6 ms·

I wish they would just not say "Unlimited" if there is going to be a disclaimer, but the current situation is at least fairly clear. Marketing and sales is the

I wish they would just not say "Unlimited" if there is going to be a disclaimer, but the current situation is at least fairly clear. Marketing and sales is the root of all evil. I'll go out on a limb here and say that 'unlimited' in the case of data/telecom services should be a controlled and regulated word, much like 'organic' and 'natural' are in food.

bravura 10y ago
I believe it already is regulated. You can't falsely advertise. The only reason that "natural" and "organic" are regulated terms is because they are nebulous. But "unlimited data" is not nebulous, it's clear cut. IANAL
- maxerickson 10y ago
  There's obvious limits. 1 month multiplied by the maximum speed of the technology, the actual capacity of the network, the fact that they throttle heavy users, etc.
  - afandian 10y ago
    Then you don't use the word.
    - ambrice 10y ago
      Which word do you use? "The Data Plan Limited By Maximum Speeds, Current Network Capacity, and Amount of Time in a Given Month" doesn't fit on the pamphlet. Do we really need to go full lawyer on everything? I think people understand that "Unlimited Data" doesn't mean infinite speed.
      - maxerickson 10y ago
        Given the disclaimer I posted, you could advertise "25 GB of high speed"... And if such a small number hurts them in the feels, they could make their network better so that they could say a bigger number.
        ambrice 10y ago
        But more like 25 GB of equal QoS prioritization with other customers which may or may not be high speed, followed by reduced QoS prioritization in relation to other customers which still may be high speed but less likely.
  - LeifCarrotson 10y ago
    > 1 month multiplied by the maximum speed of the technology Sure, that's obvious. > the actual capacity of the network Shouldn't that be enough to handle at least the actual usage given that not everyone uses it at full capacity all the time? Probably there's some capacity at which they're mostly capable except the rare event that brings in an extremely large num of users. Probably not obvious? > the fact that they throttle heavy users This is definitely not obvious.
    - kevincox 10y ago
      > > the actual capacity of the network > Shouldn't that be enough to handle at least the actual usage given that not everyone uses it at full capacity all the time? Probably there's some capacity at which they're mostly capable except the rare event that brings in an extremely large num of users. Probably not obvious? That sounds about right. I would expect to get my promised speeds the vast majority of the time. Now if only we could get hard SLAs I would be really happy. (Max speed 99.9% of the month measured in seconds?)
      - maxerickson 10y ago
        I'm pretty sure I don't want to pay for an SLA. I guess if you did somehow get one they wouldn't guarantee much of a connection.
- imtringued 10y ago
  It's nebulous in the sense that it doesn't tell you how high your hidden "fast data" cap is.
loeg 10y ago
"Natural" isn't a regulated word, as far as I know.
rayiner 10y ago
"Organic" and "natural" are not regulated in the U.S.
- JamilD 10y ago
  Organic is [0], natural isn't. [0] https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling

bravura 10y ago

I believe it already is regulated. You can't falsely advertise. The only reason that "natural" and "organic" are regulated terms is because they are nebulous. But "unlimited data" is not nebulous, it's clear cut. IANAL

maxerickson 10y ago
There's obvious limits. 1 month multiplied by the maximum speed of the technology, the actual capacity of the network, the fact that they throttle heavy users, etc.
- afandian 10y ago
  Then you don't use the word.
  - ambrice 10y ago
    Which word do you use? "The Data Plan Limited By Maximum Speeds, Current Network Capacity, and Amount of Time in a Given Month" doesn't fit on the pamphlet. Do we really need to go full lawyer on everything? I think people understand that "Unlimited Data" doesn't mean infinite speed.
    - maxerickson 10y ago
      Given the disclaimer I posted, you could advertise "25 GB of high speed"... And if such a small number hurts them in the feels, they could make their network better so that they could say a bigger number.
      - ambrice 10y ago
        But more like 25 GB of equal QoS prioritization with other customers which may or may not be high speed, followed by reduced QoS prioritization in relation to other customers which still may be high speed but less likely.
- LeifCarrotson 10y ago
  > 1 month multiplied by the maximum speed of the technology Sure, that's obvious. > the actual capacity of the network Shouldn't that be enough to handle at least the actual usage given that not everyone uses it at full capacity all the time? Probably there's some capacity at which they're mostly capable except the rare event that brings in an extremely large num of users. Probably not obvious? > the fact that they throttle heavy users This is definitely not obvious.
  - kevincox 10y ago
    > > the actual capacity of the network > Shouldn't that be enough to handle at least the actual usage given that not everyone uses it at full capacity all the time? Probably there's some capacity at which they're mostly capable except the rare event that brings in an extremely large num of users. Probably not obvious? That sounds about right. I would expect to get my promised speeds the vast majority of the time. Now if only we could get hard SLAs I would be really happy. (Max speed 99.9% of the month measured in seconds?)
    - maxerickson 10y ago
      I'm pretty sure I don't want to pay for an SLA. I guess if you did somehow get one they wouldn't guarantee much of a connection.
imtringued 10y ago
It's nebulous in the sense that it doesn't tell you how high your hidden "fast data" cap is.

loeg 10y ago

"Natural" isn't a regulated word, as far as I know.

rayiner 10y ago

"Organic" and "natural" are not regulated in the U.S.

JamilD 10y ago
Organic is [0], natural isn't. [0] https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling