Client on PPC and "unlimited" service rant

[jdamore]

I've been waiting for sage to come out with a client for live TV streaming on my pocket pc but I don't think its gonna happen... no biggie. Sage Rocks

So I decided to pull the trigger on a slingbox, when the sales guy at BB asked me what Verizon data package I had. I stated "I'm not worried, I have the unlimited data". Little did I know its NOT Unlimited!! I went to the Verizon store to get a copy of the contract and It says:

Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, GlobalAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY 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). The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.


I think I would have to pay an additional 15$/month for real "unlimited". 45$ isn't enough?!?!

I was told by the guy at the Verizon store that if I keep it under 5 Gigs/month they will not suspect prohibited use. hmmmm..

Any of you Sage'ers get shut down from ""Unlimited"" service and a slingbox or like?

I'm not sure the bitrate the slingbox would use. Maybe I am over reacting, 5 gigs is a lot.

I feel bad for slingbox, it is a great idea but is very impractical for a PPC client (with verizon atleast).

[heffe2001]

Depends on how much you use it, but I'd bet I would use way more than 5gb outbound for video.

I'd hate to see my bandwidth usage from home, I'm absolutely certain I'm one of the bandwidth hogs my cableco hates .

Originally Posted by jdamore

I've been waiting for sage to come out with a client for live TV streaming on my pocket pc but I don't think its gonna happen... no biggie. Sage Rocks

So I decided to pull the trigger on a slingbox, when the sales guy at BB asked me what Verizon data package I had. I stated "I'm not worried, I have the unlimited data". Little did I know its NOT Unlimited!! I went to the Verizon store to get a copy of the contract and It says:

Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, GlobalAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY 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). The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.


I think I would have to pay an additional 15$/month for real "unlimited". 45$ isn't enough?!?!

I was told by the guy at the Verizon store that if I keep it under 5 Gigs/month they will not suspect prohibited use. hmmmm..

Any of you Sage'ers get shut down from ""Unlimited"" service and a slingbox or like?

I'm not sure the bitrate the slingbox would use. Maybe I am over reacting, 5 gigs is a lot.

I feel bad for slingbox, it is a great idea but is very impractical for a PPC client (with verizon atleast).

[lobosrul]

Hmm, there was a slashdot article on this just the other day. I think its false advertising to say "unlimited" and then terminate your contract after 5 GB.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/04/0153256

Lets see, at 700kbps: thats ~ .085 MB/sec or .43 GB/hour. So you could burn thru 5GB in a whole 12 hours.

[jdamore]

Originally Posted by lobosrul

Hmm, there was a slashdot article on this just the other day. I think its false advertising to say "unlimited" and then terminate your contract after 5 GB.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/04/0153256

Lets see, at 700kbps: thats ~ .085 MB/sec or .43 GB/hour. So you could burn thru 5GB in a whole 12 hours.

Thanks for breaking it down for me.. 12 hours/month is do'able and thats at 700kbps. The fastest speed I've seen was about 500kbps.

Well, just so I keep Verizon happy, I will try to find a Wifi hotspot (free of course) for streaming my a/v.

[jbarr]

Seems to be typical. I just looked at Charter Communication's "Acceptible Use Policy" and it has two sections of relevence (emphasis added)...

1. USE

Customer may set up one (1) web page per service account for personal use of the Service, but Customer may not establish a web page using a server located at Customer’s home. Customer will not use, or allow others to use, Customer’s home computer as a web server, FTP server, file server or game server or to run any other server applications or to provide network or host services to others via Charter’s network....

...and...

13. NO EXCESSIVE USE OF BANDWIDTH

If Charter determines, in Charter’s sole discretion, that Customer is using an excessive amount of bandwidth over the Charter network infrastructure for Internet access or other functions using public network resources, Charter may adjust, suspend or terminate Customer’s account at any time and without notice, or require Customer to upgrade Customer’s service level and pay additional fees in accordance with Charter’s then-current, applicable, published rates for such Service.