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Comments on news posted 2009-04-17 11:26:27: While yesterday's decision by Time Warner Cable to back off their extremely unpopular metered billing trial in four markets was a huge consumer victory, the phrasing of the company's announcement makes it clear that the debate is far from over. ..

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Simba7
I Void Warranties

join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT

2 edits

TWC = Ignorance

Yep.. From TWC's point of view, every one of their customers is a complete IDIOT and doesn't know anything about computers or technology.

I just love this. At least if I get technical with Bresnan, they know how to answer me. If I get too technical, they transfer me to a Network Engineer to better answer my question.

Ugh.. I hope TWC dies a horrible takeover. I know if I had TWC I'd be hunting for a different ISP immediately. Even my friends and family who read this were like "Huh? Are they crazy?"
--
Bresnan 15M/1M|MyWS[P4HT@4.01GHz,2GB RAM,2x1TB HDDs,WinXP]|WifeWS[P4 2.4GHz,1GB RAM,60GB HDD,WinXP]|Router[2xP3@1GHz,640MB RAM,18GB HDD,Allied Telesyn AT-2560FX,Kingston KNE100TX,2xDigital DE504,Compaq NC3131,iPro/1000DP,Blitz BWI715,Gentoo Linux]

myokitis

join:2004-06-19
Alexandria, VA

More Populist ISP Bashing from BBR

I'm sick of all of this carping about corporate "greed" on this site and elsewhere. IMO, TWC is trying to manage a complex, capital-intensive business in a highly competitive environment.

Consider these factors:
- Demand for bandwidth is growing rapidly as customers use more bandwidth-intensive applications like video, and in the near future, HD video. This would certainly put strain on backend networks.

- TWC is carrying a massive amount of debt dumped on it upon divestiture from the larger Time Warner corporation. I wonder if they have the financial ability, in tight credit markets and under intense competition from VZ & DirecTV/Dish, to make massive capital investments to beef up their network.

- Changing customer habits to increased video streaming/downloading puts their entire video business model at risk.

I think I understand why they're doing this. It has nothing to due with greed and everything to do w/ long-term survival. Unfortunately, caps would probably cause increased churn, so in my estimation they're between a rock and a hard place.


woody7
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

and your point is?
--
BlooMe


jimbo2150

join:2004-05-10
Euclid, OH

reply to myokitis

said by myokitis:

a highly competitive environment
I highly disagree. I only notice decent to good competition in larger cities.
--

- "Techie" Jim


Varlik
Without Honor You Will Never Be Free
Premium
join:2002-01-06
Anderson, SC

Looks like the spit and polish routine didn't work

so it's time for plan B. But unfortunately for them you could use an endless amount of air deodoriser and paint it white but a it will still be a turd. And it will still stink more then a heavily used porta potty on a hot summer day.

myokitis

join:2004-06-19
Alexandria, VA

reply to jimbo2150

ISP/Video Competition

said by jimbo2150:

said by myokitis:

a highly competitive environment
I highly disagree. I only notice decent to good competition in larger cities.
You obviously don't work for a MSO or Telco. Take it from somebody in the business: The level of competition is intense. They're desperate to win customers from each other, with employment (or lack thereof) implications depending on how the battle goes.

It's the difference between being an armchair quarterback and actually being in the game.


Bit00
Premium
join:2009-02-19
00000

reply to myokitis

Re: More Populist ISP Bashing from BBR

They don't have capacity issues and they are profitable.

This has nothing to do with consumption of internet services and everything to do with TWC moving to defend their video revenues from ever-rising streaming competitors.

IOW, it's everything to do with greed.

reply to Simba7

Re: TWC = Ignorance

If TWC is stupid enough to force metered service on it's customers I will take my $135.00 monthly payment for it's services and find another provider that does not charge more money for the same service. In my experience TWC has good service, but I refuse to pay per GB for any reason just for their greed. The cable companies are due for more competition and it in my area they are the only provider allowed on land lines. So in addition to going to Direct TV and another internet provider, my city would see pressure from us to allow another land line provider in. This could be the start of more competition as I said and that is a good thing. So bring it on TWC and we will see what happens to your monopoly.

the tribble

join:2008-09-10
New York, NY

at what point

will it be enough, if they do have this instituted, what then, every year the per gigabyte extra - rate will go up? Personally, I'll stick to Verizon dsl until FIOS comes along in Brooklyn, NY .

jimbo2150

join:2004-05-10
Euclid, OH

reply to myokitis

Re: ISP/Video Competition

said by myokitis:

You obviously don't work for a MSO or Telco. Take it from somebody in the business: The level of competition is intense. They're desperate to win customers from each other, with employment (or lack thereof) implications depending on how the battle goes.

It's the difference between being an armchair quarterback and actually being in the game.
You obviously don't live in an area where you only have 2 options that have not changed in over a decade and commonly see people in areas that have 1 or no broadband options. From what I hear Virginia is already one of the most wired states in the nation.
--

- "Techie" Jim

me1212

join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO

reply to Bit00

Re: More Populist ISP Bashing from BBR

said by Bit00:

They don't have capacity issues and they are profitable.

This has nothing to do with consumption of internet services and everything to do with TWC moving to defend their video revenues from ever-rising streaming competitors.

