I thought unlimited meant unlimited.... Why is there a thing for usage at 150 gigs.. that's not unlimited if you still have a data usage chart and slow it down when you reach 150. Not nice..
Posted 2 years ago
I am very disappointed with the way they have throttled down YouTube even before you reach the 150 limit. 
Misuse of the term "unlimited" has become the de facto standard in this industry and its misuse isn't limited to Viasat:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Unlimited+doesn%27t+mean+unlimited
Today, "unlimited" just means you won't be charged for going over a certain data threshold. Instead you'll be either slowed and/or prioritized. Simply stated, it does not mean you're guaranteed full-speed, unlimited data.
Viasat's unlimited data plans also include throttling of detected video streams with no video stream quality gurantees.
All ISPs publish their disclaimers and fine print whether you miss them or not in the rush to sign up for something that sounds too good to be true (usually it is). Here are Viasat's:
https://www.exede.com/documents/master/exede-disclaimer.pdf
Like anything, buyer beware.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Unlimited+doesn%27t+mean+unlimited
Today, "unlimited" just means you won't be charged for going over a certain data threshold. Instead you'll be either slowed and/or prioritized. Simply stated, it does not mean you're guaranteed full-speed, unlimited data.
Viasat's unlimited data plans also include throttling of detected video streams with no video stream quality gurantees.
All ISPs publish their disclaimers and fine print whether you miss them or not in the rush to sign up for something that sounds too good to be true (usually it is). Here are Viasat's:
https://www.exede.com/documents/master/exede-disclaimer.pdf
Like anything, buyer beware.
(Edited)
or if your installer/dealer assures you that it is "unlimited" and you do not see any contract.
Stephen Rice, Champion
Straight Talk wireless used to offer unlimited plans. I got all excited and started watching Netflix on my phone. After watching just two movies, I started getting nasty texts and phone calls from Straight Talk threatening to deactivate my account if I kept abusing their unlimited service. There was no mention of a threshold anywhere on the original Straight Talk unlimited plans.
I'd say the 150 GB threshold and disclaimer that Viasat advertises is pretty straight forward if you ask me.
I'd say the 150 GB threshold and disclaimer that Viasat advertises is pretty straight forward if you ask me.
Are you referring to plans available before around Oct/Nov. last year? Like 5 gigs high speed then unlimited .06 meg or so? Because they added a $55 "unlimited" plan that isn't throttled until after 32 gigs, and apparently only if there's congestion after that. I haven't heard of any severe throttling after that point yet. No hotspot/tethering officially allowed of course, so not a home replacement.... I'm trying out US Mobile, had a half price promo during the holidays since they just added the Veriz. network, they allow tethering. But depending on the speed you choose it's throttled. Full Veriz. speed is 16 gig full speed, 5 meg speed plan is 14 gig I think, then it slows permanently to either .256 or .128 or so max until the next month, but usable for web browsing, very usable actually so far, low latency, etc. For six months at half price, thought it was worth looking at anyway, at the time.
(Edited)
Stephen Rice, Champion
I am referring to plans about 10 years ago. Straight Talk had only been in business for a year or so.
Ok, just wondered. Their regular cheaper plans still say on the cards "unlimited data, talk, text" then below that it says "up to xx amount at 4G LTE speed, then 2G", depending on the plan, so I guess that disclaimer is added now (not that people these days read or comprehend disclaimers). I haven't heard about anyone being severely throttled on the new "unlimited" (including stories of people using over 100GB), I didn't want to be suggesting it to neighbors as a supplement of sorts to the home satellite if some people were being hassled after minimal use, at least without giving accurate information.
The only part I don’t like is the “may” be deprioritized. Seems more of a certainty than an option on anything but the least congested couple of beams.
I have gone over 150 one time due to lots of big file downloads, and service after that point was quite usable other than in peak times.
Once again. Less congested beams do exist. Not the norm though. Usable is a subjective term. Kids don’t check email occasionally or casually surf the web for some research. They social network and watch YouTube. If those things don’t work, it isn’t usable.
The “Optimized to 480p” doesn’t really apply to YouTube. YouTube is slower by miles than Netflix and the other streaming services.
The silver plan is Opto-throttled to 1-1.5mbs. So your chart above is correct, for all streaming on that plan, or if using the data extender.
(Edited)
Optothrottled is a term that could catch on!
Diana, Viasat Employee
Susie, Here is how the "unlimited Plans" work. When the network is not busy, nothing will happen to your service speeds. When the network is busy, Viasat may prioritize your data behind other customers, which will result in slower speeds. Web pages and videos may respond and load more slowly than during periods of non-congestion.
(Edited)
please inform her also that it is busy 24/7 permantly also or at least that is what I was told by a rep on the phone.
Stephen Rice, Champion
I think Viasat should change everyone who is complaining about the unlimited plans to the original Exede plans. I can't remember the exact details but it was something like 5 GB, 10 GB, and 15 GB plans with speeds seriously dropped down to 256k after using up your data. I know because I was on one of those plans a few years ago. Fortunately those plans did have the late night free zone.
