In case you missed it, Fred Goldstein’s article on network neutrality makes the point that LECs aren’t thrilled with much of the Internet freedom we all enjoy and love to lock you into using their services. I never noticed that the EVDO terms of service (TOS) have onerous restrictions. For example Verizon’s TOS state the following:
Unlimited NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess:
Subject to VZAccess Acceptable Use Policy, available on www.verizonwireless.com. NationalAccess and BroadbandAccess data sessions may be used with wireless devices for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force and field service automation). Unlimited NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess services cannot be used (1) for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games, (2) with server devices or with host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, Voice over IP (VoIP), automated machine-to-machine connections, or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, or (3) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess is for individual use only and is not for resale. We reserve right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using NationalAccess or BroadbandAccess in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. Verizon Wireless reserves the right to protect its network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.
Pretty scary stuff. I for one am not a fan of having a service provider telling me what I can and cannot do. Furthermore, I don’t want them telling me when I can do it, why I can do it, etc. Frankly I am surprised that this hasn’t caused an uproar on the web. Is anyone other than Fred and me concerned about such terms of service?
I touched on these topics today in a network neutrality post as well.
Mike
May 23, 2006 at 4:36 pmI was just disconnected from Verizons EVDO network.. When I bought the card I was expecting to be able to do standard IT functions. Connect to servers upload code download code test etc etc. On Verizons site it states: NationalAccess is Verizon Wireless’ national wireless Internet service, which enables users to access the Internet, email, attachments, and business applications with a laptop at average speeds of 60-80 kbps and bursts up to 144 kbps. That is what I was doing business applications. They said that because I had excessive use and bandwidth they were disconecting me. I can’t stream in any way.. I can’t use P2P I can’t play games I can’t connect to my corportate servers and do any significant download or uploading. I can’t do anything other than email and browse simple websites. What a joke this service is. At 79.00 + taxes the bill is over 100.00 per month. They shouldn’t care what the hell I do with the card for that price. When I read unlimited use I think unlimited use.. not well you can’t use it for the following monster list of items. I am writing several letters to Verizon. I think they are over marketing a service “Unlimited”. I would not ever recommend this service to anyone.
Rich Tehrani
May 24, 2006 at 9:27 amThanks for the feedback. One point of view is that we have a lack of competition in the broadband wireless market and that is probably why wireless providers can get away with such tactics. That is one point of view. I suppose the other is that these terms are spelled out before you buy – assuming you read the terms of service.
Perhaps your strongest point is that the marketing and the service don’t correlate.
But it isn’t fair to single out Verizon as broadband over cable providers will slow down your connection or cut you off altogether if you use too much bandwidth. Perhaps that is just the way the system will work. Service providers routinely oversubscribe their resources and any abusers slow the service down for the others.
At least one cable company offers a higher priced service that allows you to have access to faster download and upload speeds.
Again I think that the government will one day step in and make sure that service providers are more forthcoming about their restrictions – perhaps in their marketing materials.
Mike
May 24, 2006 at 5:01 pmI agree that there isn’t enough competition in this area and there may not be for quite a while due to costs in implementing such a large network. Your point about overselling is right on the mark and usually affects smaller providers more. What irritates me is that Verizon, Comcast, ATT are large bandwidth providers that are coninously touting and hyping up their fastest network and go anywhere anytime network access. Verizon is rolling out the get it now and video to the phone etc etc. If I buy bandwidth I should be able to use it especially if it is touted as unlimited. If I wanted to buy a cheaper limited account based on KB used I would have bought that but I bought unlimited and paid a premium to get that service. I dont think I am an abuser, but I am a heavy user that paid for a service and should be provided that service. Just because I use more than the average user that may check an email or look up the stats to a football game when they get home from work I get penalized for that. When I purchase a phone line they dont tell me that I can’t talk on it loudly or too softly and that I can only stay on it for short amounts of time. They dont tell me that I can’t say certain words while im on it and they I have never been disconnected once for saying something. The line they provide is 24/7 most of the time and dont care how I use it. If I wanted to call my friend accross town and play music all day over his speaker phone I could and should be able to do so because I am paying for that service. You don’t sell somone a hotdog and then tell them that they can’t put sourcrout on it just because the majority of people don’t like sourcrout. If they are overselling their lines and somone uses it it is there problem for overselling and should either up the service or deal with ticked off customers. The whole fitness industry relies on the same sales model.. They sell 1000s of memberships in January after everyone has made their New Years resolutions and hope that not everyone uses their memberships. But there are those that workout everyday and sometimes for many hours and im sure wearing out their equipment. Are they abusers becuase they are using facilities that they have paid for?
Mike
May 24, 2006 at 5:14 pmOne other thing that shows how stupid Verizon is being is that I just talked to one of their managers and I have experssed all of the above frustrations. Which im sure fell on deaf ears.
He indicated to me that he was sorry and that he could not hook up my Abused line but I was more than welcome to show up to a store and hook up new service to my disconnected card.
Do I do this every month??
Anyway Im done with Verizon
VoIP Blog - Tehrani.com
October 27, 2006 at 5:10 pmEV-DO Rev. A Enables VoIP
A company called Airvana is making wireless VoIP over mobile carrier networks a reality. The challenge here is that Verizon Wireless prohibits VoIP calls on it’s EV-DO network. I haven’t read the terms of Sprint’s wireless service but…
katalog
November 4, 2006 at 6:30 pmGood thing. WordPress lacks a good directory where we could find blogs sorted by topic or langage… But I can’t find the “french langage” category
Tanie linie lotnicze
January 25, 2007 at 7:51 amI think that your point about overselling is right on the mark and usually affects smaller providers more.
Onlineshop
March 3, 2007 at 4:20 pmI think these blog is really useful for new comers and Excellent resource list.
