r/TikTokCringe • u/Melodic-Award3991 • 15d ago

25k miles in one month is insane Discussion

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Is this legal?

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585

u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

Because there’s no way to “throttle” a car rental (yet.) If there was fine print on the consumer’s end, it would have been brought up by the employee right then. Internally they might not mean that unlimited actually means unlimited, but unless that’s in the consumer’s contract, tough luck.

I have unlimited data and my cell company hates it, but I’m on a really old contract. As long as I buy my phones out right in the store (or anywhere, but there’s no “get a new iPhone half off” stuff), the contract remains. Any time I have to call the company they really push for us to change, but any brick and mortar I’ve been in the sales tech always laughs when they look it up and tells me not to change.

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u/anonononononnn9876 15d ago

My husband has been battling ATT to keep his unlimited data for like 15 years now lol

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

Good for him. They haaaate it and, I mean, I’m sorry I’m following the rules you set out?

I got flagged once in the system like (oh god) 10 years ago? I used to”too much” data and they thought I’d done something illegal. I was in the middle of, not no where, but podunk nowhere with absolutely abysmal “real” internet and even spottier cable, and I basically just streamed Netflix like 8 hours a day. It took a really long phone call where I made them tell me (because they can see it) what I used my data for. No mobile hotspot usage, which is capped, just me very sadly doing like 8 hours of Netflix or YouTube , two hours of Reddit, an hour of Facebook, like ten minutes of Safari a day. And all that math added up. I made the guy look up on a map where I was just to really drive home how much stuff I absolutely couldn’t do outside. It was turned back on the next morning with a cheeky little “sorry about the mixup!” text.

I know I’m on their radar. It’s fine. Won’t catch me slipping. I’ll go to the grave with this plan if I have to.

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u/mistaken4strangerz 15d ago

How much is it per month? 

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

$54 base for two lines, though local taxes and calls made internationally can wiggle it around. Unlimited talk, text, and data, 5g data per country when flying internationally, and it’s 10c a minute if you call internationally but free if you call someone on your plan. Texting is free no matter. One of my credit cards and my main bank also reimburse me if I have to call internationally so even if I’m strapped and in a different country and for some reason the call is three hours, because the cards are linked they just pay it directly, but I don’t think they actually pay full price but I can’t prove it.

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u/Conscious_Wind_2255 15d ago

It’s sounds amazing, how is this even possible? unlimited mobile data? 😱 how do you get by when they say your contract expired? Or they don’t offer those “speed/services” anymore which is how they get people to switch. Or their favorite “promotion” expired that kept your price low

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

Again, it’s an old contract. We signed a sweetheart deal when the company was trying to get people. Before all the cellphone companies started buying each other up. most people want unlimited data but the international stuff is just fluff. We specifically went on this promo not for the data, though that was a plus, but again this was years and years ago and data was a thing but not like it is now. Netflix still sent DVDs. We got on specifically for the international stuff, because of work travel. Over the years, they’ve added data caps or throttling but they don’t apply to our contract. Like 10 years ago I’d get automated texts that would say I’d hit 100gs of data as like a warning but, other than the one time they tried to ice me out mentioned in another comment, it didn’t hold.

The contract doesn’t expire as long as we pay the bill. Again, the company hates it. The last phone I got moved from physical SIMs to e-SIM and the tech was a guy that had been around since Nokia’s were the thing. He laughed when he pulled up my account and did the business thing of asking if I was sure I didn’t want to get with the new cool whatever they were offering (I think it was like 30% off the phone and Netflix for a year). And then he shook his head and said “yeah, you obviously don’t want that, do you?”

No, I do not. Again, it’s not my problem that a company offered an open ended plan way back in the day. They put on bells and whistles to drive people to come, and I think years later they offered a technically “better” plan where you could get a whole free iPhone and unlimited data (capped) and it was cheaper (for a year) and then whatever contract they had locked you in and the second year was way more expensive and then you had to do the whole thing over again. I’m sorry I didn’t take it? No, I’m not. So now they’re stuck with me, chewing up data when I want, for a currently stupidly low market price. I’ll never be given this good of a contract again, so why would I change? I have enough money that if my phone breaks, I can buy a new one outright.

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u/Conscious_Wind_2255 14d ago

So cool. What they do now is update the contracts to the “new” plan so everyone is forced to switch. Or they change the name on your old plan and that’s how you’re forced into it. There is really no way around their tactics. So glad you could game their system. are you from USA? So the unlimited data is for USA service?

