Have I misunderstood the Verizon unlimited plan

[mikestock]

I have had at least 2 Verizon phones for years. At times I have added a Jet Pack or smart phone for additional hotspot capacity in the RV.

Before my current trip I added the third phone for hotspot purposes, which I thought would allow me 15 GB additional access. We watched about 5 hours of movies in two nights when we had no view of DirecTV satellites. Also connected with laptop to check emails and some searching for local attraction info.

I was shocked to see that we had used 19+ GB of data and email content would not load. I called Verizon to try to get an explanation of why the use was so high. I had expected about 6 GB of use.

The real shocker I got from the agent was that, after I reached 22 GB of total use, all three of my phones were in this slow down, 3g mode.

I have had Verizon for years and have been told by in person and customer service agents that I had 15 GB of 4g hotspot data for EACH line. I have, in past years, maxed out one line and still had hotspot access on other lines. This was my reason for adding the third line. We expected to be on the road quite a bit during the current and next few monthly billing periods.

Am I the only one who expected to have 15 Gb of hotspot data for EACH LINE?

[GordonThree]

MrWizard wrote:
what is the resolution of your smart TV ?

720, 1080, or 4k

streaming servcies are offering 4k on some of the newest movie blockbuster releases

so wifi connected 4K smart TV watching a 4k stream from Netflix

is going to use a lot more data

i have my account set for 720P if available
i don't have a 4k TV and i have really can't tell the difference between 720P and 1080i when watching an action movie, not with my eyes

In theory Verizon caps hotspot streaming at 1080p, but could be some cat and mouse going on between V and NF.

[MrWizard]

what is the resolution of your smart TV ?

720, 1080, or 4k

streaming servcies are offering 4k on some of the newest movie blockbuster releases

so wifi connected 4K smart TV watching a 4k stream from Netflix

is going to use a lot more data

i have my account set for 720P if available
i don't have a 4k TV and i have really can't tell the difference between 720P and 1080i when watching an action movie, not with my eyes

[GordonThree]

mikestock wrote:
I do know that prior to having a smart tv in the rv I streamed to my laptop and fed the signal to the tv through the HDMI. I never got the shocking amount of data use that I got from direct streaming to the smart tv.

The streaming providers can more easily detect that you're using mobile data when streaming directly from the phone, and by default make an effort to reduce data usage.

When connection is smart TV, they assume a hard wired connection at a house, and send a lot more data.

For Netflix you can adjust these setting through your account control panel, login in using a laptop or desktop, not a tablet or smart phone.

[mikestock]

ot sure what you or the agent is saying

hotspot is wifi to laptop or tablet etcc.

HDMI is video and sound signal, not internet

usb tether or hotspot wifi you are using Data

the HDMI cable to the TV does not change the amount of data

BUT HDMI from phone to TV , can change how you are 'billed' depending on your phone plan

She explained that the quality of the signal is not as good when connecting from the laptop via HDMI. I have a problem telling the difference. I do know that prior to having a smart tv in the rv I streamed to my laptop and fed the signal to the tv through the HDMI. I never got the shocking amount of data use that I got from direct streaming to the smart tv.

[jcpainter]

Here's a guide that will answer alot of your questions: Unlimited Data

Read the section entitled "Unlimited Plan Options by Carrier"

[sgip2000]

Download the movies to a removable drive while at home next time. If you're using a phone or tablet, get an OTG cable.

[jcpainter]

Verizon has several unlimited data plans. You'll find that Verizon's newest plans offer XXGB per data PER DEVICE, not per plan. Older plans will tend to consist of data buckets that are shared between all devices on the plan.

All of these plans have names. Know the name of your plan and then you can look up the specs for that particular plan.

[2oldman]

mikestock wrote:

gafidler wrote:
switch to T Mobil(e)

I am not locked in to Verizon. What do they offer?

Less coverage.

[jplante4]

A large phone company with the best coverage and in some areas little or no competition takes advantage of a customer by playing hide the cannolli in a contract that they know no one reads.

Next rant...

[MrWizard]

This agent contradicted the agent yesterday and also told me that I could run the hotspot through the laptop via standard HDMI connection and reduce usage significantly.

not sure what you or the agent is saying

hotspot is wifi to laptop or tablet etcc.

HDMI is video and sound signal, not internet

usb tether or hotspot wifi you are using Data

the HDMI cable to the TV does not change the amount of data

BUT HDMI from phone to TV , can change how you are 'billed' depending on your phone plan

[mikestock]

MrWizard wrote:
Good.. so nothing has changed
except your surprise of having used 19gb of data

as far as casting or HDMI coupling to the TV

it 'can' make a difference if you have 'unlimted' phone data
but limited hotspot data

viewing on the phone and coupling to the TV
there is NO HotSpot use

But if it is (1) data pool for all use, it makes no difference at all

AKA unlimited phone data viewing with 15gb for hotspot use, versus 15gb total for the phone/device

The big surprise was yesterday, when the agent told me that my 4g would be gone, period, when I reached 22 Gb on my extra phone. That went against everything I had held for fact, for the last six years, or whenever I foolishly gave up my, truly, unlimited data.

This agent contradicted the agent yesterday and also told me that I could run the hotspot through the laptop via standard HDMI connection and reduce usage significantly. That is what I occasionally did in the past, before I bought the Smart tv. I don't have an HDMI adapter for this phone, although I have had one for older phones. The older phone also had an image duplication feature, which the new phone does not.

[cbshoestring]

Stopped at a Verizon store recently. Sign said:
UNLIMITED
BEYOND-UNLIMITED
ABOVE- UNLIMITED


I asked the sales guy if my unlimited plan was truly unlimited then what could I possibly get if I spent more money to go beyond or above. Makes no sense unless my UNLIMITED plan is not truly Unlimited. He walked away from me.

[GordonThree]

Streaming / casting from the phone is a bigger advantage if you service from AT&T or T-Mobile.

AT&T has "unlimited" direct-tv streaming, I think it's like a $10 add on?

T-Mo has "unlimited" streaming from more providers, limited to standard-def or you can pay extra for high def.

[MrWizard]

Good.. so nothing has changed
except your surprise of having used 19gb of data

as far as casting or HDMI coupling to the TV

it 'can' make a difference if you have 'unlimted' phone data
but limited hotspot data

viewing on the phone and coupling to the TV
there is NO HotSpot use

But if it is (1) data pool for all use, it makes no difference at all

AKA unlimted phone data viewing with 15gb for hotspot use, versus 15gb total for the phone/device

[mikestock]

Just got another Verizon agent on the phone who told me I did still have 15 Gb of 4g on each of the other two phones.