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AT&T Metered Billing Trial Hits Second Market
Beaumont, Texas users just have all the luck....

The Beaumont Enterprise is the first to report that AT&T has extended their trials of metered broadband into the Beaumont, Texas market. AT&T began testing metered billing last month in Reno, where DSL customers now face caps ranging from 20GB to 150GB. Those customers are also being forced to pay $1 for every gigabyte over the cap they travel. Users are given an online usage tool to track their bandwidth consumption, and are sent alerts warning them when they've consumed between 60-80% of their allotted bandwidth.

Beaumont was chosen because it's already the site of a similar trial by Time Warner Cable, who we were the first to report is implementing trial caps between 5-40GB with overages between $1-$1.50 per gig. In both trials, the companies are not only testing the network and billing systems necessary to make such systems work -- but the marketing message. Convincing customers that already very profitable companies need to charge them more money for the same (or less) usage is, well, tricky.

Click for full size
Time Warner Cable handles it by trying to convince locals that the new billing approach delivers guaranteed savings (see forum thread) while improving their Internet "experience" (see Beaumont Time Warner Cable website). AT&T, meanwhile tells the local paper that limiting your consumption and charging you more for bandwidth is actually about making broadband better and more affordable through targeting "abnormally high usage patterns":
quote:
"We have previously stated that some type of usage-based model, for those customers who have abnormally high usage patters, seems inevitable," Feldstein said. "This trial will help us evaluate ways of dealing with surging usage trends while continuing to meet customer needs for high-quality broadband at an affordable price."
While AT&T has been using an industry policy group and cherry picked data to suggest there's an unmanageable bandwidth crisis looming that requires a billing shift, network data from backbone operators doesn't support that, and AT&T has provided no raw data showing congestion problems of any kind. If last mile issues spring up, they'll be caused by AT&T's decision to milk copper instead of investing in fiber to the home. These trials don't just target high-consumption users, they take aim at everyone -- and for a very clear reason.

Like many ISPs, AT&T and Time Warner Cable are preparing for a future where competition from Internet video threatens their TV revenues. Through caps and more specifically metered billing, carriers understand that down the road -- they'll be able to monetize and/or deter the use of video content that isn't theirs, giving them a huge leg up in the Internet video battles yet to come. Luckily for both AT&T and Time Warner Cable, limited competition in Beaumont means most customers won't be able to vote against this idea with their wallet.
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Jan Janowski
Premium Member
join:2000-06-18
Waynesville, NC

Jan Janowski

Premium Member

Stupid idea

Absolutely Stupid idea!

veunad
What Does This Do?
Premium Member
join:1999-08-06
Alpharetta, GA

veunad

Premium Member

Re: Stupid idea

There is no stopping it, unless the consumer base(s) rise up and let these companies know they will not stand for it... good chance of that happening. Eh?
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: Stupid idea

Get a celebrity to pitch this, some nice editing, and a good song and you're gold. Most people are too stupid to think for themselves. If the company tells them it's good, it's good, right?
hihi9
join:2007-05-06
Port Orange, FL

hihi9 to Jan Janowski

Member

to Jan Janowski
said by Jan Janowski:

Absolutely Stupid idea!
they thought user like us are stupid
they were wrong, very wrong

kcazzie
One Of Jerry's Kids
Premium Member
join:2000-08-13
Morton Grove, IL

1 edit

kcazzie to Jan Janowski

Premium Member

to Jan Janowski
said by Jan Janowski:

Absolutely Stupid idea!
Couldn't have said it better... I guess they want to lose all there customers that got them started...

They'll have no 6+meg users, what good is it...!?!...

The faster the speed, the faster to the cap... ...

The_Dude
@ferris.edu

-1 recommendation

The_Dude

Anon

BS

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by FFH5:

said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.
hey i was without internet for a month didnt bother me all that much. Alot of people are just plain hooked on the internet like a drug.

envoid
join:2002-12-21
Duluth, GA

envoid

Member

Re: BS

said by hayabusa3303:

said by FFH5:

said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.
hey i was without internet for a month didnt bother me all that much. Alot of people are just plain hooked on the internet like a drug.
i can't be without it... i work from home. have to actually, and my company won't pay for internet. and i have GOBS of traffic managing servers all over the area. this would kill me and make it totally unaffordable to have or even be able to work. f'n money-grubbing is all it is.