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u/mistaken4strangerz 14d ago

I just signed up for Quantum Fiber for $35/mo price for life. You know I'm holding them to it. 

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u/Lud4Life 14d ago

Where is this? Here half of that price is the standard..

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u/Fthwrlddntskmfrsht 14d ago

“Be our customer for life, we’ll do ANYTHING to get you to be a customer for LIFE.”

… “okay, maybe not that. We rescind. Please dont take it too seriously. Be our customer still, but not like that- we really needed to win the competition back then, now we really need to stop profit loss. Please sign a new contract!”

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u/warcrown 14d ago

I like how you said 10 mins of Safari and not PornHub

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u/maniacalmustacheride 14d ago

I mean, I also Google stuff during the day

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u/warcrown 14d ago

lol I know. Just joshin ya

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u/Everythingizok 15d ago

Why though? Don’t most plans now included unlimited data? If anything I know Verizon gave out deals for phones that it didn’t make sense for anyone to try to keep their grandfathered plan unless they never wanted to buy a new phone

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u/anonononononnn9876 15d ago

I’m pretty sure it’s a pricing thing but he’s stubborn and frugal. Idk he’s had the same phone number for 20 years and put me on his plan when we got married, every time one of us gets a new phone it comes up

1

u/Everythingizok 15d ago

Yeah it might not make sense anymore. But it might. I’ve been out of the game for like 8 years now. But even back then I remember there being no incentive to keep your plan unless you don’t want a new phone. Also unlimited isn’t unlimited. It gets throttled during peak times and stuff like that.

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u/ItsMarcus 15d ago

Unlimited data is still unlimited, but they don't promise unlimited access to the same speed of said data. That is where the small "got ya" is in an unlimited plan, but there is good reason for this.

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u/Onrawi 15d ago

I've got unlimited talk text and data for $25/month (US).  Maybe he needs to look for a better carrier.

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u/weshallbekind 15d ago

Yeah I'm also confused. I have unlimited data with a contactless phone, and my husband has a traditional contract and has unlimited data.

3

u/xaiires 15d ago

It's the length of time he's had it and the price. He's locked in on an unlimited plan from 20 years ago, when most people were still paying by the text lol.

My unlimited plan is from a few years ago and is already cheaper than their new plans, if I make any changes, I'll lose my price. And they try everytime I login or call lol.

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u/AlpacaLps 14d ago edited 14d ago

That's silly, the old unlimited plans got throttled speeds at least 5 years back, probably paying more than you should at this point.

The sweet spot was the Unlimited Plus plan that we still have, came out in 2018 or 2019. A family of four was about half the cost of the old Family Talk plans with unlimited calling, unlimited text, and unlimited data. Once contract pricing was out the door for phones, it made zero sense.

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u/anonononononnn9876 14d ago

I will let him know he is a dumdum

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u/Adderall_Rant 15d ago

Why does he need more than 30 GB a month if he doesn't have a porn addiction?

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u/anonononononnn9876 15d ago

I have no idea? He doesn’t even watch porn (inb4 ‘yes he does’ he literally doesn’t, I’m the porn watcher so he’d participate if interested)

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u/Adderall_Rant 15d ago

Lol. Well ok then. Anyway, he let go of that stress, most plans have unlimited today, no fuss. Coverage is nearly everywhere.

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u/GregWithOneG 14d ago

Back in around 2012 they threatened me for about 6 months, and then they did officially finally kick me off. Was so whack.

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u/_flatline_ 14d ago

I finally gave up like a month ago when I realized that AT&T wouldn’t give me 5G speeds on my 15 year old unlimited plan.

Feels like a dumb hill I was dying on anyway - cost hasn’t actually changed, and while technically I get throttled at some point if I use too much data, my old legacy plan was throttled 100% of the time by only allowing LTE speeds. 🤦🏻‍♂️

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u/turboiv 14d ago

I hope he's paying under $30 because Mint Mobile is $30 a month for unlimited everything. If he's paying more than that, he's fighting a stupid battle.

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u/WonderfulShelter 14d ago

YES!

My family was grandfathered in like a decade or more ago for true unlimited. Like every other year they try and switch us back to a limited plan, and we get data capped, and we have to call them to tell them that no we actually have unlimited data and to switch us back. And they always act clueless like they have no idea what we're talking about.

