Re: Considering VZ Mobile Broadband - how to measure current internet traffic load?

"George" <george@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:sKmdnfyMjcfMRDTanZ2dnUVZ_rCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> Jar-Jar Binks wrote:
>> If you are concerned about data usage, you may want to go with Sprint.
>> They have true unlimited data plans for the same price as Verizon data
>> plans that have a cap.
>>
>>
>> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
>> news:87thq3l9fgf78ruirptequv0qcpmq1ti3c@4ax.com...
>>>> Dave <david.f.jenkins@usa.net> wrote:
>>>> I may want to make a shift to using VZ Mobile Broadband for Internet
>>>> access from home and on the road. The Verizon plan makes it clear
>>>> that they reserve the right to throttle down service rates if the
>>>> total byte count exceeds 5GB in a month. (Shades of dealing with
>>>> Earthlink and its FAP - I thought I had rid myself of that long ago!)
>>>>
>>>> This prompts a couple of questions:
>>>>
>>>> 1. Is the "month" a rolling 30 days? A calendar month?
>>> Per billing period. See:
>>> http://b2b.vzw.com/broadband/bba_terms.html
>>>
>>>> 2. How can I establish my current internet traffic volume? Is there
>>>> some handy utility that will sit by and measure bytes counts as they
>>>> go by?
>>> If you are talking about a cell phone, you can dial #DATA. With any
>>> kind of device you can go to your VZW account online and see your data
>>> usage to date during the billing period.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dave
>>
>>
> But he would also need to consider that Sprint has much poorer coverage in
> many areas and from what I understand you can't roam on to VZWs network to
> compensate with a data connection. Also Sprint still hasn't turned up EVDO
> in many of their markets.

All of these statements are incorrect. Sprint actually has more data
coverage than Verizon and their data coverage has been rated to be better
than Verizon. Data is the niche where Sprint really excells. You are also
wrong that you cannot roam on Verizon's data network. I am doing it right
now on a laptop that is sitting on my desk. I heard all of the horror storys
when I switched to Sprint data and was very worried. After several years, it
turns out that none of them were true. Interesting huh?

Sprint has horrible customer support but since their network is good and
they have the best roaming agreements, I never need to call customer
support.
Don't believe everything that you read. Get a Sprint and a Verizon laptop
card and give them a try.

Jar-Jar

Jar-Jar Binks wrote:
> "George" <george@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
> news:sKmdnfyMjcfMRDTanZ2dnUVZ_rCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> Jar-Jar Binks wrote:
>>> If you are concerned about data usage, you may want to go with Sprint.
>>> They have true unlimited data plans for the same price as Verizon data
>>> plans that have a cap.
>>>
>>>
>>> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
>>> news:87thq3l9fgf78ruirptequv0qcpmq1ti3c@4ax.com...
>>>>> Dave <david.f.jenkins@usa.net> wrote:
>>>>> I may want to make a shift to using VZ Mobile Broadband for Internet
>>>>> access from home and on the road. The Verizon plan makes it clear
>>>>> that they reserve the right to throttle down service rates if the
>>>>> total byte count exceeds 5GB in a month. (Shades of dealing with
>>>>> Earthlink and its FAP - I thought I had rid myself of that long ago!)
>>>>>
>>>>> This prompts a couple of questions:
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. Is the "month" a rolling 30 days? A calendar month?
>>>> Per billing period. See:
>>>> http://b2b.vzw.com/broadband/bba_terms.html
>>>>
>>>>> 2. How can I establish my current internet traffic volume? Is there
>>>>> some handy utility that will sit by and measure bytes counts as they
>>>>> go by?
>>>> If you are talking about a cell phone, you can dial #DATA. With any
>>>> kind of device you can go to your VZW account online and see your data
>>>> usage to date during the billing period.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Dave
>>>
>> But he would also need to consider that Sprint has much poorer coverage in
>> many areas and from what I understand you can't roam on to VZWs network to
>> compensate with a data connection. Also Sprint still hasn't turned up EVDO
>> in many of their markets.
>
> All of these statements are incorrect.

Except the ones that are true of course. There is no EvDO in my market
on Sprint. I compare notes with the people I meet here and in the nearby
states where I travel and VZW definitely has superior DATA coverage in
those locations. I just don't understand how Sprint excels at data as
you say. As far as I know they add data capability to their voice sites
the same as VZW and don't have additional data only sites. So if you
have poor Sprint voice coverage the data will also be poor.


Sprint actually has more data
> coverage than Verizon and their data coverage has been rated to be better
> than Verizon. Data is the niche where Sprint really excells. You are also
> wrong that you cannot roam on Verizon's data network. I am doing it right
> now on a laptop that is sitting on my desk. I heard all of the horror storys
> when I switched to Sprint data and was very worried. After several years, it
> turns out that none of them were true. Interesting huh?
>
> Sprint has horrible customer support but since their network is good and
> they have the best roaming agreements, I never need to call customer
> support.
> Don't believe everything that you read. Get a Sprint and a Verizon laptop
> card and give them a try.
>
> Jar-Jar
>
>
>