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Press digs into download caps
(old news - 02:52PM Friday Dec 19 2003)
tags: business · bandwidth
We've been talking about invisible caps for much of the year. Only recently has this tactic of banning users who cross the line (without specifying what the line is) received press attention. Our forums have been filled with complaints about this tactic all year. While Comcast argues that these users are in the minority, it's really a matter of principle. If you're going to terminate accounts for downloading too much, those users should have a clear definition of what those limits are.

CNET and MSNBC touched on the tactic in September, and now Detroit Free Press columnist Mike Wendland tries his best to get answers from Comcast. According to Wendland, Comcast tells him that "less than one one-hundredth of 1 percent" have been kicked offline for too much downloading. But how many were simply warned? How do these users know how far to cut back their usage if the limits aren't defined? Is it unreasonable to desire a solid answer to what these mystery limits are?

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MikeStammer
No prison can hold me
Premium
join:2002-12-26
Aurora, IL

Screw cable

All the more reason to go with DSL. SBC does not cap!
--
Mike Stammer

TrainBuff
The New Haven Railroad
Premium
join:2003-05-01
Buffalo, NY
clubs:

Re: Screw cable

Neither does Adelphia.
RavenTKR

join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

Re: Screw cable

I read that Adelphia s equally vague i their definition of excessive bandwidth, but unlike Comcast, Adelphia does not terminate user accounts because of excessive bandwidth, at least I have not heard or read it yet.

The Deuce

join:2001-02-23
California

said by TrainBuff See Profile:
Neither does Adelphia.

No, they just raise their prices until you cancel the service.
--
Brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.
RavenTKR

join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

Re: Screw cable

That's true of almost if not all cable companies.
Haw you ever seen a cable company decrease their prices for cable/internet and other services they offer?
noochie

join:2002-08-11
Penn Valley, CA

Re: Screw cable

Cox doesnt cap nor do they raise prices!! :P

mph300
Two Thirds The Way There

join:2000-11-09
Actually, Charter just lowered my cable internet from 59.95 to 39.95 AND incresed the DL bandwidth!

wookie_geek

@xx.charter-

Re: Screw cable

Yeah, and just wait til 1 Mar 2004 and see what the prices are then.
Matisaro

join:2003-11-20
Troutdale, OR

quote:
CNET and MSNBC touched on the tactic in September, and now Detroit Free Press columnist Mike Wendland tries his best to get answers from Comcast. According to Wendland, Comcast tells him that "less than one one-hundredth of 1 percent" have been kicked offline for too much downloading. But how many were simply warned? How do these users know how far to cut back their usage if the limits aren't defined? Is it unreasonable to desire a solid answer to what these mystery limits are?
It is unreasonable if the defined answer is far less than the flexable vague one.

zabes63

join:2003-04-05
Batavia, IL

which is all well and good as long as SBC, in their infinite wisdom, sees you and your neighbors as being worthy of DSL service.

For those of us with no choice.....
--
Letting the Oil companies do what ever the hell they want is not an energy policyTri-City Broadband

gaforces
United We Stand, Divided We Fall

join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA
·Cruzio Internet

said by MikeStammer See Profile:
All the more reason to go with DSL. SBC does not cap!

And neither do most other dsl providers
Screw cable
amen
--
Shoot Straight, Fly Crooked
m1k3

join:2002-01-31
Aurora, IL

They cap, but it is a speed limit, not a distance limit. I had Ameritech(SBC) DSL for several years, I'm glad to switch to cable after my experience. They didn't try suspend my service, they just tried to degrade it without me knowing and kept raising the price at the same time. I first started paying $39 for their 768/128k and at the end they had me paying $50 for 384/56k and I didn't even know it! I switched to Comcast as soon as it became available in the area and for the same price I got more than double the speed. 1768/354.
Bartolini

join:2003-10-15
Asbury Park, NJ

Re: Screw cable

I had the same DSL experience. I was wondering when I would be paying top price for 200/56k. I started out at 440/90k and never was able to get better. Now am on OptOnline and Jellin!.....5500/994k
CCCMTech
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:2002-05-17
Pound, VA

Actually, we gain NOTHING by capping your downstream speeds. We provide you with a 24/7 ATM path flowing at your sync rate, most COs are backed with multiple DS3s or OC3s depending on the area. Our dsl routers (Redbacks as most people know them)usually have multiple OC3s feeding them and we currently have a OC192 for our backbone. We have no need to cap you. We set your speed limit based on your line's physical abilities and your purchased speed tier. Our routers have more than enough bandwidth to support you as you cannot hog everyone else's bandwidth (the reason cable caps).

