Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share plan?!

[albertdc]

I'm worried at how they are going to tabulate data usage for the family share plan and here is why. Currently I have an unlimited plan and my wife has a 4GB plan. She barely uses data at all (don't ask why ) and I use between 0.75-1.5GB monthly on average. So it would seem that a 2GB plan would suffice for us...BUT...here is the problem.

Reviewing the bill, they have her pegged at 1GB (1,024MG) monthly. My plan shows the exact KB (and MB) actually used, but then also rounds up to 1GB. So I called Verizon and they said that even though my wife only used 0.08GB last month (I added up all the data details to verify), they show her as using 1 GB because once you start a GB of data, you "get" the entire GB.... That is fine for our current situation, but will create havoc if that is how they do it in the family data share plan.

With actual usage, if I use 1.5 GB and she uses 0.1 or 0.2 GB, we come in under 2GB no problem. But if they say that once her phone starts using data, she gets the entire GB, then my 1.5GB of actual usage would turn into 2GB for billing purposes and her 0.2GB would turn into 1 GB meaning that we would need 3GB total. THAT WOULD TOTALLY SUCK and be completely unreasonable.

So what do you think? Will they count actual data for each phone and truly add them up as being shared, or will they continue this rounding gimmick and completely mess everybody up??!?!

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

I would hope that since it's shared data that once you start a new GB you share it. Call Verizon and get a straight answer from them.

 

[Super_Mario]

Call Verizon and get a straight answer from them.

Exactly, no one here knows yet since the plans haven't started. Guesses or assumptions is all you'll get right now.

 

[albertdc]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

I would hope that since it's shared data that once you start a new GB you share it. Call Verizon and get a straight answer from them.

Agreed that is how they should do it. I spoke with Verizon yesterday - they explained to me why my wife's bill currently shows 1GB of usage. I immediately then questioned the rep about how it will work with the new plan, and she had no clue. She couldn't even understand why they current system would be a problem for a shared data plan, so I just gave up.

Exactly, no one here knows yet since the plans haven't started. Guesses or assumptions is all you'll get right now.

Yes, I figured as much, though I was hoping that maybe someone that works for Verizon and is able to understand why the current system wouldn't work would chime in. Hoping that my scenario might have been discussed as part of their training/information.

I also figured I would post this so that other people might be made aware and can watch for shenanigans once the new system goes into effect.

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

I immediately then questioned the rep about how it will work with the new plan, and she had no clue.

If at first you don't succeed... But seriously, if you really need an answer, sometimes you just need to be like, oh, you don't know, thanks anyway. Then call back. Ask again. Then call back, talk to someone with some authority, and keep doing that until you get an answer. Then get it noted on your account and take their employee number.

I also figured I would post this so that other people might be made aware and can watch for shenanigans once the new system goes into effect.

Well, that's good, thanks for letting us know. I didn't know that is how data worked. I am not on a shared plan, and, I have unlimited, but, I'm sure it'll affect me eventually. But, it's good to know that .0000000000001 GB = 1 GB.I think I learned that in Algebra somewhere along the way.

 

[Super_Mario]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

Essentially, the tiered data plans bill as gigabytes used, even overage. So if she uses less than one gig it will show one gig used until she goes over that. The new plans may change that since multiple devices are utilizing the data. Reps now may not be too knowledgeable in it yet since it hasn't started and no one's bill reflects it. My suggestion is for people to wait and see, then question it. Because monitoring the usage will be important.

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

That's a rather large unit to be rounding up to, IMO. Especially when a byte would round you up to the next GB If that puts you over your limit, then a simple byte could add an unexpected charge to your bill? That's ridiculous. I'm sure they would wave that if you called and complained, but, you shouldn't have to. There should an amount over a GB that rounds down.

But, yea, that's what I was thinking. Hopefully usage is tracked in one bucket and not two or more.

Yea, I mean, you might need to wait for CSRs to have a better answer. But, it can't hurt to call and ask a supervisor in advance if it's really a concern. They might not know either, but, it couldn't hurt.

 

[Super_Mario]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

Well on the current tiered plans if you went over, even by 1MB, they would charge $10 for another gig. That's how's its been since it's started.

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

Regardless, that is ridiculous. They should prorate it based off that amount if you go over. Charging you for an extra block of data is like them charging you for a block of minutes or text messages if you go over by one minute or one text. They charge you overage by the minute, per text, and then by GB? Seems a little bit unbalanced. If it were per minute, per text, 25 MB, that would be a little more appropriate, IMO.

 

[Ry]

That's a rather large unit to be rounding up to, IMO. Especially when a byte would round you up to the next GB If that puts you over your limit, then a simple byte could add an unexpected charge to your bill? That's ridiculous. I'm sure they would wave that if you called and complained, but, you shouldn't have to. There should an amount over a GB that rounds down.

But, yea, that's what I was thinking. Hopefully usage is tracked in one bucket and not two or more.