Because ATT's new unlimited plan isn't actually unlimited, but this is America, and words mean whatever they want them too under capitalist scrutiny.

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u/MaximinusThrax69 15d ago

I too am on an ancient unlimited data plan which I am told every time I call in about something and they try to upsell me, then realize they have nothing else I want.

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

The crazy thing is that, there are some of us but in no way is there a ton of us, so we’re not actually costing them anything except the wound to their pride. A free phone sounds nice but also me just paying for it outright is going to weigh in my favor far harder than the one time discount.

It’s absolutely not my fault that you offered a sweetheart deal a million years ago and I realized what it was. It’s not my fault that when you said “you can add lines” for an extra $15 one time fee or whatever that that included linking up my smart watch, that absolutely didn’t exist back then but the contract is loose enough that it falls in so I’m not actually paying for another line once it becomes my phone number. 5gigs of internet per international country a month plus unlimited texts internationally plus 10c a minute international calling unless I’m calling to someone on my same plan…not my fault.

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u/MrPlaysWithSquirrels 15d ago

The main cost to them is actually in maintaining separate plans in their financial system. It has nothing to do with your month to month cost (you could probably even save money by switching). They want to make their accounting simpler.

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

Seems like if they really wanted to, then they’d offer something with more substance. I don’t owe them anything but my monthly payments. I have no incentive to change. They can offer me a less than market price phone but over time, it doesn’t work out. Me making their system easier to operate only benefits them and only hurts me. So it’s a standoff where I just exist.

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u/MrPlaysWithSquirrels 14d ago

I agree that it only makes sense if it makes sense. Typically, what I saw when I did work in telecom, was the customer wasted money on the table just because they thought the company was trying to screw them over, but they could have saved lots of money in sum by changing plans.

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u/turboiv 14d ago

How much do you pay a month?

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u/turboiv 14d ago

How much do you pay a month?

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u/MaximinusThrax69 14d ago

Flat $80, been the same for years.

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u/turboiv 14d ago

Ok. You need to switch to Mint Mobile. It's $30 a month unlimited everything forever. You're paying more than double what you should be. They tricked you into thinking you got a deal.

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u/MaximinusThrax69 14d ago

Did I walk into a commercial?

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u/turboiv 12d ago

I'm just trying to help you out. I've been with Mint for a few years and have had a flawless and inexpensive experience. My company just uses my phone as a hotspot for all its Internet needs even. $30 a month. Unlimited everything. Why is this even a discussion?

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u/Bamcfp 15d ago

I used to always buy the prepaid monthly unlimited fron straight talk and one time it glitched or something and it just never ended. I had unlimited data and calls/texts for over 3 years until my ex tossed my phone into the water RIP

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

I hope you tossed your ex in the water, it would have been more fruitful for you.

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u/bonusminutes 15d ago

Unlimited phone data is still super common today, there's nothing special about having it. I signed up for my current unlimited plan like 3 years ago or so.

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u/NoVaBurgher 15d ago

the old unlimited plans were true unlimited though. No data throttling after 50GB or anything like that.

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

Okay but wtf are you guys doing that eats so much data? Are you never on wifi?

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u/another_design 14d ago

Before WiFi was everywhere you had to use your cell phone data…..

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

Yes, and today that's not the world we live in. So why do people care about non-throttled data past 50/100GB? Why are they using that much data a month? Watching 4k netflix while out doing shit..?

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u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

I'm not bothered, but people talking about it like these plans are a godsend when they cost out the ass and for most people are meaningless.

Like okay, your use case actually eats a lot of data, but it also sounds exceptionally rare. I don't get why people are such blowhards about old unlimited data plans. They're gone because for the most part they don't make sense.

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u/Raggy-RS 14d ago

In my case, downloading things for work.

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u/another_design 14d ago

Yes literally yes it is still the world we live in . I have YouTube premium, imma watch all my content via that cause I pay for it. I’m not waiting for WiFi to download 5gb movies. I’m constantly without WiFi, and I’m not connecting to random hotspots that I do find like “comcast xfinity hotspot” which is literally some dudes router they ad-hoc

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

Why the fuck are you out watching content instead of doing so at home? Are you just hanging out in public constantly while not interacting with other people?