If you were capped on downstream it was because of your line's physical abilities. One advantage to cable is the ability to boost the signal cheaply allowing for speeds over long loops. You were probably about 12000-15000 ft out and had to be capped to 768 to keep from dropping sync.
Also we now offer the deluxe package (768-1536/256-384) for $39 as well. It boils down to variables.
--
Thank you for choosing SBC Internet Services. My name is Rick. How may I help you today?
SBC ST

join:2003-08-05
Strongsville, OH

An online meter?

If they want to restrict usage by limiting how much you can download, there should be an account page customers can go to and see where they are at. And if the consumer wants more or unlimited service they could then have the option to purchase additional services. Keeping in mind if the service provider who does this will probably loose customers for selling such a metered service. (Go DSL!)

daniyel

join:2001-05-10
Tucson, AZ

Re: An online meter?

I use Comcrap Cable...and have been using an app called vnstat on my linux router to monitor bandwidth...

I have used a max of 29gb in one month, which included many linux iso's(latest and greatest distro's)...and some other *stuff....my average month is about 10-15gb...and that includes grabbing maybe an iso(700mb) a month....

If comcast is gonna be dumb and say "your using to much"...thats fine....DSL sounds good to me, and is going to be within firing distance soon when I move to another location

Cable's sucking these days...GO DSL
Matisaro

join:2003-11-20
Troutdale, OR

Re: An online meter?

quote:
have used a max of 29gb in one month, which included many linux iso's(latest and greatest distro's)...and some other *stuff....my average month is about 10-15gb...and that includes grabbing maybe an iso(700mb) a month....
They are only sending letters to people above 100 gigs or more, this is the kind of fear tactic this news report is ment to instill, I dont want comcast to set a hardcap cause it will be far less than the softcap is now.

Keep it up vocal minority, ruin it for everyone else, selfish.

Agent 86



Re: An online meter?

"They are only sending letters to people above 100 gigs or more, this is the kind of fear tactic this news report is ment to instill, I dont want comcast to set a hardcap cause it will be far less than the softcap is now."

That's the dumbest thing I've ever read...you like knowing that your connection may be terminated at any time, without any explaination?

Isn't it far more likely that if this practice is publicized, Comcast will DROP the cap, since their competitors don't have one, and a "hard cap" would put them at a disadvantage?
Matisaro

join:2003-11-20
Troutdale, OR

Re: An online meter?

quote:
That's the dumbest thing I've ever read...you like knowing that your connection may be terminated at any time, without any explaination?

Isn't it far more likely that if this practice is publicized, Comcast will DROP the cap, since their competitors don't have one, and a "hard cap" would put them at a disadvantage?
The aup states that comcast can terminate your service at any time for any reason, its pretty clear they can allready and you agreed to it when you took their service.

As far as removing the cap, cox was in this SAME situation and when this crap happened(overblown news reports and fear tactics by the abusers) they set a 30 gig cap, why would comcast be any different, the user base and technology is the same?

J D McDorce
Premium
join:2001-12-29
Westland, MI

Re: An online meter?

said by Matisaro See Profile:
The aup states that comcast can terminate your service at any time for any reason, its pretty clear they can allready and you agreed to it when you took their service.
For clarification, Comcast's AUP indicates that they can terminate your service at any time for violating the TOS / AUP. Comcast's Subscriber Agreement indicates that they can terminate your service upon 30 days notice for any other reason.
vic102482
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Upper Marlboro, MD
·Verizon FIOS

said by Agent 86:

Isn't it far more likely that if this practice is publicized, Comcast will DROP the cap, since their competitors don't have one, and a "hard cap" would put them at a disadvantage?

I guess you are a cox sucker;)

Just look at what cox has done and you will have your answer. The poster you responded to is correct, the caps will probably be set to 40 or 60 a month if they hardline it.
--
I tie a rope around my penis and jump from a tree, don't you wanna grow up to be just like me!!!!

starstuff
Fly By Wire
Premium
join:2001-12-05
Mcallen, TX

said by Matisaro See Profile:

They are only sending letters to people above 100 gigs or more...

