---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <D54A3BBC-DC60-421A-842E-FF9CCCBFD23F@roscom.com> Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:17:08 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: What Verizon's cheaper 'unlimited' actually means What Verizon's cheaper 'unlimited' actually means By Robert Pegoraro Q. Verizon went from one unlimited plan to two, and the cheaper one has some new fine print. Will I mind those limits? A. Wednesday's shift by the nation's largest wireless carrier to offer a choice of plans with "unlimited" data (both contain enough restrictions to make "unmetered" a more accurate description) adds some math and fine-print perusal to your service shopping. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2017/08/23/verizons-cheaper-unlimited-data-plan-means-serious-tradeoffs/595720001/ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <472C0339-E88A-43C7-8FD1-E75DC7BB6C59@roscom.com> Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2017 22:04:58 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: Dear iPhone: Here's Why We're Still Together After 10 Years Dear iPhone: Here's Why We're Still Together After 10 Years With the introduction of new iPhones on the horizon, a look at many of the reasons that Apple's smartphone has kept us in its grip for the last decade. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/technology/personaltech/iphone-10-years.html ------------------------------ Message-ID: <BF128B2A-0AD9-41A1-98F0-BB1A43DFDF5E@roscom.com> Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2017 09:19:20 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: Verizon to start throttling all smartphone videos to 480p or 720p Verizon to start throttling all smartphone videos to 480p or 720p Verizon Wireless will start throttling video streams to resolutions as low as 480p on smartphones this week. Most data plans will get 720p video on smartphones, but customers won't have any option to completely un-throttle video. 1080p will be the highest resolution provided on tablets, effectively ruling out 4K video on Verizon's mobile network. Anything identified as a video will not be given more than 10Mbps worth of bandwidth. This limit will affect mobile hotspot usage as well. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/08/verizon-to-start-throttling-all-smartphone-videos-to-480p-or-720p/ ***** Moderator's Note ***** Claude Shannon could have predicted this - sixty-nine years ago. Mobile devices are not, and never will be, meant for streaming media. Bill Horne Moderator ------------------------------ Message-ID: <599EE040.20603@panix.com> Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:18:40 -0400 From: David <wb8foz@remove-this.panix.com> Subject: V is not just for Verizon .... Verizon upsold the FIOS subscriber into dropping regulated POTS, then botched the changeover to the VOIP offering. BUT it turns out VZ is selling advertising on disconnect messages.... https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dial-v-for-viagra-the-strange-case-of-the-embarrassing-phone-message/2017/08/23/7eb69df2-8760-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html ***** Moderator's Note ***** The washingtonpost site has been badly lagged every time I've tried to reach it, from any kind of browser. Either they aren't using Akamai, they didn't pay tribute to my cable company, or there's a technical glitch which needs attention. My incipient paranoia tells me that we can expect more of this in times to come: some sites will keep appearing, and others will just somehow fade away. Opinions welcome. Bill Horne Moderator ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Fri, 25 Aug 2017