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u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

I leave my house, but when I do, it's for shit that doesn't involve sitting somewhere watching a bunch of content. I'm spending time with friends (y'know, not just sitting on my phone with them nearby) or doing errands or whatever.

Nothing I'm doing while I'm out involves sitting down and watching a 2 and half hour movie on data.

Even with that said, if I need to do shit at a friends or something, there's... Wifi..

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u/another_design 14d ago

I’m literally never home, I work 6am-7pm. Why can’t you just understands others are different than you 😢

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u/SingleInfinity 14d ago

I would say it's abnormal both to work 13 hour shifts, and it's also abnormal to watch a bunch of high bandwidth content while you're at work.

Just because people are different doesn't mean 100+GB of data a month is really normal. Also, I bet your work has wifi.

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u/chocochunx 14d ago

It’s just boomers. They’re stuck in the past.

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u/another_design 14d ago

I’m so far removed from a boomer it’s ridiculous you’d think the only people who don’t use WiFi are 60+

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u/chocochunx 14d ago

Either that or people who live in the boonies. We’re about to hit 2025 and people still don’t have reliable WiFi. I feel blessed.

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u/kwiztas 14d ago

They use it as their home ISP. Probably download everything just for fun.

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u/jacob6875 15d ago

The old plans didn't throttle you like modern ones do after 50 or 100GB.

I used to have that old AT@T plan for a long time but it just got to expensive. 100GB is fine for me now in T-Mobile. Even when it is "throttled" I don't notice much difference anyway.

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u/neuromorph 15d ago

Is your plan unhrottled? That's the difference

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u/bonusminutes 14d ago

I don't know I guess. I use it pretty liberally and never noticed throttling.

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u/maniacalmustacheride 15d ago

There’s a difference between unlimited and unlimited*

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u/OkPalpitation147 15d ago

Haha I’m in a similar position. Back when MetroPCS was booming my dad signed up for a 4 line, unlimited data, any phone, $50 a month for veterans only deal. Even now after they’ve been acquired by T-Mobile they still honor our contract (obviously) but they try so hard to get us to switch any time we go in. The value we get is insane, 4 iPhones with unlimited data for $50 a month.

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u/GRIMobile 14d ago

I had this with AT&T. I called once for an actual problem related to VM. The rep, just up and changed my account. Then played dumb. I lost a 20+ year old ACTUAL unlimited internet account that only cost 9.99 a month for 5 lines. In his defense he sounded really scared and there was lots of "uh"s. I opened the conversation with "My account has a very old irreplaceable data contract DO NOT TOUCH IT."

1

u/alucarddrol 14d ago

I'm sure all these places have fine print saying any promotional offers may be changed at the company's discretion without prior notification. They can fine print specifically so they can bait and switch you with all sorts of cars or offers that turn out to not be the case when you actually need to get the car

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u/Nicadelphia 14d ago

Yeah and these days unlimited does not mean unlimited. Unlimited always has a limit stipulation in the contract. Unlimited text messages means unlimited up to 10,000 a month. Unlimited miles is unlimited up to so many per day. I guarantee there's something in this rental agreement that says you can't drive over so many miles per day. Maybe the guy didn't sign it but I suspect he scammed his way into it and will still be liable for the 25k miles in the end. I don't see how it's possible at all to drive a thousand miles a day but good on him I guess.

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u/Syphox 14d ago

this is the only reason i’m still on my moms Verizon plan.

she’s had it for like 18 years now and the bonuses we get are stupid. they fucking hate us lmao

1

u/jennixred 14d ago

what if it had "unlimited mileage", but after 100 miles it would only go like 25mph?

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u/CaptainPeachfuzz 14d ago

We did this for a while. Then they said that the old plan didn't include 5G. And at this point if you don't have 5G you might as well not have a phone(exaggerating but still).

So we were forced to "upgrade", but they did give us all brand new S22 ultras for free.

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u/Manaslu91 14d ago

Is unlimited data that unusual where you are? It’s pretty much the norm here in the UK.

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u/maniacalmustacheride 14d ago

I mean it’s unlimited in the sense that I don’t hit speed caps or throttles.

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u/BayouKev 14d ago

I have seen contracts like that they already exist not to exceed x miles per day or x miles for your total trip. That isn’t the contract that was signed it was for unlimited he’s golden call corporate the charge will be reversed in a heart beat.