One person that was terminated downloaded 60G in one month. That is way below the 100G that you say.

People should be allowed to download whatever they want. If comcast wants to charge more for heavy use let them charge more. The problem is not charging more or less, the problem is that the technology is reaching it's limits and cable companies don't have a clear upgrade path/strategy to accommodate more users. Like the article said "1% of users are using 28% of bandwidth" and "6% of users are using 78% of the bandwidth"

Comcast is just waiting for somebody else to lay the fiber and then use it... much like MCI and AT&T in 1982.
averagedude

join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ
·Cox HSI

Re: An online meter?

This gets back to the old argument charge for "quantity" downloaded, or charge for "bandwidth".

My personal opinion is to charge for bandwidth. Then to "choke" or "throttle" down the "flow" if a user abuses. Example, if a person downloads in excess of of 1.5 gig a day, slow there connection down to something like 128. That still is a fair download speed, but at least they are not "terminated"

starstuff
Fly By Wire
Premium
join:2001-12-05
Mcallen, TX

Re: An online meter?

said by averagedude See Profile:
This gets back to the old argument charge for "quantity" downloaded, or charge for "bandwidth".
.
.
.
MThat still is a fair download speed, but at least they are not "terminated"

Interesting approach, it could work. I'm sure comcast have discussed that option before but that doesn't eliminate the problem... the "bandwidth hog". Using this approach the bandwidth hog lives another day just to come back tomorrow.

Looks like comcast don't want power users and want their accounts terminated leaving them in search of another isp. Unfortunately for some of them comcast is the only option.

I used to pay 179/mo for my DSL. SBC reduced the price to 159/mo without me asking for it. I have no caps, no limits, 5 static ips, 4800+ down and 520 Kbps up. Why can't comcast do the same? Charge power users 50 or 100 or 150/mo I'm sure some users will gladly pay for an enhanced service.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

said by averagedude See Profile:
This gets back to the old argument charge for "quantity" downloaded, or charge for "bandwidth".

My personal opinion is to charge for bandwidth. Then to "choke" or "throttle" down the "flow" if a user abuses. Example, if a person downloads in excess of of 1.5 gig a day, slow there connection down to something like 128. That still is a fair download speed, but at least they are not "terminated"

They should take lessons from cablevision. they are very GOOD at throttling people not for downloading but uploading and their threshold is nowhere near 100gb.
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
CCCMTech
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:2002-05-17
Pound, VA

Maybe I just don't understand cable's reasoning but, users have their bandwidth hard capped at the modem to a set speed, lets say 3000/256.
Cable is shared in the neighborhood, sharing the connection. DSL has dedicated ATM circuits to the end users capping at the CO. We have sufficient bandwidth to the CO to handle the traffic our users generate... let's do some basics..

Figuring many companies use DS3s and OC3s we'll say cable is using a DS3/T3, that is 45 mbps. Ok, figuring at the max speed, 3 mbps, is would only take 15 simultaneous users to max out this connection. As much as they try, they will not download more than 3 mbps, legally.

Now DSL is shared at the CO and beyond so bandwidth still has to be balanced. So if we're offering the standard 1.5 mbps and using a DS3 it would take about 30 people to max us out at the CO. Considering many DSL users are going to 6 mbps it would only take about 7 people at 6 mbps. If we have more users than bandwidth your first hop pings start suffering because the CO is bottlenecking.

So why does cable have this problem and DSL doesn't? The only I can figure is, as I have said, we use multiple OC3s (~155 mbps usually about 3 OC3s or 465 mbps) where as most cable companies use 1 to 2 DS3s...in my area with adelphia, we're currently being powered by multiple T1s!
--
Thank you for choosing SBC Internet Services. My name is Rick. How may I help you today?
Matisaro

join:2003-11-20
Troutdale, OR

quote:
One person that was terminated downloaded 60G in one month. That is way below the 100G that you say.

People should be allowed to download whatever they want. If comcast wants to charge more for heavy use let them charge more. The problem is not charging more or less, the problem is that the technology is reaching it's limits and cable companies don't have a clear upgrade path/strategy to accommodate more users. Like the article said "1% of users are using 28% of bandwidth" and "6% of users are using 78% of the bandwidth"

Comcast is just waiting for somebody else to lay the fiber and then use it... much like MCI and AT&T in 1982.

