Have you even wondered is Verizon Unlimited data really unlimited and if not, what is the cap? Well, this is something many new subscribers think about so they know what to expect from the Verizon Unlimited plans.
If you happen to be, here’s everything you need to know about Unlimited data packages, limits, and Verizon throttling.
Is Verizon Unlimited Data Free of All Limits?
As disappointing as it may sound, Verizon Unlimited data plan does not mean you can use as much data as you want.
There is a soft data cap even for the unlimited plans. In most cases, you will observe a drastic decrease in premium speed once you exceed the cap.
For example, users with the newest 5G Unlimited plans have noticed that Verizon throttles the data connection once 50 GB limit is crossed. In contrast, people with older unlimited plans have access to truly unlimited data.
How Much Data Does Verizon Unlimited Offer?
As per their promise, Verizon Unlimited will deliver data without limit to you. However, there will be noticeable slowdowns on the speed of the data connection. There are a few important pointers in this regard which I have summarized below. Take a look!
- You will have unlimited data but the speed will be slower once your reach the 50 GB cap.
- The 50 GB data cap is same for all types of Verizon unlimited plans including 5G Start, 5G Do More, 5G Get More, and 5G Play More.
- The data limit is set per device and not per account. You can drain 50 GB on one line and have unaffected data speeds on another device.
- Truly unlimited data is only available to those users who are on older Verizon Unlimited data plans.
Is Verizon Unlimited Data Really Unlimited For Different Plans?
Some of the plans that promised unlimited data are discussed below. You can see the data caps after which Verizon will throttle the speed until the monthly cycle is reset.
1. Prepaid Unlimited
Prepaid Unlimited plan on Verizon guarantee calls and texts without any caps as well as wireless networking. However, without the hotspot service on, the data speed will fall to only 600 Kbps once you exceed 10 GB data. This will be reset when the next billing cycle begins.
2. Verizon Start Unlimited
Verizon Start does not offer unlimited data unless you are on the older plan. In this case, the 5G Verizon Start Unlimited slows down speed in times of congestion. There is no mention of 50 GB data cap before throttling begins. Typically, Verizon does it whenever the network is under excessive load.
Is Verizon Unlimited Plan Slow?
There are many reasons why you would experience slower data connection from time to time. However, there are two major event that will cause your Verizon data plan to act slow almost every time.
- Congestion on the Verizon network when more people use the Unlimited Verizon plans.
- Exceeding the 50 GB data limit on your line so Verizon will throttle your connection until next billing cycle begins.
Verizon is one of the leading cell phone service providers in the US. You can imagine the number of people who have subscribed to its services and newer clients who join everyday.
As a result, more people are using the Verizon unlimited data plans resulting in slowdowns. Hopefully, the company will sort out a solution for this as the number of users continue to grow.
As for the throttling issue, let’s talk about this in detail in the next section!
Does Verizon Throttle In Its Unlimited Plan?
There are no surprises there!
Verizon does throttle but it is a soft throttle only so you will be able to use the data but at slower speeds. This happens when you reach a cap, typically 50 GB data usage on a on a line,
You will notice this in form of mobile game lags and longer buffering time for videos.
Throttling unlimited data plans is pretty common and most companies tend to so. It is also not illegal as Verizon shares this information on its official website.
Can You Tell If Verizon Is Throttling You?
Throttling slows down the internet. It may be that Verizon does this intentionally to limit your data use but slower internet can be due to other reasons as well.
If you want to want to confirm whether Verizon is throttling you or not, you can use the speed test below.
- Download the Ookla speed test app on your iOS or Android smartphone device.
- Then run the speed test for your mobile at the beginning of the Verizon billing cycle.
- Repeat the process a few times to identify the baseline for your device.
- Note down the number somewhere safe.
- Then wait till the mid of the month to repeat the speed test.
- Match the numbers with the previously noted readings.
- Now repeat the test when there are only a few days left of the billing cycle.
- Note down the number.
If the numbers drastically decrease towards the end, this would mean that Verizon is throttling your data connection.
In a Nutshell
You can expect unlimited data from Verizon but the lower speeds after the cap will make it difficult to play any game on the mobile or buffer videos quickly. You are lucky if you currently have an ond Verizon Unlimited plan as there are fewer reports on throttling on such packages.
