Apparently, Verizon is going to begin throttling the data speeds of the top 5% of heaviest data users. While I am sympathetic to the need to manage capacity on their network, this approach is just wrong on so many levels.
- Most importantly, you have no knowledge or ability to control your situation. If they said “over 500 gigabytes will get you penalized” (and gave you tools to understand your consumption; for now, this requires third party tools), I would be somewhat sympathetic (though probably not happy). Now, however, you only know you’re offending after the fact.
- This also creates a situation whereby if we all start conserving data access, to avoid being in the top 5%, we’ll reduce data usage and yet the top 5% will still get penalized.
- I think Verizon is going after the wrong party. I’m guessing the biggest issues are with high-bandwidth consumption sources like streaming video. Hmmm…like their Vcast video service. So, basically they’re selling you access to video services (for which you pay a premium) and then when you actually use the service, they say you’re doing it too much and cutting your service. I don’t pay for any Verizon premium (high bandwidth) services like their GPS solution or their video packages but if I did, I’d be screaming bloody murder. (How much do you bet that under the covers they’re actually going to exempt their own services from counting towards bandwidth consumption? Next to scream, then: Netflix.)
If Verizon has a data capacity issue, here’s how I would solve it:
- Set pre-defined limits so that we know the playing field.
- Give us tools so that we know when we’re approaching those limits and, more importantly, what our offending apps are. I don’t know which of my apps are bandwidth hogs under the covers.
- Figure out how to throttle speeds selectively. If you throttle my low-bandwidth applications, like Foursquare check-ins or text emails, I probably won’t even notice the difference. For me, no notice. For you in aggregate, maybe enough of a difference that you don’t have to pursue these other painful approaches.
Congratulations! You’ve bought a smartphone. You paid big for the phone. You pay big for the data package. Now go in the corner. You actually use all of the things we sold you. Who told you to listen to us?!
Pardon the Disruption 