IOW, it's everything to do with greed.
Maybe we need more internet only ISPs, they would not have any video or phone money to protect.

kaila

join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

reply to myokitis
If things are that hard and that complex, then TWC should quit the broadband business and get out of the way. Their stockholders will thank them.
--
Jeff Howe
Jeff's Blog - »www.jeffhowe.net/Jeffhowe.net/Blog/Blog.html


myokitis

join:2004-06-19
Alexandria, VA

reply to jimbo2150

Re: ISP/Video Competition

said by jimbo2150:

said by myokitis:

You obviously don't live in an area where you only have 2 options that have not changed in over a decade and commonly see people in areas that have 1 or no broadband options.
I understand where you're coming from. But that doesn't change the fact that both groups of companies are indeed intensely competing against each other for survival. It's just that your area probably isn't one of their primary battlegrounds.


KodiacZiller
Premium
join:2008-09-04
73368
kudos:2

reply to myokitis

Re: More Populist ISP Bashing from BBR

said by myokitis:

I'm sick of all of this carping about corporate "greed" on this site and elsewhere. IMO, TWC is trying to manage a complex, capital-intensive business in a highly competitive environment.
What exactly is competitive about monopolies and duopolies? Verizon's FiOS is only in, what, about 10% of markets? The "big dogs" like TWC, Comcast, and Cox usually only have mediocre DSL to contend with in most areas, and sometimes no competition at all in other areas.

- TWC is carrying a massive amount of debt dumped on it upon divestiture from the larger Time Warner corporation. I wonder if they have the financial ability, in tight credit markets and under intense competition from VZ & DirecTV/Dish, to make massive capital investments to beef up their network.
As Comcast's CEO and others in that corporation have said, the cost of D3 upgrades equates to "couch change." I am sure the relative cost for TWC would be about the same.

- Changing customer habits to increased video streaming/downloading puts their entire video business model at risk.
Precisely. So their strategy is to drive up the price, cap usage, and charge 2000% mark-ups for overages so they can "discourage" too much Internet video viewing. No, a real business plan would include innovation and investment in the right areas in order to find a way to change with the times (hello RIAA).

TWC's attitude should be, "OK, there is a shift towards using TCP/IP for video, thus we need to make this experience the best possible for our users and focus more on it than the TV side of the business."

Of course, this will never happen without real competition. Period. If TWC can't do it, someone else will be happy to (that's REAL capitalism). The problem is the silly zoning agreements keep the competition out.


RayW
Premium
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT
kudos:1

reply to me1212

said by me1212:

said by Bit00:

They don't have capacity issues and they are profitable.

This has nothing to do with consumption of internet services and everything to do with TWC moving to defend their video revenues from ever-rising streaming competitors.

IOW, it's everything to do with greed.
Maybe we need more internet only ISPs, they would not have any video or phone money to protect.
You mean a REAL ISP and not a corporate monster? Those folks are not worth talking about, they do a good job and keep users happy (and most of them do have caps since they have to pay for the bandwidth their customers use) and can not hide profits and losses among the other businesses they have.

I like Xmission and listening to what some of my neighbors say about Comcast and the MSN/QWEST offering, I am not about to change, even if it is a few dollars cheaper to do so.
--
I am not lost, I find myself every time.

Luminaris

join:2005-12-01
Waterford, VA
Reviews:
·exede by ViaSat

reply to myokitis

Re: ISP/Video Competition

said by myokitis:

said by jimbo2150:

said by myokitis:

a highly competitive environment
I highly disagree. I only notice decent to good competition in larger cities.
You obviously don't work for a MSO or Telco. Take it from somebody in the business: The level of competition is intense. They're desperate to win customers from each other, with employment (or lack thereof) implications depending on how the battle goes.

It's the difference between being an armchair quarterback and actually being in the game.
This makes no sense in this case. If TW were trying to win customers, they wouldn't even be introducing caps at all. If you want to win customers, you have to be innovative and for the consumer which TW is NOT in this case at all.


Corehhi

join:2002-01-28
Bluffton, SC
Reviews:
·Hargray Cable

reply to the tribble

Re: at what point

said by the tribble:

will it be enough, if they do have this instituted, what then, every year the per gigabyte extra - rate will go up?
They're going right after movie and TV downloading. I don't run a server or anything but just netflix and some TV streaming video would put me in TWC heavy user category.

me1212

join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO

reply to RayW

Re: More Populist ISP Bashing from BBR

When you say REAL ISP is that a good thing? Ether way I have a "real" ISP(I love them their tech support is GREAT and the owner himself will come to your house, even after hours if you have a problem and the tech guys are @ another house), if they have a cap I have never hit it, even with hq youtube a great amount if time each day, lots(actually about the same, some times juts do not want to go up stairs and use the PC but when I do I get HQ so.....) of nq youtube on the wii, VOIPo, and online gaming.


djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
kudos:1
Reviews:
·VOIPo
·Verizon Wireless..
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T U-Verse
·PHONE POWER

reply to me1212

said by Bit00:

Maybe we need more internet only ISPs, they would not have any video or phone money to protect.
And that is the actual source of this problem. Our telecommunications providers have become video providers, so none want to be a pipeline for their competitor. That does makes some sense, which is why I'm not totally opposed to metered billing. But it has to be fair, and capping your standard customers at 20GB is not fair. $1/gb overages is not reasonable.

If anyone should be screaming about rising costs of bandwidth use, it should be the smaller independent ISPs that use their own transit, like DSLExtreme. They have very little margin to play with after the gorillas get their share. Yet somehow they're not the ones driving this shift.
--
AT&T U-Hearse
Your funeral. Delivered.

b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?

join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA
Reviews:
·Comcast Formerl..

They just need a good name like "On Advantage"

Remember On Advantage and how AT&T Broadband some how thought that we would accept capping our cable modem speeds at 1Mb as advantageous to the users?

Maybe TW should call it "Advantage Billing".

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