Is the $25 beyond talk plan really unlimited?

[musick]

Can anyone tell me what this bar (circled) means?

I think it means the amount of memory my apps are using (left) and what is left (right)...is this correct? Or is this some kind of running total of the memory I can use in a 1 month period?

Cheers!

 

[alisonc]

It's your phone's RAM that is used/free. I don't know of a way to check your data useage.

 

[musick]

It's your phone's RAM that is used/free. I don't know of a way to check your data useage.

Thanks for the confirmation.

I suppose it shouldnt matter how much data has been used since VM offers unlimited.

Thanks.

 

[alisonc]

ALTHOUGH... "Unlimited" isn't really Unlimited. They will still ToS you if they see you tethering and torrenting Blu-rays or watching Hulu over 3G. (though I can't do any of that right now... freaking 200kbps download speed means I can barely do my online physics homework) I think I read somewhere that the cap beyond which they throttle you to below-dialup speeds, is 10GB per month.

 

[musick]

ALTHOUGH... "Unlimited" isn't really Unlimited. They will still ToS you if they see you tethering and torrenting Blu-rays or watching Hulu over 3G. (though I can't do any of that right now... freaking 200kbps download speed means I can barely do my online physics homework) I think I read somewhere that the cap beyond which they throttle you to below-dialup speeds, is 10GB per month.

For what I am paying ($25/mo.), I dont mind the caps they may put on downloads. I dont plan on abusing the good deal they offer by streaming HD content.

I dont really know what 10GB/mo. really means for my use, but my understanding is it is equal to ~6000 page views per day. I generally search some news (maybe 10-20 views) and stream music - w/ some apps added every few days. No TV or tethering for me.

Not to offend, but I hope VM limits extreme users if it means keeping their (imo) awesome pricing tier.

Na Zdrowie!

 

[alisonc]

No offense taken, I have a nice college dorm connection to torrent and Hulu on It's when I am at my friend's apartment and doing physics homework that I tether, or just because wifi is even shittier than 3G. (cough, campus center, cough) If you use interwebs that little, you should never hit the cap.

Also, I know what Na Zdrowie means from working at a Polish restaurant for two summers

 

[FullWolfMoon]

For what I am paying ($25/mo.), I dont mind the caps they may put on downloads. I dont plan on abusing the good deal they offer by streaming HD content.

I dont really know what 10GB/mo. really means for my use, but my understanding is it is equal to ~6000 page views per day. I generally search some news (maybe 10-20 views) and stream music - w/ some apps added every few days. No TV or tethering for me.

Not to offend, but I hope VM limits extreme users if it means keeping their (imo) awesome pricing tier.

Na Zdrowie!

I really, really agree! I switched back to VM after dealing with a far too over priced company for over two years, and not only am I thrilled with the LG Optimus V - my first smartphone, yay, but, also the price I pay for the services I get is AWESOME.

I've had a couple of problems come up but when I call them, it doesn't take too long to get a person and they're always polite and eventually the problem seems to get resolved. Which is more than I can say for a couple of other companies I've dealt with.

 

[greg4android]

if you're REALLY curious about how much data you've been using.

DOWNLOAD.....

NET METER

from the apps store.

Its FREE, and it will keep up with your 3G data usage and Wi-Fi Usage.

 

[mushdoom]

Is it actually unlimited web and data, or do they have a cap? I read somewhere that it wasn't unlimited and now I'm worried because I'm getting this phone in a few days.

 

[BeachGuy]

There is a reasonable usage cap of sorts, 5gb/month. So unless you are using to download movies and such, or overkill on youtube, should be ok.

 

[mushdoom]

What about if you use the internet regularly, would that start to be a problem?

Edit: Also, what happens when you pass the limit, and do the consequences go away after that month?

 

[DCBlueStar]

Don't see anything official in their terms of service.

Beyond Talk Plans:

• $25.00 per month for unlimited domestic text messages, picture messages, instant messages ("IM") and email messages, unlimited video, unlimited access to Downloads (VirginXL) and the mobile Internet (but not unlimited downloaded content), and 300 anytime minutes.
• $40.00 per month for unlimited domestic text messages, picture messages, IM and email messages, unlimited video, unlimited access to Downloads (VirginXL) and the mobile Internet (but not unlimited downloaded content), and 1200 anytime minutes.
• $60.00 per month for unlimited domestic text messages, picture messages, IM and email messages, unlimited video, unlimited access to Downloads (VirginXL) and the mobile Internet (but not unlimited downloaded content), and unlimited anytime minutes.

