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Comments on news posted 2013-09-30 16:30:02: Tracfone has been taking a lot of heat this year for the fact that their MVNOs Straight Talk and Net10 have been advertising capped services as "unlimited. ..

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88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

No such thing as unlimited

This is why I laugh whenever I see a ticked off Verizon customers say they're going to Straight Talk because they have "unlimited" I laugh. And even if it was truly unlimited it's limited to 3G. Seriously. Kind of like saying dial-up internet is better than my cable internet because it's uncapped.

WiFiguru
To infinity... and beyond
Premium Member
join:2005-06-21
Seattle, WA

WiFiguru

Premium Member

Just like T-Mobile

Same thing that T-Mobile does... you buy 500MB of "Unlimited High Speed Data". After that 500MB is used, you get throttled to 2G/Edge speeds.

I am glad American Movil is finally giving people a pre-defined cap, versus brushing it under the rug and disconnecting people without notice.

buzz_4_20
join:2003-09-20
Dover, NH
(Software) Sophos UTM Home Edition
Ruckus R310

3 recommendations

buzz_4_20

Member

Unlimited

Really Guys, how bout just telling users the truth?

ArrayList
DevOps
Premium Member
join:2005-03-19
Mullica Hill, NJ

ArrayList to 88615298

Premium Member

to 88615298

Re: No such thing as unlimited

if(overageRate==0){
unlimitedData = true;
}
else
unlimitedData = false;

doesn't cost to go over and you don't get disconnected, it's unlimited data.
ArrayList

ArrayList to buzz_4_20

Premium Member

to buzz_4_20

Re: Unlimited

but it is unlimited data.

EliteData
EliteData
Premium Member
join:2003-07-06
Philippines

EliteData

Premium Member

2G

at least there is 2G dialup speed to fall back on

King P
Don't blame me. I voted for Ron Paul
Premium Member
join:2004-11-17
Murfreesboro, TN

King P

Premium Member

Other MVNOs actually state your data allotment

MVNOs like Red Pocket Mobile, H20, etc actually state how much data you get. Both services are 3GB of HSPA+ data, after that, data simply stops working. I'm hoping they'll offer LTE soon, now that Straight Talk has LTE. AIO Wireless also offers "unlimited" data, much like T-Mobile does. X amount of MB/GB of "high speed" (either LTE or HSPA+ depending on LTE availability), then you are throttled to 256Kbps (high end 2G, low end 3G) until the next month.

Hagar
join:2004-10-31
Sunnyvale, CA

Hagar

Member

Soft cap at 2.5 GB where is the data usage monitor?

I am all for more transparency so I happy that the ‘secret’ soft cap is now publicized. But if you have a soft cap at 2.5 GB you need to offer a data usage monitor.

Yes I know I can install a monitor app but I should not have to.
mlcarson
join:2001-09-20
Santa Maria, CA

mlcarson

Member

Put the marketers in jail!

How about we just label the product for what it actually is instead of redefining the language to mean the opposite. Don't advertise "unlimited" when it's obviously not. You don't have to clarify -- just don't do it to begin with!

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

cb14 to ArrayList

Member

to ArrayList

Re: No such thing as unlimited

The proper way would be for example: We offer 10GB data at broadband speeds and unlimited data at 2 G.

DeathK
Premium Member
join:2002-06-16
Cincinnati, OH

DeathK to WiFiguru

Premium Member

to WiFiguru

Re: Just like T-Mobile

T-Mobile actually does have an unlimited data plan for both prepaid and postpaid though. On lesser plans that aren't really unlimited they tell you upfront that you get a certain amount of data at up to 4G speeds then it is throttled down.

On a side note, I recently switched from Verizon postpaid to T-Mobile prepaid. On Verizon I was still using a feature phone (Samsung Reality) and the grandfathered 450 minute $40 plan, along with $10 for 500 texts and $10 for 75MB of data (forced data). After taxes I was paying just over $66 per month. I hardly ever used voice minutes and I rarely touched the data. Switching to a new "Share Everything" plan would cost even more. I wanted to upgrade to a smartphone and at best their lowest prepaid plan for that would cost the same, but I'd still be paying for something I rarely use... in that case "unlimited" voice. Plus Verizon's data prices are horrendous. They don't give you enough plan choice, certainly less than they have before. So I switched to T-Mobile prepaid and brought my own unlocked smartphone that I purchased separately. I went with their $30 plan with 100 minutes talk, unlimited text, and 5GB of up to 4G data (throttled after limit). Paying less than half of what I did with Verizon and getting more of what I want to use. I should have made the switch a long time ago as I was just pissing away money.

CosmicDebri
Still looking for intelligent life
join:2001-09-01
Lake City, FL

CosmicDebri

Member

technically they are using it correctly

They do need to clarify simply like this:

The service is unlimited. You can use it as much as you want, it will always be there

The SPEED is not unlimited. After xxx amount of data you will be slowed down.

They all say this in their microscopic fine print that no one reads. Tracfone (because of the lawsuit) is stepping up by making that small print not quite as small as it used to be, but still, majority will not read it.

