Verizon splits up its unlimited plan and throttles video quality on phones

Recently, Verizon was called out for throttling data on its network, to which it replied that it was simply running tests and not actually throttling video on its unlimited data network for its millions of subscribers. Well, Verizon was partly on point, because it wasn’t simply aiming to throttle content from some platforms, but apparently all of them.

Today Verizon Wireless announced that it is splitting up its simple unlimited data plan and opting to offer two plans instead. They’re called Go Unlimited and Beyond Unlimited.

The new plans will go into effect beginning Wednesday, August 23. Here’s how they break down:

Go Unlimited

• $75 for the first line
• $65 per line for two lines
• $50 per line for three lines
• $40 per line for four or more lines

The Go Unlimited plan includes unlimited 4G LTE data, but Verizon notes that under this plan your data access can be throttled at any time when the network is seeing congestion. There is no requirement that a user needs to reach 20GB of data usage on this plan before their speeds are slowed. In addition to that, watching video on a smartphone is now limited to 480p resolution. Watching video on the network with a tablet is limited to 720p, and tablet data is a $20 per month add-on. Meanwhile, unlimited mobile hotspot data is topped at 600Kbps.

Beyond Unlimited

• $85 for the first line
• $80 per line for two lines
• $60 per line for three lines
• $50 per line for four or more lines

There are a few key changes with this plan. First, you’ll need to reach 22GB of data in a month before your speeds can be throttled, because this plan offers “premium unlimited 4G LTE data.” Additionally, if you’re watching video content on the network, it’s  throttled to 720p on a smartphone and 1080p HD on tablets. This plan also offers unlimited mobile hotspot data, but there’s a limit of 15GB of 4G LTE usage. Unlimited calling, texting, and data usage is also available in Mexico and Canada.

Existing Verizon Wireless customers can keep their plans, but these Beyond Unlimited throttling rules are going into place for them, too. That means you’ll still be tapped out at 720p video quality on smartphone and 15GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data.

So, Verizon not only decided to make their single unlimited plan much more complicated, but they are also throttling as much as they possibly can.

What do you think of Verizon’s new idea?

source: androidandme