He uploaded 25 gigs, which is equvalent to downloading 350 gigs, check the thread and your sources.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:

Re: An online meter?

So... which is it?

25 GB?
100 GB?
350 GB?

Indeed, it's a mystery!

J D McDorce
Premium
join:2001-12-29
Westland, MI

said by Matisaro See Profile:
He uploaded 25 gigs, which is equvalent to downloading 350 gigs, check the thread and your sources.
How do you draw a equivalency comparison between upload and download? Due to characteristics inherent in the design of a DOCSIS cable internet system, uploading and downloading have entirely different potential effects on the local cable system (CM to CMTS).
qworster

join:2001-11-25
Los Angeles, CA
·Brand X Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
·Vonage
·DSL EXTREME
·EarthLink


edit:
December 19th, @04:11PM

The limit is NOT 100 Gigs or more. I know of at least two people who have been shut off for downloading 30-40 gigs/month over a two month period. The reason the limit is "flexible" is because it depends on how subscribed (oversubscribed?) the node you happen to be on is. If you're fortunate to be on a lightly subscribed node, there's NO LIMIT. If you happen to be on a highly subscribed one, your limit might be as low as 30-35 gigs in a month! I got this info straight from a Comcast employee who posted it on Slashdot last week. The people you call at Comcast don't have an absolute limit by the way, nor do they know the 'soft limit' for your node. All they can do be is be: "Dr. NO monkeys", who repeat the company line ad nauseum...

In other words, YOU get punished because of THEIR incompetence to correctly design their network, so it can accommodate the customers THEY sign up!!

starstuff
Fly By Wire
Premium
join:2001-12-05
Mcallen, TX

Re: NOT True!!!

said by qworster See Profile:

In other words, YOU get punished because of THEIR incompetence to correctly design their network, so it can accommodate the customers THEY sign up!!

Exactly... You've hit the nail right on the head.

Comcast don't want "power users" an ANY cost. Keeping power users means they'll have to upgrade their pipes and the only option is.... fiber.

Comcast only want people that use mail at 1.5Mbps... and next month you'll be able to check your mail at 3Mbps but ONLY mail.
moonpuppy

join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL

said by Matisaro See Profile:


They are only sending letters to people above 100 gigs or more, this is the kind of fear tactic this news report is ment to instill, I dont want comcast to set a hardcap cause it will be far less than the softcap is now.

Keep it up vocal minority, ruin it for everyone else, selfish.

If anyone is being selfish, it is Comcast by playing this little hide the limit game. We won't ruin it, Comcast will do that all on its own.
fuzydice

join:2000-12-18
Sunnyvale, CA

Comcast is almost doubling everyone's download speeds (everyone should see the speeds by January) ...what few people realize is that Comcast isn't spending a dime on more bandwidth to allow for these new speeds. They dont need to: sending letters to people who use their connections as opposed to the many who don't (or use it for email & surfing) is a great way to remove strain on the network. However, paying $60/mo to check your email and surf the web at dsl speeds isn't worth it. When the speeds get to everyone eventually (not everyone has power cycled their modems in the areas that have the new download cap of 3.3mbits) they're going to be looking at an intensely overcrowded network that cant handle 1/3 of the people on it... and guess how many more letters are going to go out? Going over the "soft cap" will be as easy as downloading a couple divx movies in a month, or listening to streaming audio/video for a few hours each week. I can see 1gb a day caps in the next 6 months..... and this is the "soft cap" you want to keep so badly.

Away from my prophecies and more to the situation at hand, a "soft cap" can be as generous and brutal as Comcast wants. A "hard cap" can be as generous or brutal as the CUSTOMER ALLOWS. They drop a hard cap at 1gb/day max in both directions and watch the customers flock to DSL & Satellite. They'll be out of business. Instead, why not drop a soft cap slowly lower and lower until only the people with a brain, about 20% of comcasts customer base, realize the tactic and leave. Now, comcast retains a good portion of their idiot customers who barely clock in more 100mb a day, and they get to brag that "we're twice as fast as dsl!" and they'd be correct in that advertisement, because there's no traffic on their unused network. This also means they wouldn't have to perform any upgrades for several years, as long as the idiots dont realize how they're being ripped off. "Cha-ching" for Comcast!

