Unlimited Mobile Internet Fact and Fiction

Over the years many unlimited, unthrottled cellular providers have come and gone. During the COVID-19 pandemic we have witnessed a massive upheaval in the unlimited, unthrottled market. Let’s break down the fact and fiction behind unlimited mobile internet plans!

Unlimited internet is way too expensive

It is true that truly unlimited internet is often more expensive than plans with a data cap. For the right customer, however, it is the right choice. If you stream quite a few movies or frequently play online games, an unlimited plan is best. Either that, or a data plan with a very high amount of monthly gigabytes. When you break down the price you are spending per gigabyte, you’ll find that your high data plan is much more affordable than practically any limited data plan.

Unlimited internet is going away

It is true that many unlimited, unthrottled cellular plans have disappeared. Even Comcast and Cox Communications have recently re-instated data limits for home Wi-Fi usage. It is expected that other internet providers will follow along. Between March of 2019 and March of 2020, data usage per household increased from 275 gigabytes per month to 400 gigabytes per month. No doubt this was, in part, caused by the COVID pandemic. Such a large increase in usage prompted quick action form service providers.

Unlimited internet is not quite a thing of the past, but it is getting harder to find. Based on our research, large gigabyte data plans are the smart choice in the meantime. This may change once the pandemic fully comes to pass. For now, it is better to play it safe.

All unlimited plans throttle after a certain amount of data

This depends on your carrier. “Unlimited Internet” is a phrase used by practically every cellular provider, usually with different meanings. Many unlimited plans do not offer more than 50 gigabytes of high priority data. High priority data is what people think of when they think about internet- 4G LTE. Almost every cellular carrier that offers “unlimited data” only offers a handful of gigabytes before throttling speeds to the point that they are unusable.

There are some plans that still offer truly unlimited unthrottled internet, though they are becoming more and more rare. Once they are found by the network, they are removed from the market quickly. Many providers have focused on sustainable data usage amounts in an effort to stay in their cellular provider’s good graces. For the most part, while throttling does occur in most plans, it is still possible to find plans with no throttling.

For unlimited, unthrottled plans, we recommend caution. Many similar plans have been canceled over the last several months, and the data suggests this trend will continue. While you can still occasionally find these types of plans, they may only last two or three months before being shut off.

Fast speeds are guaranteed

For cellular internet, speeds are never guaranteed. Cellular internet speeds depend on a few different variables that we have talked about at length before. While it is almost always possible to maintain good data speeds by following our cellular internet best practices, no company can guarantee that you will always have internet or that you will always be connected to certain speeds.

At Expedition Communications Cellular, we provide equipment that is optimized to work best in a mobile environment. We also provide 7 day a week technical support from our Chesapeake, Virginia office. We strive to keep you as connected as possible while dealing with the confines of the cellular network.

To sum it up

Yes, unlimited, unthrottled internet is still around. No, the plans are not the most reliable and may be cancelled at any point. Are they worth it? Maybe- that depends on your needs. Expedition Communications Cellular offers a 500 gigabyte cellular data plan that has been the perfect solution for many of our customers. If you prioritize reliability of service and rarely use over 500 gigabytes per month, we may have the perfect plan for you.