Rolf Beckmann
April 3, 2007 at 2:18 amI think VOIP is very dangerous. Everyone could filter the phonecalls and you cant realize this.
gutschein
April 15, 2007 at 10:04 amI searched a long time for such an great article. Thank you
Pokoje Åeba
April 16, 2007 at 2:09 pmI’m interested in it so much, that I decided that my MA Thesis will be about VoIP and P2P technology.
ralf
April 20, 2007 at 8:39 ami think so to, but it´s not the end, time will see!
jelenia góra
May 17, 2007 at 6:47 am30.000 people in jelenia gora using karkonosze phone system all city have 100k ppl, karkonosze & cieplice net is voip telephone, cool isnt?
Online-Shop
May 30, 2007 at 8:04 pmI think these blog is really useful for new comers and Excellent resource list.
It´s a very interesting Blog and simple answer of many questions.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks it helps me a lot…
alveo
June 17, 2007 at 2:54 pmVery nice and good
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ksiegowy
July 2, 2007 at 1:15 pmYou tell’em brother!! Like hell their screwing us right in the middle of our buttholes!! I personally work in the IT branch and this problem truly concernes me!! Me and my colleagues are seriously worrying about this issue.
dobre linki
July 9, 2007 at 4:01 pmIn Poland VOIP is avaiable only in 1 Telecom and costs about 20 euro /monthly… is it fine? 🙂
toys
July 25, 2007 at 6:05 pmI completely agree about lack of competition and how that allows these companies to get away with whatever they want! Unlimited bandwidth should be just that, unlimited. They shouldn’t suddenly throw up some surprise limits or claim anyone is “abusing” an unlimited service (something that just sounds ridiculous to me), especially when you’re paying for it. Unfortunately, until there are plenty of different alternatives for us to use, we just don’t really have a choice but to go with one of the major players. what really gets me is that these same companies are going stupid things like harassing people with unlimited plans instead of, oh, I don’t know…upgrading their existing equipment to make their systems run better or working to bring their services to places that are still without high speed connections (yes, there are some).
turystyka
August 5, 2007 at 3:55 pmI think that your point about overselling is right on the mark and usually affects smaller providers more.
ludo
August 9, 2007 at 12:14 pmI am interested in the topics discussed but have been feeling a little
intimidated by the thought of the work.
portraits art
September 11, 2007 at 6:13 amI’ve experienced this same thing from my end here. I noticed that there are many dos and don’ts in their terms and conditions. I was just lucky because I was able to discuss these terms with the manager prior to submission of my application. But I ended up being treated unfairly. I guess the statement saying that if you’re not satisfied you’re free to leave is very common among companies that monopolize a particular service.
I’m personally not concerned with too many rules to follow as long as they’re to my advantage. I noticed however that more commonly than not, companies that point out a lot of terms to be complied, are the ones which may have good services yet very poor customer relations.
top site
September 23, 2007 at 6:52 amthank you for sharing this story and experience with us
Artikelverzeichnis
October 10, 2007 at 5:14 amThank You for another very interesting article. It’s really good written and I fully agree with You on main issue, btw. I must say that I really enjoyed reading all of Your posts. It’s interesting to read ideas, and observations from someone else’s point of view… it makes you think more. So please try to keep up the great work all the time. Greetings
osram sparlampe
October 28, 2007 at 8:37 pmThank You for another very interesting article. So please try to keep up the great work all the time.
Ryanair
October 30, 2007 at 9:49 amI think that your point about overselling is right on the mark and usually affects smaller providers more.
yellowpages
November 13, 2007 at 10:07 pmI completely agree about lack of competition and how that allows these companies to get away with whatever they want!
Pet portrait artists
December 14, 2007 at 7:33 amThis didn’t cause a significant stir among users because we’re all used to rules and regulations that accompany any service or product. It’s just that the ones you mentioned here are too much.
sharp aquos
December 19, 2007 at 9:12 pmI think that your point about overselling is right on the mark and usually affects sm
Kunstforum
January 10, 2008 at 5:23 amThere are many useful informations in this article. Thanks and greetings from Thuringia!
raffyman
February 4, 2008 at 6:13 pmHe indicated to me that he was sorry and that he could not hook up my Abused line but I was more than welcome to show up to a store and hook up new service to my disconnected card.
Gola Tasche
February 19, 2008 at 1:36 pmThanks for your information!
Kunsthandwerk
March 25, 2008 at 7:39 amThanks for very useful article. I really enjoyed reading all of your posts. It’s interesting to read ideas, and observations from someone else’s point of view… makes you think more. So please keep up the great work.
Wellaune
July 10, 2008 at 8:27 amThis blog posting was of great use in learning new information and also in exchanging our views. Thank you.
sesli chat
August 29, 2008 at 7:09 pmGood thing. WordPress lacks a good directory where we could find blogs sorted by topic or langage… But I can’t find the “french langage” category
sesli
August 29, 2008 at 7:10 pmGood thing. WordPress lacks a good directory where we could find blogs sorted by topic or langage… But I can’t find the “french langage” category
Adventkranz
September 23, 2008 at 3:26 pmThank You for another very interesting article. So please try to keep up the great work all the time.
holzspielzeug
November 11, 2008 at 4:49 amCool! Enjoyed reading your article, keep on the good work.
Great Cheers
casa
June 30, 2009 at 11:20 amI am still using VOIP everyday.
Blumenversand Vergleich
February 6, 2010 at 10:58 amThank you for sharing this story. I think should be seen more critical. Everyone could filter phonecalls.
error fix
August 21, 2010 at 4:57 pmPerhaps that is just the way the system will work. Service providers routinely oversubscribe their resources and any abusers slow the service down for the others.
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