side note... if they do this they really need to remove "unlimited internet" from any and all of their advertising then. that would just be a blatant lie if they kept that. sorta is now with comcast but the big companies fear not the DoJ or FCC or FTC. especially at&t.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by envoid:

i have GOBS of traffic managing servers all over the area. this would kill me and make it totally unaffordable to have or even be able to work.
Sounds like you're a primary candidate for a business class circuit.
said by envoid:

they really need to remove "unlimited internet" from any and all of their advertising then.
That was done quite some time ago.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

I have looked on several ISP websites, and I cannot find any mention of traffic volume as being a perk in the business class tier. Actually, they mention performance and reliability, but not traffic volume... I'm wondering how envoid sounds like a prime candidate for this service to you?
said by Comcast :

With speeds up to 5 times as fast as DSL, our extensive fiber-optic network delivers the performance and reliability your business needs to succeed.
Please, help me understand this...

cw
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

I'm wondering how envoid sounds like a prime candidate for this service to you?
envoid See Profile appears to be using his connection to the Internet for business purposes. If envoid See Profile is truly reliant on a connection that doesn't inhibit his/her work, I'd recommend a business class circuit. I know that if funding my livelihood depended on my ability to access the Internet, I would have a much better setup than a residential connection from AT&T. In fact, I would most likely have a couple of connections to the Internet from different providers.

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by openbox9:

If envoid See Profile is truly reliant on a connection that doesn't inhibit his/her work, I'd recommend a business class circuit.
Why?
said by openbox9:

I know that if funding my livelihood depended on my ability to access the Internet, I would have a much better setup than a residential connection from AT&T.
I do have a better setup than a residential connection from AT&T. I have a residential connection from Brighthouse. I use it to manage my business clients.

Point to point, it is the same connection that my business clients have, sans the static IP. There is no difference in performance or reliability. Paying 800% extra for the business line would gain me nothing.

The work I do is a lighter network load than a residential user who streams a radio station or watches a movie. My ISP isn't taxed a bit by it.
said by openbox9:

In fact, I would most likely have a couple of connections to the Internet from different providers.
I keep an aircard in my van attached to an EVDO router. It's always on if not always in use. I suppose that might serve as a backup. Or my phone can morph into a HSUPA hotspot, if I get desperate.

NV
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc to openbox9

Member

to openbox9
said by openbox9:

said by wentlanc:

I'm wondering how envoid sounds like a prime candidate for this service to you?
envoid See Profile appears to be using his connection to the Internet for business purposes. If envoid See Profile is truly reliant on a connection that doesn't inhibit his/her work, I'd recommend a business class circuit. I know that if funding my livelihood depended on my ability to access the Internet, I would have a much better setup than a residential connection from AT&T. In fact, I would most likely have a couple of connections to the Internet from different providers.


Please describe in some logical detail, and in a fashion that can be compared against the business class service offering of any ISP, WHY this person's internet connection should be a business class connection.

None of you supporters have been able to do this as of yet. There is in fact NOTHING about a business class account that is different than a residential account with the exception of service level, and advanced features. There is no usage related benefits to a business class account. I've asked this question many times, and nobody can produce an answer with any type of substantial support for the decision.

Again, I asked to understand it, and you just are not getting me there. Please try again.

cw
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

Please describe in some logical detail, and in a fashion that can be compared against the business class service offering of any ISP, WHY this person's internet connection should be a business class connection.
To avoid the caps? If envoid See Profile really transfers "gobs" of data, then s/he might enjoy a business account and the ability to transfer as much as the connection allows.
said by wentlanc:

There is in fact NOTHING about a business class account that is different than a residential account with the exception of service level, and advanced features.
I beg to differ. A DS1 or DS3 circuit brings additional advantages compared to a DSL or cable connection.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

said by openbox9:

said by wentlanc:

Please describe in some logical detail, and in a fashion that can be compared against the business class service offering of any ISP, WHY this person's internet connection should be a business class connection.
To avoid the caps? If envoid See Profile really transfers "gobs" of data, then s/he might enjoy a business account and the ability to transfer as much as the connection allows.
said by wentlanc:

There is in fact NOTHING about a business class account that is different than a residential account with the exception of service level, and advanced features.
I beg to differ. A DS1 or DS3 circuit brings additional advantages compared to a DSL or cable connection.
The business account does not differentiate how much data can be transferred. Please provide some proof that shows otherwise.