The same tactic worked for the RIAA and music labels for many many years and probably always will, now Comcast is cashing in on the stupidity of Americans. Shit, why not? Idiot Americans spend a lot of money.

-fuzy
--
[referring to the RIAA...] These guys buy congress people like M&Ms
SaBo7Ge

join:2003-03-12
US

Re: An online meter?

You pretty much summed up my feeling on the matter as well.. The problem with American Broadband is that unless there's a national broadband policy proposed which goes into effect requiring forced upgrades every couple of years to increase speed and capacity, then most ILEC's or CLEC will hapilly create a stagnant environment for no competition or progress as long as the profits keep rolling on in... It's ashame that the US who should be leading the world is again severely falling behind due to no gov't intervention defining a uniform policy for advancement..
bucknerm

join:2001-12-08
Charleston, SC

Comcast’s policy has proven most controversial. The company’s terms of service say only that users cannot “represent (in the sole judgment of Comcast) an unusually large burden on the network.” According to a spokeswoman, the company began sending notes about two months ago to the top 1 percent of the heaviest users—people who collectively use about 28 percent of the company’s bandwidth—telling them they were violating their terms of service.

Eder said there was no specific line crossed by these subscribers, but she added that some of those people were downloading the equivalent of 90 movies in a given month.

Insert from press release

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
·LINGO
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·surpasshosting
·Verizon FIOS

said by Matisaro See Profile:
They are only sending letters to people above 100 gigs or more, this is the kind of fear tactic this news report is ment to instill, I dont want comcast to set a hardcap cause it will be far less than the softcap is now.
Can you provide a link for that limit, or are you just guessing?

It's not necessary for Comcast to change the cap in order to disclose it, unless they're ashamed of it.

TrainBuff
The New Haven Railroad
Premium
join:2003-05-01
Buffalo, NY
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable

What Caps!

There should be a class action suit against Comcast by those users who got suspended for going over a limit that they (Comcast) refuses to divulge.
Luckily Adelphia is not doing that.
--
Train Yourself To Relax...Ride The New Haven Railroad

Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA

Re: What Caps!

Yeah, lets make some lawyer rich. and give all those kicked off $3.50.

[whispers] PSST..over here...In case you haven't noticed class action lawsuits are a joke.[/whispers]
--
Infogrames != Atari
mjcrocket
Mjc

join:2000-12-02
Abingdon, MD

said by TrainBuff See Profile:
There should be a class action suit against Comcast by those users who got suspended for going over a limit that they (Comcast) refuses to divulge.
Luckily Adelphia is not doing that.

Better read the user agreement! You can not be a member of a class action suit against Comcast, nor can you take Comcast to court! All disagreements have to go to arbitration. Like it or not, you accepted these restrictions the minute you allowed one bite of data enter or leave your computer via your cable modem! I think that you will find this restriction in just about all user agreements you have with any service provider; be it cell phone, pager, cable company, credit card provider, insurance company, etc. The only way these restrictions can be overcome is an act by each of the 50 state legislatures; something that can take years to happen!
terogers

join:2003-12-19
Glenolden, PA

Re: What Caps!

Relax a little, guys. These boilerplate user agreements don't ever stand up in court. Some of the stuff commonly included directly compromises your Constitutional rights, which you can never actually lose. That is, you can reclaim them at any time by simply doing so.

All that the company can do is sue for breach. There is no recourse to force you to relinquish Constitutional rights, regardless of their contract, whereas you have every right to sue to compel them to provide service in a manner commonly understood to constitute a reasonable likeness of what they claim to offer. In some states, even if the contract says otherwise, and you knowingly agreed.

Part of their game is to try to bluff the world into accepting their definition of the thing they offer (internet connectivity, in this case) just by blustering and delivering something different for a long enough time that it begins to take on the status of an acceptable example of the type.

This is exactly the strategy followed by Microsoft in establishing the common idea of an "acceptable deliverable" of a software product intended to function as an operating system, which is so broken that it is almost useless. Now there is a norm for some kinds of software to be delivered incomplete and untested, and with no obligation on the part of the manufacturer to provide support or upgrades even to the level of functionality described on the box.