We all know why they do this. If they made it easy to actually compare prices and service, people might gravitate to the best service/price instead of the misconceived offers they try to tell us we want/need.

themew
Premium Member
join:2005-05-04
Fort Walton Beach, FL

themew

Premium Member

No issues with the AT&T version NET10 card

That's why you stick with an AT&T version NET10 card and you get full unlimited data, talk and text. They switched their data from unlimited to 1.5G and back to unlimited.

We sell them all day and have had no issues with our customers being throttled or cut off. Plus the added advantage of being on nationwide AT&T towers.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

It's technically unlimited

As long as they don't cut you off or bill overages, it's still unlimited.

If there was a truly unlimited wireless service, then you would have spectrum issues with people running torrents, Netflix, and servers on their MiFis. Some applications are best left to fixed line networks. Wireless has limited bandwidth too. Then you start knocking public safety and other wireless networks offline.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned) to cb14

Member

to cb14

Re: No such thing as unlimited

Then they SHOULD label it that way. Even in the fine print they never mentioned a 2.5 GB limit on 3G.
88615298

88615298 (banned) to IowaCowboy

Member

to IowaCowboy

Re: It's technically unlimited

said by IowaCowboy:

As long as they don't cut you off or bill overages, it's still unlimited.

Now if you went to an "all you can eat" buffet then you find out you get ONE plate except for brussel sprouts they are unlimited, would be cool with that?

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

I would say this

My Tracfone is absolutely unlimited, but there is a caveat. I am neither capped nor throttled, or choked by a two-year contract. I am only limited by the two B's: Battery and Budget.

delusion ftl
@comcast.net

delusion ftl to DeathK

Anon

to DeathK

Re: Just like T-Mobile

There are at least 10 million+ (if not 30 million) customers just like you on ATT and VZW that would have an adequate or better expierence for less money on T-mobile or Sprint.

Most refuse to even try the competition.
delusion ftl

delusion ftl to 88615298

Anon

to 88615298

Re: It's technically unlimited

Bad analogy

A better one would be, that you can get new empty plates as quickly as you want, but after 2 plates, you have to wait 5 minutes between additional plates.

You still get an unlimited amount of whatever food you want, just at a slower pace.
Cobra11M
join:2010-12-23
Mineral Wells, TX

Cobra11M to 88615298

Member

to 88615298

Re: No such thing as unlimited

I know haha, or a AT&T customer... you want unlimited? Sprint, or T-Mobile.. dont like that... AIO wireless? ha.. your still down the the major 4 either way
Cobra11M

Cobra11M to WiFiguru

Member

to WiFiguru

Re: Just like T-Mobile

throttled depends on how many people in the area are using that tower.. not a completely throttle.. many have went over and still get normal speeds.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
united state

b10010011

Member

We meant unlimited usage not unlimited data

We do not limit how you use your 2.5 GB of data.
Cobra11M
join:2010-12-23
Mineral Wells, TX

Cobra11M to DeathK

Member

to DeathK

Re: Just like T-Mobile

I got the same plan its awesome!, google voice or vonage helps also if you need more than 100 mins
Cobra11M

Cobra11M to delusion ftl

Member

to delusion ftl
Agreed, I'm loving tmo, switched in December last year, haven't looked back, now got a few friends to drop AT&T to lol, mainly to save money and get more of what we all use the most, DATA
Cobra11M

Cobra11M to Hagar

Member

to Hagar

Re: Soft cap at 2.5 GB where is the data usage monitor?

it should be available on their site and you should get a notification when you get close just like the FCC stated...
Cobra11M

Cobra11M

Member

ha... shady company

Makes me happyer that I'm with TMO

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Let's see T-Mo work in rural areas.

I'm really tired of "Oh, just switch to T-Mobile or Sprint". Um.. Not all of us can get that. We're lucky enough to have at&t and Verizon.

Of course, if you really want to get ripped off, you could go with Cellular One here.

dialup lol
@comcast.net

dialup lol to 88615298

Anon

to 88615298

Re: No such thing as unlimited

said by 88615298:

Kind of like saying dial-up internet is better than my cable internet because it's uncapped.

There have been plenty of posts here over the years saying just that.

adequate
@comcast.net

adequate to delusion ftl

Anon

to delusion ftl

Re: Just like T-Mobile

said by [delusion ftl :

]There are at least 10 million+ (if not 30 million) customers just like you on ATT and VZW that would have an adequate or better expierence for less money on T-mobile or Sprint.

Most refuse to even try the competition.

I had Sprint. It was not better, or even adequate.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned) to delusion ftl

Member

to delusion ftl

Re: It's technically unlimited

said by delusion ftl :

Bad analogy

A better one would be, that you can get new empty plates as quickly as you want, but after 2 plates, you have to wait 5 minutes between additional plates.

You still get an unlimited amount of whatever food you want, just at a slower pace.

YOUR analogy is bad because the data that is unlimited is not the same or as good as the first 2.5 GB. 3G is bad enough what can you do with 2G data? Nothing. You don't need unlimited data is it's just 2G.
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