A T1 or DS3 circuit is not a DSL or cable connection, so I fail to see how you could differ. That is not a business grade account, that's private line service. You are comparing apples to antelopes.

cw
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

A T1 or DS3 circuit is not a DSL or cable connection
Of course they aren't, that's why my original post referenced a business class circuit.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

DSL and Cable connections are be definition a circuit. What you may have meant, but failed to mention, is a dedicated service, or private line service. A tremendous waste of his money. And BTW, some T1 services are merely throttled DSL connections because they are cheaper for the carrier to provide.

cw
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

A tremendous waste of his money.
How can you make that determination?
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

Because he does not need dedicated bandwidth. That is the advantage of dedicated service over a shared service like DSL or Cable.

cw
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

Because he does not need dedicated bandwidth.
Really?
said by envoid:

i have GOBS of traffic managing servers all over the area
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

Are those metric gobs??

openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: BS

Since I like the metric system, yes they are. So if envoid See Profile transfers 500 Megagobs per month, does s/he require a dedicated connection?
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

1 megagibbles per second = 321.013651 gigagobs per month (assuming that we are talking in a single direction)

Sound like too much to expect from your 20/2 connection, which is capable of transferring up to 6.5 teragobs in a month?

So what you are saying is that ~6% of the capacity that you are purchasing is too much usage??

REALLY?!

What percentage of the bandwidth that we purchase would you LIKE for us to be able to get?

cw
hihi9
join:2007-05-06
Port Orange, FL

hihi9 to hayabusa3303

Member

to hayabusa3303
said by hayabusa3303:

said by FFH5:

said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.
hey i was without internet for a month didnt bother me all that much. Alot of people are just plain hooked on the internet like a drug.
alot ppl need internet for many uses
can u live without it?
you had no choice but why do without it???

NetAdmin1
CCNA
join:2008-05-22

NetAdmin1 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:
said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.
What happened to voting with your wallet?

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

Re: BS

that would take ALOT of people before something would happen tho.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc to NetAdmin1

Member

to NetAdmin1
Voting with your wallet is not good for some people's stock portfolios. Oh, they talk about it in a feeble attempt to make a point, but complain about it when it is put into practice.


hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

Re: BS

said by wentlanc:

Voting with your wallet is not good for some people's stock portfolios.
You must have stock in T then i guess by your remark?
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: BS

Actually, no. I was being quite sarcastic because others here seem to be the ones who have such a stake in these telcos. I would happily go to my local coffee shop to pay bills. Or do it from work. Whichever.

cw
switchman
join:1999-11-06

switchman to wentlanc

Member

to wentlanc
It is kind of hard to vote with your wallet when you only have two choices and they both are saying you want service, it is metered. If you want to be totally without, then yes you can vote with your wallet.

UnKnown
The Underground Network
join:2002-09-08
San Pedro, CA

UnKnown

Member

Re: BS

i know in my area you can go with a third party dsl line. something like covad, or dsl extreme. Also we have WISP's who arent to overly priced. though the initial equipment costs are high

cyberdude
@rr.com

cyberdude to wentlanc

Anon

to wentlanc
I'll just go back to dial up and simplify my habits online!
I don't do the gaming or major downloads anyway!
clecssuck
join:2002-01-23
Birmingham, AL

clecssuck

Member

Re: BS

Dialup costs more than DSL nowadays. Crazy!

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 edit

FFH5 to NetAdmin1

Premium Member

to NetAdmin1
said by NetAdmin1:
said by FFH5:
said by The_Dude :

I think this is total BS!!!!!!!!! I just won't have Internet if they want to keep pushing shit like this!

Peace
Right. Cut off your nose to spite your face.
What happened to voting with your wallet?
A specific internet vendor and NO internet at all are 2 different things. Very, very few would go without any internet access no matter what they say here. I am sure that point was obvious. To most anyway.

NetAdmin1
CCNA
join:2008-05-22

2 recommendations

NetAdmin1

Member

Re: BS

said by FFH5:

A specific internet vendor and NO internet at all are 2 different things. Very, very few would go without any internet access no matter what they say here. I am sure that point was obvious. To most anyway.
From what I can gather in previous discussions like this, you are a "let the market decide" and "vote with your wallet" disciple. Now you are actively discouraging someone from that course of action?

That disconnect is quite obvious, except for some.
hihi9
join:2007-05-06
Port Orange, FL

hihi9 to The_Dude

Member

to The_Dude
Just paid them a flat monthly fee
if they cut off connection...
Their loss.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

1 recommendation

djrobx

Premium Member

No, no, no.

quote:
AT&T, meanwhile tells the local paper that limiting your consumption and charging you more for bandwidth is actually about making broadband better and more affordable through targeting "abnormally high usage patterns":
This is clearly NOT about targeting abnormally high usage patterns. If it was, the limit would be more like Comcast's. Just a high limit placed on the overall service to discourage abuse. This pricing structure is clearly set up with low allowances and high overage fees to encourage people to buy higher speed plans.