Comcast is trying to do a similar thing. There is a huge wrestling match underway for control of the pipe into your house, involving Microsoft (through both set top boxes and game consoles), AOL (All Out of Luck, at this point), various wireless delivery purveyors (including especially cellular), the Cable companies, DSL, and what's left of the POTS.

I don't believe it's wrong to demand a explicit cap; I think it will serve to expose the whole house of cards that Cable delivery is based on. But I don't think that it's a good idea to blindly engage in a heated debate in a context defined by Comcast. We need to keep our eye on the real issues, like what Comcast's ultimate goal is in foisting such blatantly embarrassing foolishness on their customers.

Try to think of it this way: if this is a hammer, it works just fine as long as you don't drive too many nails with it. But if you exceed an unspecified number of nails in one month, the manufacturer will cause the head to fall off. There is no way to mistake such a tool as actually being what we all understand to be a hammer. I can drive a nail with a shoe, if you get my point.

We know what bandwidth delivery is. There is plenty of historical support for our understanding, and experts to expound on it. Comcast wants to blur and change that definition; what they want to deliver is something different. Lets not get fooled, and lets not let them get away with it.

I say we make them give a different name to what they sell, and let them go off happily selling it to whoever wants a hammer with a head that flies off with no warning.

--TR

(Composed on a Windows machine, delivered through RCN. DOH!)
CCCMTech
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:2002-05-17
Pound, VA

said by mjcrocket See Profile:
said by TrainBuff See Profile:
There should be a class action suit against Comcast by those users who got suspended for going over a limit that they (Comcast) refuses to divulge.
Luckily Adelphia is not doing that.

Better read the user agreement! You can not be a member of a class action suit against Comcast, nor can you take Comcast to court! All disagreements have to go to arbitration. Like it or not, you accepted these restrictions the minute you allowed one bite of data enter or leave your computer via your cable modem!

That's funny, we have a statement of indemnity too, but it didn't stop the multiple class action law suits which really had no merit for the most part.

said by SBC's TOS:

12. INDEMNITY

You agree to indemnify and hold Yahoo!, SBC and their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, co-branders or other partners and employees harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of Content you submit, post, transmit or make available through the Service, your use of the Service, your connection to the Service, your violation of these TOS, your violation of the AUP or your violation of any rights of another

--
Thank you for choosing SBC Internet Services. My name is Rick. How may I help you today?
joebear29

join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL


edit:
December 19th, @01:57PM

60 gigs of legal music?

Funny quote from the Detroit Free Press Article:

"That's a lot of bandwidth, all right. But with downloadable music now so widely available at reasonable prices, it's conceivable that a serious music fan could get there pretty fast."

Lets see, using current (legal) music at 128 bit-rate, that would be about 4 megs a song, or 256 songs a giga-byte. That is 12,800 songs to use 50 gigs of bandwidth.

I don't think anyone is plunking down $12,672 a month at i-Tunes.

- Of course there is free legal music, but its still funny to think about.

See 21 replies to this post

Tekkanano
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Alexandria, VA

Cap abusers instead of ban/supend!

Comcast should just cap at 128/64 (or something like that) for abusers when they reach the invisible max data transfers instead of banning/supending them. I would rather have it that way if I had their service. At that kind of speed, it won't effect the neighbors.

Then again, if they it only effects less than 1%, there's no point for them to do that. If they get rid of a few abusers, then they save themselves money on bandwidth, because the abusers will most likely abuse the service again.

Although, for me, I wished the service would really be unlimited. Most importantly, I'm planning on getting their service as a backup connection. So, I will most likely abuse their service .
ParanoiaInc

join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA

Law Suit

If my service were ever to be terminated for using the bandwidth I pay for then you would be I could squeak beyond the able grease to bring an end to this silly hypocritical lie by the commercial providers.

Its not the subscriber's fault that someone wants to use their maximum paid-for broadband potential when they sit on a miniram tethered by a T1 and suppose to be supporting 4-8 DSL customers. This is the weakest form of over-subscription. I've seen it where there is a ten-fold over-subscription by the telcos (LEC's) and I don't doubt its on the cableco's, too.

I think we need a Beat The Bandwidth day where everyone on broadband AND dial-up tries to maximize the bandwidth utilization for a 72-hour period of time. This would provide a sheer hell for the providers. What say you!?!

