If you‘re one of the over 120 million Verizon Wireless customers in the US, you‘ve likely experienced the creeping dread of watching your data usage tick closer and closer to your monthly limit. One minute you‘re happily scrolling through Instagram, the next you‘re anxiously wondering if your next Gmail refresh is going to cost you $15. It‘s a uniquely modern predicament.
Enter Verizon‘s Safety Mode, a feature that promises to be your data overage guardian angel. But is it really the savior it claims to be? As a veteran retail analyst and professional shopaholic, I‘ll help you navigate the ins and outs of this service and determine whether it‘s right for your needs and budget.
The Data Overage Dilemma
First, let‘s set the stage. Data overages are a massive pain point for wireless customers. A 2019 survey by bill negotiation service BillFixers found that:
- 53% of Americans regularly exceed their mobile data, text, or call limits
- The average overage fee per month is $108.50
- Consumers paid over $11 billion in 2019 for going over their allotted services
Yikes. It‘s no wonder that bill shock from data overages is a top concern for wireless shoppers. In fact, a 2018 J.D. Power study found that "overage fees" is the most common customer service issue among wireless carriers.
How Verizon Safety Mode Works
With that context in mind, let‘s dive into how Verizon Safety Mode actually functions. Here are the key points:
- Safety Mode is available on most Verizon shared data plans with 5 GB or more as well as the Just Kids plan. It‘s not offered on unlimited plans.
- When you exceed your monthly data allowance, instead of charging overage fees, Verizon will throttle your speeds to a maximum of 128 Kbps for the rest of the billing cycle.
- You can continue to use data at these slowed 2G-esque speeds without incurring extra charges.
- Safety Mode applies to all lines on your account – it‘s not user-specific.
- The account owner can turn Safety Mode on or off at any time through the My Verizon app or website.
Essentially, Safety Mode is your "get out of jail free" card for those months when you underestimate your data needs. It‘s not a long-term solution (more on that later), but it can save you from a nasty surprise on your bill.
The Pros and Cons of Safety Mode
So, is Safety Mode all it‘s cracked up to be? Let‘s break down the advantages and disadvantages from a savvy shopper‘s perspective.
Pros
- Provides a safeguard against unexpected overages
- Can save you money if you only occasionally exceed your data cap
- Easy to enable/disable as needed
- Applies automatically to all lines, simplifying account management
- Peace of mind – no more obsessively checking data usage!
Cons
- Slows data to a frustrating crawl (128 Kbps) when active
- Not a viable solution for chronic data over-users
- Have to be on an eligible shared data plan – not available for new unlimited customers
- Can enable data overuse habits and prevent proactively changing plans
Ultimately, the usefulness of Safety Mode depends on your specific data needs and usage patterns. If you‘re someone who only rarely slips past your data limit, it‘s a helpful tool to keep in your back pocket. However, if you‘re routinely pushing into Safety Mode territory month after month, it‘s probably time to explore a more fitted plan (or some behavior changes).
Crunching the Numbers
Let‘s get down to brass tacks. Just how much can Safety Mode realistically save you? Here‘s a hypothetical:
Say you have a 5 GB shared data plan for $60/month. Without Safety Mode, Verizon charges a hefty $15 per GB of overage data. So if you use 7 GB in a month, that‘s an extra $30 on your bill – ouch! With Safety Mode enabled, you‘d still pay your standard $60, but deal with slower speeds for the remainder of the billing cycle after exceeding 5 GB.
Now, if this overage is a one-time thing, Safety Mode just saved you $30. Good deal! But let‘s say it becomes a regular occurrence. Constantly relying on those 2G-era speeds is going to get old fast. At that point, you‘d probably be better off upgrading to a 10 GB plan for an extra $10/month, or even considering an unlimited plan.
For context, Verizon‘s unlimited plans range from $70-$90/month for a single line as of August 2021. That‘s actually cheaper than a 5 GB plan with just two $15 overage charges! The tradeoff is that you may experience reduced speeds after using 50 GB on the top Start Unlimited plan, or 25-50 GB on the lower-tier plans.
The takeaway? Safety Mode is a great "sometimes" tool, but it shouldn‘t be your go-to for long-term data management.
Alternatives and Additions to Safety Mode
If Safety Mode alone isn‘t cutting it for your data needs, you have a few other options in the Verizon-verse:
Data Boosts
Verizon lets you buy one-time data boosts when you need a quick fix. For $15, you get an extra 1 GB of data that‘s good until the end of your billing cycle. It‘s basically paying your way out of Safety Mode prison.
While convenient, data boosts suffer from the same core issue as Safety Mode – they‘re a reactionary Band-Aid, not a real treatment plan. If you find yourself frequently buying data boosts, you‘re probably better off exploring a plan change.
Plan Changes
This may seem obvious, but the most direct solution to regular data overages is often just upgrading your plan. Yes, you‘ll pay a bit more each month, but you‘ll also save yourself the headache and lost productivity of slow data speeds.
Here‘s a quick comparison of Verizon‘s shared data plans as of August 2021:
| Data Allowance | Monthly Price |
|---|---|
| 5 GB | $60 |
| 10 GB | $70 |
| Unlimited | $70-$90 |
As you can see, the jump from a 5 GB to 10 GB plan is only $10/month. If you‘re regularly exceeding 5 GB and dipping into Safety Mode, that extra $10 is likely well worth it for usable data speeds and peace of mind.
Tips for Avoiding Overages Proactively
Of course, the best way to manage data overages is to avoid them altogether! Here are some tried-and-true tips for keeping your usage in check:
- Embrace Wi-Fi: Connect to secure Wi-Fi networks whenever possible, especially for data-heavy activities like streaming or large downloads. Many public places like coffee shops, libraries, and airports offer free Wi-Fi.
- Adjust App Settings: Many apps use data in the background for things like location services, auto-play videos, and content pre-loading. Dive into your settings and disable these features for apps you don‘t need them for.
- Get Smart About Streaming: Streaming video is one of the biggest data guzzlers. If you can‘t wait for Wi-Fi, most services like YouTube and Netflix let you adjust your streaming quality to use less data.
- Use Data Tracking & Alerts: Verizon has pretty robust data tracking in the My Verizon app. You can see a breakdown of how much data each line has used and even set custom alerts for when you‘re nearing your limit.
- Try Data Management Apps: There are a variety of third-party apps like Onavo, Datally, and My Data Manager that can help you track and control your data usage. Some even offer compression services to reduce data consumption.
Adopting a combination of these strategies can go a long way in keeping your data usage (and your bill!) in check.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, Verizon Safety Mode is a helpful tool, but it‘s not a cure-all for reckless data usage. It‘s best used as an "emergency brake" for those occasional months when you miscalculate your needs or have an unusual situation like travel or a big project.
If you find yourself constantly flirting with Safety Mode, it‘s probably time for some real talk about your data plan and usage habits. Don‘t let the fear of overages drive you into a subpar cellular experience – you deserve to use your fancy pocket computer to its full potential!
As a consumer expert, my ultimate advice is this: Get to know your data needs intimately. Choose a plan with enough breathing room that Safety Mode is truly a "safety" and not a monthly ritual. Stay proactive by monitoring your usage and making small behavior tweaks. Your wallet (and your sanity) will thank you!
