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Verizon Does the Right Thing and Will Not Cap Its DSL or FiOS Customers

Verizon delivers fiber-to-the-home service over its FiOS network.

Verizon Communications says it will not run an Internet Overcharging scheme on its wired broadband customers.

The company that knows about investment and upgrading their networks like few others — bringing true, fiber-to-the-home FiOS service to customers across several states — says it has no need to impose usage caps or metered billing on its wired broadband customers.

“This is something we have looked at in the past, and we’ll continue to evaluate what’s best to ensure our customers get the best broadband service for the best value,” Verizon spokesman Bill Kula told Broadband Reports. “We have no plans to implement usage-based pricing for our fixed broadband customers,” Kula says.

Verizon’s announcement provides additional ammunition against AT&T’s unjustified 150-250GB usage caps over claims it faces congestion issues.

The company doesn’t share AT&T’s “congestion problem,” probably for two reasons:

  1. Because it does not exist.
  2. Verizon has upgraded their network to keep up with demand, winning new customers with their top-rated FiOS fiber to the home network.

Karl Bode sees right through AT&T’s arguments:

If you believe AT&T’s claim that the new pricing is about congestion and not about protecting U-Verse revenues from a Internet video — and many don’t — Verizon’s decision to spend $24 billion on upgrading more than half of their network to fiber to the home would make a Verizon decision to follow suit a very tough sell. AT&T has previously stated their last-mile customers see little to no congestion, and Verizon’s seeing even less.

Kula notes Verizon doesn’t oppose the use of usage caps, but their TOS allows them to handle any users they deem particularly gluttonous, and even then — Verizon makes it clear to us they’ve never disconnected one of these users. “Verizon terms of service were written in a way to allow us to terminate users if they violate our acceptable use policy, and excessive use ‘could’ constitute a violation,” says Kula. “However, we’ve not disconnected any consumer, small business or mass market customers to date.”

Stop the Cap! has never objected to terms and conditions which provide an escape clause for a provider that encounters a customer creating significant problems on its network, such as e-mail spamming, illegal activity, or causing serious problems for other users.  These terms and conditions are a part of every Acceptable Use Policy, and responsible providers don’t activate those provisions on a whim.

It’s too bad some AT&T customers can’t choose an alternative to a company who promised great things with U-verse, and then put unjustified limits on customer enjoyment.

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Andrew
Andrew
12 years ago

Thanks you, Verizon, for acting responsibly. Let’s tell AT&T that enough is enough by signing this Change.org petition asking them to “stop the cap” http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-att-that-data-caps-are-absolutely-unacceptable#?opt_new=f&opt_fb=t

Scott
Scott
12 years ago

It is refreshing to see one of the least likely companies such as Verizon reinforce the validity of the very policies that have served ISP’s just fine for over a decade.

The standard acceptable use policy lets a provider deal with the “2%” of users abusing of services without penalizing and profiting off the remaining 98% of customers just wanting to enjoy their service at a fair price without artificial limits and ‘overage’ fees.

Greg
Greg
12 years ago

This is a very good thing.

The only reason why it wouldn’t kill AT&T’s cap outright is the fact that the ISP’s operate in collusion with regards to market areas. So if you have AT&T in your area it is not likely you will see competition from Verizon on wired broadband.

Chris
Chris
12 years ago

Verizon also said they would never carry the iphone. Of course now they carry the iphone. I would not be surprised if they follow their industry neighbors at some point with a cap.

Austin
Austin
12 years ago

Thats just the thing when Uverse was marketed to me in my area, it was described as a “Robust fiber rich network, designed for the demands of tomorrow” Well, here we are less than 2 years later and somehow that robust fiber network can deliver LESS than my DSL line was able to send me more than a DECADE ago.

Jason Ballew
Jason Ballew
12 years ago

Here’s the thing though: With Verizon cutting back rollouts of Fiber, what’s really the point? It’s not like people in AT&T service areas can get Verizon for the most part anyway.

It’s all a smoke screen, when it comes down to it. Until we get rid of the duopoly, we’re going to sit in the same ruts we’ve been in thus far.

Steve
Steve
12 years ago

Verizon does not cap because the scaled back every ones dsl network speed any way… i don’t know anyone getting their max potential with verizon… I paid for 3mbps and never got it… i got less than half.. so i switched service providers…. Screw verizon… no need for a cap when u can just slow the speed down… its a cap without advertising.. like T mobiles unlimited, limited 4g service…

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