Phil
Rojo Sol
Premium
join:2001-06-11
Camarillo, CA

It's no mystery why limits aren't set...

Once the COMCAST or whoever sets a limit in stone, guess what the competition is going to do? Jump all over that and advertise as being umlimited/no caps on downloads.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: It's no mystery why limits aren't set...

Has that happened to Cox? They clearly set their limits after similar outcry....I don't live in a Cox market, so I can't say.....

Phil
Rojo Sol
Premium
join:2001-06-11
Camarillo, CA

Re: It's no mystery why limits aren't set...

I don't know about Cox. I do know that Comcast seems to be the one right now not wanting to set limits.

Plasticman
Will Work For Bandwidth
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Harrisville, RI
clubs:
·Cox HSI
·Vonage

said by Karl Bode See Profile:
Has that happened to Cox? They clearly set their limits after similar outcry....I don't live in a Cox market, so I can't say.....

Yes Cox does have limits.. for the flagship account it is 30 gigs down and 7.5 gigs up a months and for their new preimer account its 50 gigs down and 15 gigs up. Unless you go with a SOHO and then there are no limits.

Plasticman
--
Life is Like Your ISP.... You Never Know If You will get any Help

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: It's no mystery why limits aren't set...

Yeah I'm saying they clearly set limits after people complained, and I didn't see any DSL providers using that in ads....so I don't know how much the idea Lophophora put across holds up.....

ykrad

join:2001-08-23
Petaluma, CA

Right on the money. I'd say Comcast isn't setting a limit because of marketing blahzah. They'll lose that "unlimited" always on deal every ISP uses these days. DSL marketing will jump all over that opportunity.

Soo good to be on DSL.

not2cr8iv

join:2000-08-20
Potomac, MD

Is there really some defined limit...

or are multiple variables used in deciding whether to cut off service? If so, what might those variables be? Is one of those variables how vocal you are with local elected officials when Comcast delivers poor service or fails to honor service terms of its franchise? Should users be afraid to speak out to their elected local officials when Comcast is being unresponsive?

The lack of *any* guidance from Comcast on this issue leaves Comcast users subject to the Comcast's whim, a whim backed-up by the defacto monopoly Comcast has in many areas.
s25843

join:2002-09-10
Haverhill, MA

Stop your Whining

I have had DirecWay for about 3 years now, and just recently dumped them for Comcast HSI. They had what they called the FAP (Fair Access Policy) where you could only download 170mb of data every 9 hours or if you went over that you would be capped at 56k speeds till you slowed down.

Stop all your whining! 2 gb a day of transfer limits is WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH!!!!!!!
--
DW SRS 4.0.3.9--G4R--1350mhz--XP Pro--1ghz PIII--512 Ram--Constant Signal of 69
muecker

join:2003-07-20
Littleton, CO

Re: Stop your Whining

Says you.

Synon29

join:2003-09-13
Clovis, NM

That's enough for you. But what you use may not be right for someone else. Just because you think it's enough doesn't mean it is. I run my own online game and frequently do file transfers backups etc. Not to mention the online gaming i do, the web pages I look at. I don't really consider myself to be a bandwith hog, but I certainly wouldn't want to be put on a 2 gig a day limit.

X_Digit
Binary Enhanced
Premium
join:2003-06-12
Mansfield, TX

Eat your words... AT LEAST you were downgraded to a slower speed. Comcast users are being DELETED and BANNED from using their accounts again... and sadly, not getting a refund for the part of their services they have remaining after they have been cut!

And, it doesn't stop there... they THEN get the emotional stress of not getting a decent REASON why they've been cut, and only forwarded to a "voice mail system", where you can only PRAY that somebody will EVER call you back!

You see... DirecWAY and Comcast are VERY different, so please don't try to compare between the two again.
--
Respectfully, X_Digit
Matisaro

join:2003-11-20
Troutdale, OR

Re: Stop your Whining

quote:
Eat your words... AT LEAST you were downgraded to a slower speed. Comcast users are being DELETED and BANNED from using their accounts again... and sadly, not getting a refund for the part of their services they have remaining after they have been cut!
Thats bullsh!t, they are getting their refunds, quit making stuff up and debate on the facts, not your fantasy