What's really unacceptable about AT&T's implementation is that not all customers qualify for all speed tiers. What if I only qualify for 3mbps Pro service due to CO distance, but I use 120GB per month? I'm going to get hit with a monthly bill of over $100 per month. The only way to get a cap high enough is to buy U-Verse Max - tough luck if it's not available.

••••

THXULTRA
@att.net

THXULTRA

Anon

This is enough to make me jump

Most consumers will probably not even notice the cap but this will make me jump to another service with out caps. I can see these caps being a big issue once streaming video becomes more popular from netflix and direc tv. I have both services so may need to think about dropping AT&T for Comcast.

••••••

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier

Premium Member

Lucky Beaumont

Seems to me, AT&T chose Beaumont as an experiment to see how metered billing goes over in a market that already has metered billing on competing ISPs so they can compare the results to a market that doesn't have a metered alternative.

Assuming Beaumont's market is more favorable to AT&T, all they've got to do is arrange with their competitors to meter bandwidth as well, they move in, customers have no unmetered choice and everyone winds up on metered plans. All ISPs make more money, and everyone is happy except the customers.

Great. . .

••••••

callattandcancl
@ameritech.net

callattandcancl

Anon

Call your Reno, NV or Beaumont,TX AT&T rep and cancel

If you let them continue, they will spread this to other cities, and you will have a "class" based system of internet access. Those who can afford more data per and those who can't. Only higher income will eb able to afford the "best" part of the web (HD VOD/etc).

Since the Bell's could not force net neutrality, they did the next best thing, metered usage. And like metered usage, it should become a "utility" and thus be regulated.

I called my AT&T rep and told them to stop this idea in Reno and Beaumont, and if it continues, I will cancel my phone line, my long distance, and my DSL thru AT&T. I will get a dryloop Covad line then let AT&T continue to do this nonsense to people. They say that 5% of users are causing havoc, then AT&T, hey deal with them and do not let the rest of us have to suffer.

Reno/Beaumont users, when you are canceling your DSL service, let them know why and that the metered usage is a joke.

You can find alternate ISP's here:

»www.theispguide.com/

There may in fact be AT&T reseller ISP's who resell AT&T DSL, without the metered billing, but be sure to ask and get it in writing.

metered
@sbcglobal.net

metered

Anon

Re: Call your Reno, NV or Beaumont,TX AT&T rep and cancel

said by callattandcancl :

Since the Bell's could not force net neutrality, they did the next best thing, metered usage. And like metered usage, it should become a "utility" and thus be regulated.
Make it an "utility" then of course it will be metered just like my electric, gas, and water. And since I don't pay for unlimited wireless you might as well throw that in there too.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

28Mbps?

Anyone know what the cap on 18Mbps service is (U-Verse)?

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

Re: 28Mbps?

said by iansltx:

Anyone know what the cap on 18Mbps service is (U-Verse)?
150GB.

AT&T offers no cap increase when you go from 10 to 18mbps.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: 28Mbps?

Cap FAIL. That's ree-freaking-diculous.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier

Premium Member

What? You haven't heard?

"While AT&T has been using an industry policy group and cherry picked data to suggest there's an unmanageable bandwidth crisis looming that requires a billing shift, network data from backbone operators doesn't support that, and AT&T has provided no raw data showing congestion problems of any kind"

Oh, but wait, there's this huge paradigm shift that's occurring right now what with all the streaming video and music, and pictures and firmware. So past data isn't an indicator of what's going to happen. Yeah, things are going to get really bad because of this shift and the backbone will get saturated and there will be all these bandwidth brownouts and supposedly the planet will stop spinning. . . So to insure we don't all run out of bandwidth and die when the planet stops working right, the big guys have got to resort to metered bandwidth with ridiculous markups for overages. It's the only way we'll survive!!!

I can't believe you guys haven't heard of this by now. It's in all the telco's talking points playbooks.

•••••••
Qixotl
join:2002-02-08
New Milford, CT

Qixotl

Member

Skewing data

On the surface, choosing Beaumont as a test site just looks like an internal stunt to prove to the marketing dept. that customers won't leave AT&T in droves if caps are put in place. It is not like people are going to get better service from 5MB-40MB capped Time Warner. I am sure that this is being orated as just a quick glimpse into the future when everyone is capped, but it does feel a bit more devious.