Yea, I mean, you might need to wait for CSRs to have a better answer. But, it can't hurt to call and ask a supervisor in advance if it's really a concern. They might not know either, but, it couldn't hurt.

I don't think the prorate or round down on the existing tiered data plans. I don't see why it would be any different on a Share Everything plan.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

I don't think the prorate or round down on the existing tiered data plans. I don't see why it would be any different on a Share Everything plan.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

I'm saying they should. I have unlimited, so, I've never even though about data usage before. But, to go over at all and get charged for a block doesn't seem right. That isn't how it works for minutes or texts. You don't go over one minute and get charged for 100. Why should it work like that for data? I mean, sure, with minutes and data is has to be some amount (unlike a text which is one thing), but, one minute vs. 1 GB. Those are quite different.

 

[Ry]

I'm saying they should. I have unlimited, so, I've never even though about data usage before. But, to go over at all and get charged for a block doesn't seem right. That isn't how it works for minutes or texts. You don't go over one minute and get charged for 100. Why should it work like that for data? I mean, sure, with minutes and data is has to be some amount (unlike a text which is one thing), but, one minute vs. 1 GB. Those are quite different.

They don't prorate minutes. The overage is by the minute.

They don't prorate texts. The overage is by the text.

The overage rate for data is by the GB. It's clean. It's easy to read. It's easy to understand.

Remember when carriers did data overages by the KB or MB? Not as easy to the regular consumer to understand.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[Super_Mario]

I'm saying they should. I have unlimited, so, I've never even though about data usage before. But, to go over at all and get charged for a block doesn't seem right. That isn't how it works for minutes or texts. You don't go over one minute and get charged for 100. Why should it work like that for data? I mean, sure, with minutes and data is has to be some amount (unlike a text which is one thing), but, one minute vs. 1 GB. Those are quite different.

I guess it works like because they say so. Every customer agreed to how it would be billed when they signed the contract and when they continued to use the service.

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

They don't prorate minutes. The overage is by the minute.

They don't prorate texts. The overage is by the text.

The overage rate for data is by the GB. It's clean. It's easy to read. It's easy to understand.

Remember when carriers did data overages by the KB or MB? Not as easy to the regular consumer to understand.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

I'm sorry, but, charging overage by the GB is like charging voice overage by the hour.

Not really sure how charging by a different unit of the same thing is confusing. Would it be even less confusing if it were a TB? Making the unit larger does not make it less confusing.

I guess it works like because they say so. Every customer agreed to how it would be billed when they signed the contract and when they continued to use the service.

Absolutely, I never said it didn't. Of course they agreed to it, and, there is nothing that can be done about it. But, that does not make it an unreasonable policy.

 

[Ry]

I'm sorry, but, charging overage by the GB is like charging voice overage by the hour.

Not really sure how charging by a different unit of the same thing is confusing. Would it be even less confusing if it were a TB? Making the unit larger does not make it less confusing.

But it makes the upsell to a higher tier easier.

"Instead of paying an extra $15, why don't you sign up for the next tier and save $5?"

Or would you rather have the overage by the byte?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[Devinator]

But it makes the upsell to a higher tier easier.

"Instead of paying an extra $15, why don't you sign up for the next tier and save $5?"

Or would you rather have the overage by the byte?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

Sure, but, that doesn't mean its not unreasonable.

Yes. Voice overage by the millisecond, text message per character and data by the byte. Seriously? Of course not. By the byte is just as ridiculous as by the GB. One GB is nothing like one minute or one text. That's hours of video and audio being equated to one minute of voice or one text message.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Android Central Forums

 

[Super_Mario]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

The old method of megabyte billing was 0.02 a MB, which was $20.48 a gig,so $10 a gig is definitely better.

 

[Devinator]

The old method of megabyte billing was 0.02 a MB, which was $20.48 a gig,so $10 a gig is definitely better.

Well. That was the old method. And, not better if you only went over by a couple of megs.

Why can't it be a dollar for each 100 megs or something more reasonable. My qualm isn't with the price ratio, it's that you get charged a whole extra gig even if you only go over one meg. I mean, when you go over a minute on a phone call, they don't charge you for a whole extra hour.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Android Central Forums

 

[Super_Mario]

Well. That was the old method. And, not better if you only went over by a couple of megs.

Why can't it be a dollar for each 100 megs or something more reasonable. My qualm isn't with the price ratio, it's that you get charged a whole extra gig even if you only go over one meg. I mean, when you go over a minute on a phone call, they don't charge you for a whole extra hour.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Android Central Forums

I don't agree with it but that's how it is. Maybe you should write a letter.

 

[Devinator]

Re: Uh-Oh, how will they tabulate data usage with family share pl

Thank you, that's all I wanted to hear.

Well, I have unlimited data, so, for now, it is irrelevant. But, if I find myself on a plan with a limit, and I go over by a fraction of a GB incurring a $10 charge, I'll deal with it then.