Account Status for Beyond Talk Plans

Your monthly charge is due on the monthly payment date of your Beyond Talk Plan. Your monthly payment date is based on the day of the month that you activate your Beyond Talk Plan, switch from one Beyond Talk Plan to another Beyond Talk Plan, or restart your existing Beyond Talk Plan. If you do not pay your monthly charge on your payment date, you will not be able to make or receive calls (except 911 emergency calls), send or receive domestic text messages, picture messages, IM and email messages (collectively "Messages"), access Downloads (VirginXL), or use any other services, regardless of the balance in your account. When you next pay your monthly charge, you will receive the number of minutes and Messages associated with that monthly plan. If you fail to pay your monthly charge when due, your payment date will be reset based on the day you successfully pay your monthly charge. If you do not pay your monthly charge within 120 days after your payment date, your account will expire, we will deactivate your service, you will lose your mobile phone number, and we will assess you a termination charge equal to the value of any balance left in your account, which is not refundable even if you reactivate your account. If your account is deactivated, you must follow the activation process again in order to obtain service and use your Virgin Mobile phone. You may visit our website (Prepaid Cell Phone Service and Pay as You Go | Virgin Mobile) or contact Virgin Mobile At Your Service at 1-888-322-1122 to reactivate your account using a Top-Up card, debit card or credit card.

 

[DCBlueStar]

But this is interesting...

Broadband2Go

Broadband2Go Plans

You may purchase a Broadband2Go data plan necessary to access the Internet from your laptop personal computer in the following data allocations ("Broadband2Go Plans"):

• $10.00 for 100 megabytes ("MB")
• $20.00 for 1 gigabyte ("GB") - only available on devices purchased through Walmart
• $50.00 per month for unlimited access to email, data and web browsing (3G speeds up to 2.5GB) <-- So it's UNLIMITED but then there's a 2.5GB Cap?!?!
• When you purchase the $10.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your data usage will be deducted from the available data allocation. Unused data expire 10 days from the date the Broadband2Go Plan was activated on your account. If you use your allocation of data before the end of the data expiration date, you must purchase an additional Broadband2Go Plan to use the Broadband2Go service.

When you purchase the $20.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your data usage will be deducted from the available data allocation. Unused data expire one month from the date the Broadband2Go Plan was activated on your account. If you use your allocation of data before the end of the data expiration date, you must purchase an additional Broadband2Go Plan to use the Broadband2Go service.

When you purchase the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your monthly charge is due on the monthly payment date of your $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan. Your monthly payment date is based on the day of the month that you activate your $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, switch from another Broadband2Go Plan to the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, or restart the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan. If you do not pay your monthly charge on your payment date, you will no longer have access to the Broadband2Go service, regardless of the balance in your account. When you next pay your monthly charge, you will receive the data allocation associated with that monthly plan. If you fail to pay your monthly charge when due, your payment date will be reset based on the day you successfully pay your monthly charge. Virgin Mobile reserves the right, without notice, to temporarily limit throughput speeds when monthly data usage on the $50 Broadband2Go Plan exceeds 2.5GB. Customers will continue to have access to Broadband2Go service but maximum speeds may be limited to 256 kilobits per second or below for the remainder of the monthly plan cycle. During this time, customers may experience slower page loads, file downloads and degraded streaming media. Throughput speeds will be restored when a new Broadband2Go Plan is purchased.

 

[mushdoom]

These are the things that get me worried. Okay, what happens if you pass the cap they have on the unlimited data plans?

 

[adam97202]

These are the things that get me worried. Okay, what happens if you pass the cap they have on the unlimited data plans?

They throttle your speed.

Also, keep in mind that the Optimus and Intercept can connect to the Internet via Wifi, which doesn't count toward any cap and is faster anyway.

 

[mushdoom]

Oh okay. And one last question, do they bring the speeds back to normal after the month is over?

 

[lou61166]

Oh okay. And one last question, do they bring the speeds back to normal after the month is over?

I would not worry, i streamed music all day and never had any throttling or warnings.

 

[TVCCS]

To clarify...there was a user at Howard who specifically set out to find out what the cap was and found out it was 10GB per month before he was throttled to 256kbps down for the remainder of that month. A VM rep confirmed same to him when he checked about getting his account reset, which he did.

Most users will never approach that limit...but if you download a lot of movies, large files, or stream music 24/7, you can get there.

 

[mushdoom]

Thank you TVCCS for the clarification. All my worries have gone away! I'm getting this phone most likely on Wednesday !

