You’ve probably heard about Verizon and the Verizon Unlimited plan, but have you wondered if Verizon Unlimited is really unlimited?
If so, keep reading to find out what I’ve discovered about Verizon Unlimited and whether the plan is truly unlimited, plus more important details!
Key Takeaways
Is Verizon Unlimited Really Unlimited In 2022?
Verizon Unlimited is not as unlimited as Verizon claims, since the company imposes a soft data cap on everyone, including those on Verizon Unlimited plans in 2022. You’ll notice the biggest difference on the newest 5G Unlimited plans where the premium speeds will drop after you’ve used 50GB of data. However, the older unlimited plans are truly unlimited in comparison.
If you have more questions about Verizon Unlimited, such as what unlimited plans Verizon offers and if there’s any throttling, keep reading below to learn the truth!
How Much Data Can You Use on Verizon Unlimited?
While you can use unlimited data with the Verizon Unlimited plans, if you go over 50GB per month on a single line, you’re going to notice slowdowns.
Furthermore, these slowdowns will occur after you’ve reached 50GB of data whether you’re on the new 5G Start, 5G Play More, 5G Do More, or 5G Get More.
However, if you’re on the older Unlimited plan through Verizon that’s no longer available, it is truly unlimited compared to the newer plans.
Fortunately, the 50GB limit is per line and not per account, so if your child reaches that limit on their device, it’s not going to impact you until you reach it on your device.
Does Verizon’s Unlimited Plan Throttle?
Verizon does throttle its Unlimited plans regardless of which plan you have, although it’s more of a soft throttle since you’re still able to use your data and stream and it’ll just be a little slower.
For example, if you go over the 50GB per month premium on your phone, you may notice that videos buffer for an additional few seconds, or maybe a mobile game lags occasionally.
This information is right on the Verizon website, so you shouldn’t be surprised if you’ve gone over the 50GB premium data limit and have noticed throttling.
Additionally, throttling unlimited data plans is what a lot of wireless companies do once you’ve reached a limit that the specific company feels is appropriate, which is 50GB for Verizon.
Why is My Verizon Unlimited Data So Slow?
Congestion on the Verizon network is one of the main reasons why your Verizon Unlimited plan might be slow, which happens as a result of more people using the Unlimited Verizon plans.
To illustrate, you can think of the Verizon network as a big highway where millions of people are trying to travel at the same time, and at a certain point, you see people begin hitting their brakes.
With more people than ever before opting for unlimited plans for work and school, there are more travelers on the Verizon network highway, thus creating slowdowns, even for unlimited users.
Additionally, if you’ve reached over 50GB on your line, then you’re going to notice throttling by Verizon, which will reset once your next billing cycle begins.
How Do You Tell If Verizon Is Throttling Me?
The best way to tell if Verizon is throttling you is to perform a speed test on your device, which can be done using an app such as Ookla Speed Test, which is free on iOS and Android.
First, run the speed test a few different times at the beginning of the billing cycle to find a baseline for your mobile device. Write these numbers down so you can refer to them later.
Next, wait a couple of weeks and do the speed test again to see if those numbers have changed. Make note of the numbers, even if they’re the same as the first time you ran the test.
Lastly, run the speed test near the end of your billing cycle, such as when there are three days left, and see if those speeds have dropped drastically, which would indicate throttling.
Is Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Really Unlimited?
Verizon Prepaid Unlimited is unlimited if you’re using texting or calling, or if you’re connected to a Wireless network.
However, if you’re using your Prepaid Unlimited plan for a mobile hotspot, once you go over 10GB of data, then you’re going to notice speeds are throttled to 600 Kbps.
The throttling will happen until the month resets, which could impact the quality of audio, streaming videos or games.
Is Verizon Start Unlimited Really Unlimited?
Unfortunately, Verizon Start Unlimited is not really unlimited, unless you’re on the older Verizon Unlimited plan.
The newer 5G Verizon Start Unlimited is the cheapest unlimited plan and it mentions that during times of congestion, your network may be slowed down, which means Verizon will throttle it.
However, unlike the more expensive plans, Start Unlimited doesn’t mention a 50GB premium data allowance before the throttling begins, so it might happen anytime Verizon chooses.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Verizon offers prepaid plans, what is Verizon FIOS, and if Verizon offers unlimited data.
Conclusion
Verizon Unlimited isn’t really unlimited if you’re talking about data as there’s a soft data cap in place that will throttle your speeds after you’ve reached 50GB on your line.
However, if you have one of the older Verizon Unlimited plans, then you’re not going to notice the throttling much, if at all since the old plans were truly unlimited.