People who are complaining about today's plans have no clue how things used to be.
Viasat isn't an evil company. If the bandwidth is there, they give it to you. Unlimited plans get priority first and then people like me on the Liberty plans get whats left. And before all of us, people with priority data, whether it be 12 GB or 150 GB come first until they use all of their data.
If the bandwidth isn't there, it simply isn't there. Thats what all plans are advertised as "up to" speeds.
People who are complaining about today's plans have no clue how things used to be.
Viasat isn't an evil company. If the bandwidth is there, they give it to you. Unlimited plans get priority first and then people like me on the Liberty plans get whats left. And before all of us, people with priority data, whether it be 12 GB or 150 GB come first until they use all of their data.
If the bandwidth isn't there, it simply isn't there. Thats what all plans are advertised as "up to" speeds.
then stop signing up people temporarily ? if it is not there then they can't sell it. so you just said we are buying something that does not exist?
If you want to really go back, how about the original 7.5GB plan with NO free zone. Now I think I most certainly had a right to complain about that!
Yea, I started out on that 7.5 plan. I still don't understand how someone can use up 150GB of data in one month. Are they streaming TV all day? I don't stream TV so maybe I don't know how it works. I'm old school, to me a TV uses an antenna, my PC uses the internet.
Halo MC is around 70GB. Halo 5 is around 60GB. Gears of war 4 is over 100GB.
100 GB is around 30 hrs HD streaming.
Most people have a gamer and more than one person in a household.
150GB ain’t crap. Beats the heck out of 10 or 12, but it isn’t experiencing the internet.
100 GB is around 30 hrs HD streaming.
Most people have a gamer and more than one person in a household.
150GB ain’t crap. Beats the heck out of 10 or 12, but it isn’t experiencing the internet.
Stephen Rice, Champion
Yall should see my collection of atari games.
You should see what working systems sell for....
Steve Frederick-VS1/Beam314, Champion
When I switched from the Legacy Wildblue plan to Exede in April 2012, I had that 7.5 GB 12 Mbps plan. With that, after the data was used, the internet stopped working until you bought more data at $10.00 a GB. The free zone came about after a year or two, and that was a well liked addition. Also the plan went way up to 10 GB.
I'm am an old school guy, like James Paramore, I use my TV to watch things, and now with the Freedom plan I do utilize Hulu and Netflix for some viewing, but so far haven't used more than 90 GB, most months it is more in the 30 to 40 GB range. That 90 GB month included the major Windows 10 upgrade for 3 computers.
I am further baffled by the people who need speeds of 50 or 100 Mbps, there is really no need for any speeds that high. I am on the 12 Mbps plan, and have not had any problems watching my Netflix in 1080P.
The only ones who need those fast speeds and large data caps would be those who are avid gamers.
Brings back memories from the '60s when so many people just "had" to have those muscle cars with way too much horsepower than anyone could really utilize.
I'm am an old school guy, like James Paramore, I use my TV to watch things, and now with the Freedom plan I do utilize Hulu and Netflix for some viewing, but so far haven't used more than 90 GB, most months it is more in the 30 to 40 GB range. That 90 GB month included the major Windows 10 upgrade for 3 computers.
I am further baffled by the people who need speeds of 50 or 100 Mbps, there is really no need for any speeds that high. I am on the 12 Mbps plan, and have not had any problems watching my Netflix in 1080P.
The only ones who need those fast speeds and large data caps would be those who are avid gamers.
Brings back memories from the '60s when so many people just "had" to have those muscle cars with way too much horsepower than anyone could really utilize.
(Edited)
I switched to Wildblue in '06 from unreliable, constantly disconnecting dialup. 0.5 meg download, and yes, 7.5GB down cap, 2.3GB up cap (around that). And no buy more after hitting the cap, you had to upgrade to the higher plan, which I never went over. Any big downloads I either bought (Linux distributions for example), or I'd get them at family in town (30 miles away they had 2 meg DSL at the time). They launched Exede 5 initially here, 10GB combined (after starting with 7.5GB, at least I think they had it lowered at first, memory is fading, I recall people grumbling about lowering the caps on the plans), with no free zone for the first few months, but caps not enforced during the introduction. Basically after that many years, the cap was different, but ~pretty much the same cap as all the years before. Service was very glitchy here, pages and downloads failing on multiple installs at the neighbors, not really noticeably different than the old pro plan with web browsing when it was working, then in about 6 months "Due to strong demand, new installations have been suspended in your area. We apologize for the inconvenience." It's been that ever since, except for about a month over a year ago. So people wanting to sign up for new service haven't been able to, and people getting fed up with the performance and the 10GB cap of stuffed Exede 5 switching to Hughesnet against my advice (but, it performs better with less people on it). Luckily I had a cell alternative by then, but most neighbors don't. Hoping some of these other plans that have been available in other areas will be available so I can again suggest Viasat to them. At least I hope they don't lower the plans like they did initially the last time....
