Is unlimited data really unlimited?
Customers have valued the unlimited data plans that have lately become increasingly common. You sign up for one flat monthly charge and may use as much data as you want during the month without worrying about slowdowns or bills much higher than you planned; today's large phone companies provide unlimited speak, text, and data choices that seem too good to be true. But supposing I tell you the limitless bandwidth these companies give is not infinite? It is the right time to give each of them thorough attention.
The Fine Print
First of all, let’s recall what an ‘unlimited’ data plan means if it is written in small print. Yes, there may be banners saying that you get unlimited high-speed data, but in fact, most carriers set restrictions on video streaming quality, hotspot use, and data usage before deprioritization.
Downgrading entails that, once you cross a particular data consumption level (common at 50GB per month), your internet speeds may be reduced at times when other users are most active. So, in a way, data is still not capped, but what was previously considered the speed is no longer provided as a guarantee.
Video Streaming Restrictions
This is usually accompanied by restrictions on the quality of streaming video in the unlimited plans. For instance, T-Mobile does not allow smartphone videos to be in anything other than 480p standard definition, while, to gain 720p high definition videos one has to subscribe to the service provider's higher package. This helps to prevent cases where the mobile network can be congested with too much media that people are consuming. If you attempt to stream 1080p or 4K video, it will not or it will consume higher speed data.
The rationale for video throttling is to control data traffic to reduce network overcrowding especially where there are too many users accessing cellular towers. Through limiting video density, ‘carriers can allow more customers’ to have a minimum usable data connection at any given moment.
Of course, it is frustrating to pay for “unlimited” data and receive a low-quality video that is significantly less appealing than what one might have anticipated. However, these restrictions can be bypassed with the help of a good VPN that encrypts your traffic so that both the streaming service as well as the resolution are concealed. That said, ensure that streaming over VPN does not offend the terms and conditions offered by your carrier.
Hotspot Allowances
In many cases, on the packages that offer an unlimited amount of data, the ability to tether your phone and use it as a Wi-Fi modem for other devices is limited as well. Even the major phone carriers are known to cap smartphone hotspots on unlimited plans to an average of 5-15GB per month. If you often connect your laptop, tablet, or any other Wi-Fi-enabled device to your phone, you might just find yourself with an overage or slow data connection at some point in your billing cycle. Contemplate the details of what you are planning to do on its most basic level.
The Bottom Line
But this is the reality of today, where even so-called ‘unlimited’ plans aren’t unlimited. Carriers employ several mechanisms that prevent usage and especially those that overload Mobile Broadband such as streaming high-definition videos, tethering. Some practices like “deprioritization” can mean that even at those high speeds your speeds could reduce if you are a heavy data user in a crowded network tower.
However, for the majority of users, LTE+ unlimited data plans remain the most appealing offering. Having a one-time reasonable monthly fee charge without the fear of being charged extra for using a certain amount of data is comforting. Simple, just be mindful of the tricks that mobile carriers employ in their operations with the “unlimited” plan consumers. As the technology of the network continues to evolve or improve, true unlimited high-speed data could be more likely and possible for carriers to offer to customers. But today, a vast majority of the “unlimited” data plans have their own set of fair use policies.
I hope this will be informative and useful to you in some way. Please, if you require any further details or have more questions that you’d like to ask, kindly inform me.
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