is the point? I will stop my ranting but I hope enough complaints flood in that this ends!!

 

[iSRS]

Exactly and if I use 5GB a month, for example, I should NOT even be considered for throttling. This makes my phone useless and I am a customer who does not have access to the Internet outside of my phone. As I said, my phone does everything for me. Send videos to family, emails, watch movies from time to time, everything that uses data all the time. So after all my usage if I am only at a measly 6.5GB and I am throttled for the remainder of my contract I will find recourse one way or the other along with many who are being throttled for using much less than myself.

The problem is the people who hit 20+ GB a month and that is a HUGE amount, believe it or not. The top 1% are the ones who are stealing the bandwidth. I am not even remotely close. Also, even before my crap speeds, I topped out at maybe 0.60 Mbps up and down. I'm sick and tired of the bad practices of wireless providers and their pathetic games. If I'm paying $90 a month with 22% off and can't even use my phone, what is the point? I will stop my ranting but I hope enough complaints flood in that this ends!!

I agree. Anyone under 5GB should not even be considered. The mobile hotspot on my old pre was 5GB, and that was free.