Are limited plans or quasi-unlimited plans for data a better idea?

Last year, AT&T killed their unlimited data plans, just before the release of the iPhone 4. Now, it is becoming clear that Verizon is going to kill their unlimited data plans prior to the release of the next iPhone. As a power-user of my iPhone and iPad, this has caused me considerable upset. While I am grandfathered into the unlimited plans on AT&T (for now), no other users like me can ever get this kind of plan and if I ever want to interrupt my service for any reason (i.e. hospital stay, financial hardship) there is no way for me to get it back. It seems like a use of the duopoly power that AT&T and Verizon hold over the American cellular market.

But as I fumed and thought about this, I realized that I was only looking at this at a very shallow level. The fact is no one ever offered truly unlimited plans. Like your home internet, every "unlimited" plan has a limit after which the company will throttle your traffic or cut you off entirely. Under the "unlimited" monicker, they simply won't tell you what that limit is. Instead, one day after a bout of downloading (hopefully) legal video, you'll find your internet connection cut with a message to "contact us immediately". The saving grace of the "unlimited" plan is the cap is usually flexible, so if they have a (for instance) unspoken 4 GB cap and you hit 5 GB one month and 2 GB the next, most companies are forgiving. Whereas under a "limited" plan, as soon as you hit your cap you are either cut off or double-charged.

So, I ask Mod-Bloggers, which do you prefer and why? An "unlimited" plan which is really just "limited but we won't tell you how" or a limited plan where at least you can plan your usage? Do you prefer a false sense of security or honesty? Comment here or vote in the poll to the right.

(And no, it isn't fair to answer "I don't have a data plan, so there!" Because it is likely you at least have a dial-up or broadband internet service that got you to Mod-Blog. Same issue.)

Data points on Gay vs Straight

The debate over homosexual marriage is full of stereotypes and assumptions on both sides. While I do not support the legalization of homosexual marriage, I understand the desire for recognition and "normalization" of this lifestyle by those in that community. It is refreshing to see one site attempting to use their data to bring us new insights on the debate. Clearly, the writer had a pro-gay-marriage axe to grind, but that does not mean that the data gathered is not worth considering. One of the keys to being a moderate is listening to both sides of the debate, and making your own choices.

Obviously, click this link with caution. This is a family-friendly blog, and some of the content there may be disturbing to those with a sensitive disposition.

Nomad's Data Usage for on AT&T for iPhone

With AT&T's announcement of the end of "unlimited" data plans, new iPhone buyers will have to choose between a 200 MB and a 2 GB data plan. I thought Mod-Blog readers would be interested to see how much data I have been using.

I blame the recent spike in data usage on my new love for Evernote.