 

[greg4android]

that pertains to the USB760 USB device which is a mobile broadband internet device. they recently changed that because people were abusing those "unlimited" plans. That doesn't apply to smartphones "YET".

But this is interesting...

Broadband2Go

Broadband2Go Plans

You may purchase a Broadband2Go data plan necessary to access the Internet from your laptop personal computer in the following data allocations ("Broadband2Go Plans"):

• $10.00 for 100 megabytes ("MB")
• $20.00 for 1 gigabyte ("GB") - only available on devices purchased through Walmart
• $50.00 per month for unlimited access to email, data and web browsing (3G speeds up to 2.5GB) <-- So it's UNLIMITED but then there's a 2.5GB Cap?!?!
• When you purchase the $10.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your data usage will be deducted from the available data allocation. Unused data expire 10 days from the date the Broadband2Go Plan was activated on your account. If you use your allocation of data before the end of the data expiration date, you must purchase an additional Broadband2Go Plan to use the Broadband2Go service.

When you purchase the $20.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your data usage will be deducted from the available data allocation. Unused data expire one month from the date the Broadband2Go Plan was activated on your account. If you use your allocation of data before the end of the data expiration date, you must purchase an additional Broadband2Go Plan to use the Broadband2Go service.

When you purchase the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, your monthly charge is due on the monthly payment date of your $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan. Your monthly payment date is based on the day of the month that you activate your $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, switch from another Broadband2Go Plan to the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan, or restart the $50.00 Broadband2Go Plan. If you do not pay your monthly charge on your payment date, you will no longer have access to the Broadband2Go service, regardless of the balance in your account. When you next pay your monthly charge, you will receive the data allocation associated with that monthly plan. If you fail to pay your monthly charge when due, your payment date will be reset based on the day you successfully pay your monthly charge. Virgin Mobile reserves the right, without notice, to temporarily limit throughput speeds when monthly data usage on the $50 Broadband2Go Plan exceeds 2.5GB. Customers will continue to have access to Broadband2Go service but maximum speeds may be limited to 256 kilobits per second or below for the remainder of the monthly plan cycle. During this time, customers may experience slower page loads, file downloads and degraded streaming media. Throughput speeds will be restored when a new Broadband2Go Plan is purchased.

 

[TVCCS]

that pertains to the USB760 USB device which is a mobile broadband internet device. they recently changed that because people were abusing those "unlimited" plans. That doesn't apply to smartphones "YET".

Frankly, 5GB a month (the prior MiFi 2200 limit) wasn't "abuse" at all if you were trying to run even a family home network with it...Sprint/VM just doesn't have any competition in the PrePaid router business and decided they wanted to make sure any new customers could only use it for "light" duty. I think they'll end up selling very few of the units with the new data cap, but apparently they've made that choice from a business standpoint.

 

[greg4android]

the people abusing the Broadband2Go from Virgin Mobile were using ALOT more than 5GB ! ! ! That's the why it was changed.

Some folks were pushing + 40GB of data a month ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

I didn't say 5GB was "abuse". And previously, Virgin Mobile never stated in their TOS "what" the limits were.

But Last month, the changed the terms to 5GB / 2.5GB depending on WHAT plan you were on when the change was put into effect.

There's only one other provider that allows high usage on a Mobile Broadband on the SPRINT network. that's Millenicom. Their cap is
50GB.

Frankly, 5GB a month (the prior MiFi 2200 limit) wasn't "abuse" at all if you were trying to run even a family home network with it...Sprint/VM just doesn't have any competition in the PrePaid router business and decided they wanted to make sure any new customers could only use it for "light" duty. I think they'll end up selling very few of the units with the new data cap, but apparently they've made that choice from a business standpoint.

 

[DCBlueStar]

that pertains to the USB760 USB device which is a mobile broadband internet device. they recently changed that because people were abusing those "unlimited" plans. That doesn't apply to smartphones "YET".

I know, but if this is what they're saying for a device that's "devoted" to it, who knows about a cell phone.

 

[dEris]

I think you might have CricKet mistaken for this issue. CricKet says "unlimited" but once you reach your 1GB cap, they throttle your internet to almost 56k speed until the next bill cycle. Heh, so lame.

 

[zrobot]

From the NetMeter google code page:

NetMeter is primarily intended as an interactive diagnostic tool and not as a long-term network usage counter. For that purpose applications like NetCounter are a better fit.

Found NetCounter here. It's all free (beer) and Free (speech). It's also on the Market.