Verizon, like many cellular carriers, throttles network usage. This can affect your streams.
To get the best quality streaming from your carrier:
- Use a modern phone and hotspot. 5G and UWB help.
- Read the fine print for your data plan. "Unlimited" devices are often throttled after a specific amount of monthly data.
- Activate "maximum video streaming quality" for the phones you use to stream. This may require an added monthly fee.
- Note that carriers only throttle at at certain usage levels and at certain levels of cell tower congestion. A doubleheader can have one game stream well and another game stream poorly.
To upgrade Verizon for maximum video streaming quality:
(These instructions are for Verizon consumer postpaid plans.)
Technical note for advanced users: Verizon documentation refers to 720p, 1080p, and 4K and suggests that these plan limits are mostly for viewing (downloads). Our users have found that these limits to apply to upload streams as well, and find that they get the best results when the plan includes maximum quality streaming. (For reference, we recommend that a 720p stream be sent at 2.2-3Mbit.)
1. Open the "My Verizon" app. Click the ACCOUNT tab at the bottom of your screen.
2. Select the phone number of the device you use to stream.
3. Turn on "Maximum video streaming quality". This will give you access to 720p streaming.
3. For the highest quality streaming, continue by clicking "Learn more". You will get the premium streaming menu. Select the Premium Streaming feature.
We thank the OKC Academy team for providing us with this information.