Verizon: We Have Enough Spectrum to Not Need Wi-Fi Offloading

Verizon 3G service is overloaded here. I try to get on wifi where ever I go if I'm in a 3G area Verizon doesn't want to upgrade their current 3G markets.

My sister just got a white iPhone 4S on Verizon with a 2GB data plan. Yesterday I showed her how to turn off the cellular data and run WiFi exclusively so that she does not get any monthly surprises. She immediately decided to leave cellular data off all the time except when she needs data and is out of range of WiFi.

Fear of overages alone is enough to convince people not to use cellular data!

i would not be sure that the carriers looking into wifi offload plan to keep it free. i suspect they will dip into the same bucket they do when you use cell towers eventually.

this is part of the reason i never get excited about talk of carrier wifi, i would like to see it remain a completely separate connection managed solely by the owners of the phones, tablets, and laptops.

al the simplified 'auto login' apps, etc. will eventually lead to billed wifi replacing free.

People want WIFI because verizon does not offer unlimited data anymore.

This is clearly verizon not listening to its customers.

Show her some study on average data usage with common aps like web browsing, email, pictures, YouTube and music streaming.

She pays $30 for data, she should have no fear using it.

She should that whenever she roams on a foreign carrier though. The basic international plan packages can be easily exceeded in one day.

Why unload when you can charge for overages?

V*s next announcement: "we will no longer require our handset manufacturers to include wifi chipsets."

She has basically picked up my "bad" habits. We both have excellent public WiFi coverage through the Optimum WiFi (now CableWiFi) service and both of us started our iOS experience with iPod Touch's so we were used to seeking out WiFi.

I have unlimited data service with Sprint but turned off the cellular data a few months ago because the data performance was pathetic. In her case, the speeds are fantastic but she does need to keep an eye on usage (I had her install the DataMan app to monitor usage). Sitting at her desk at work, she gets Optimum WiFi coverage so she is connected during the day without 3G.

As they have experienced the dreaded bill shock due to SMS and voice minute overages (now running with unlimited SMS), she does not want to get a third one for excessive data usage. Those of us "fortunate" enough to live in Cablevision's service area can do pretty well without cellular data. Even my barber has an Optimum WiFi hotspot in his business. They gave it to him for free in conjunction with his existing business service.

It doesn't mean they don't have the spectrum, it just means they are not using it to its full capacity by you. At&t is notorious for this too.

How long till the WiFi your using becomes metered and locked down ?!

They do intend to bend us over via both sources. Its a good decision to enforce the need to connect to WiFi before the caps appear on landlines also.

better yet all's they need to do is block access to the WI-FI chip like they do for a phone's built in hotspot and just charge a _because we can fee_ and you just bend over while we put a smile on our share holder's faces.

Hey Apple, here's a feature request for iOS 6: Add a max data limit option that automatically disables cellular data. That would end any such fears. Of course this assumes iOS counts data the same way the carrier counts data. If it doesn't, perhaps two values: A limit and a factor that adjusts the actual bytes used to match the carrier's algorithm.

3G in Greenwood, SC is terrible. nuff said.

I'd agree. if you want to have an analogy think of how they tried to suppress VOIP and Skype while they were charging for voice by the minute, just as soon as they offered affordable unlimited talking they started to preload Skype on some of their phone. We'll see Wi-Fi unloading as soon as they decide it benefits them.
Ether by being able to charge for it or by moving us off their networks to lover their costs.

Doesn't at&t already text you when you have reached 65% and 90% of your allotted data each month?

Stay on the Verizon network. Use speedtest.verizon.net.
Only true way to test their network.