I feel very sorry for the residents of Beaumont, TX. They are getting the snot beat out of them for no clear reason.

sadbeaumontdsl
@ameritech.net

sadbeaumontdsl

Anon

Re: Skewing data

That is why both Reno and Beaumont has to send a clear message to AT&T. Yes if you do this, we will leave.

Metered billing is like handling a virus plague. You have to stop it at the source, before it spreads. And yes if nothing is done, it will spread slowly, surely, and become "norm".

Shelleyp
@sbcglobal.net

Shelleyp

Anon

Time for the other big companies to fight back

The companies dependent on open pipes, such as Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon, and so on, are going to have to be the ones to fight this. To many of us, this is looking more anti-trust all the time, but unless someone starts up a class action lawsuit against AT&T, there's little we, the customer, can do.

However, based on what's happening with cellphone companies, I do expect class action lawsuits, and I expect to see AT&T, Time Warner, et al, hauled into court for anti-competitive activities. The only missing pieces are the remaining bigger cable and other telcos that haven't ostensibly started capping yet.

Still, I don't think that Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon, et al should be dependent on the consumers fighting their battle. Unless they're willing to step up, people are going to be buying their high bandwidth goods, not and risk paying $1 per GB, which is a deliberately inflated cost.
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

Re: Time for the other big companies to fight back

The article states the obvious "Like many ISPs, AT&T and Time Warner Cable are preparing for a future where competition from Internet video threatens their TV revenues. Through caps and more specifically metered billing, carriers understand that down the road -- they'll be able to monetize and/or deter the use of video content that isn't theirs, giving them a huge leg up in the Internet video battles yet to come."

IOW, the purpose of these these low caps by AT&T is clearly to restrain trade. When they start acting anti-competitive it's time to break up AT&T again.

NOCMan
MadMacHatter
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Colorado Springs, CO

NOCMan

Premium Member

Network Neutrality Back Door

So instead of slowing down competing content they're going to make competing content more expensive than their own content or those of their "Partners".

People need to start phoning their reps and the FCC to try to stop this ASAP before it's too late. If other countries can provide 100 megabit speeds to their customers at reasonable rates there is no reason it can not be done here. All this were too spread out crap is just what it is. Crap.

pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE

pende_tim

Premium Member

Same BS in Rochester, NY

Time Warner (RR) is in Rochester NY and so is Frontier. Both have recently announced caps, almost in the same week. Too much of a co-incidence here.

•••••

rahlquist
Redeye
join:2001-10-30
Villa Rica, GA

rahlquist

Member

So there are Sheep to be had in Beaumont?

AT&T is looking to get their foot crammed as far into the door while the current administration is in office. Next year it will likely be a different ball of wax.

Regardless you have to remember if you are reading this youre part of the technical elite and your numbers dont outweigh the volume of sheep who are paying for a 6Mbit connection to check their email every 3 days. Those are the ones who wont understand, notice or care about the cap and thats what AT&T is counting on.

JoeM99
@sbcglobal.net

JoeM99

Anon

F'them - get Satellite

F' them! Get ANY other broadband - even Satellite if need be! Don't worry, after they lose all their customers in a year, they will crawl back w/ unlimited bandwidth! SMALL price to pay compared to the monthly pounding in the rear you get w/ cable / DSL "caps".
hihi9
join:2007-05-06
Port Orange, FL

hihi9

Member

Re: F'them - get Satellite

said by JoeM99 :

F' them! Get ANY other broadband - even Satellite if need be! Don't worry, after they lose all their customers in a year, they will crawl back w/ unlimited bandwidth! SMALL price to pay compared to the monthly pounding in the rear you get w/ cable / DSL "caps".
Just paid them what you owe
if they charge for overage... ignore it..
its all a game to see if you're willing topay more

JoeM9
@sbcglobal.net

JoeM9

Anon

Get Satellite!

Get ANY other broadband - even Satellite if need be! Don't worry, after they lose all their customers in a year, they will crawl back w/ unlimited bandwidth! SMALL price to pay compared to the monthly pounding in the rear you get w/ cable / DSL "caps".

ctceo
Premium Member
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN

1 recommendation

ctceo

Premium Member

Petition

We need to stop these changes from coming to fuition. Metered billing is NOT the way to go.

I've started a petition at ipetitions, »www.ipetitions.com/petit ··· n/PMDBI/ Hopefully word gets out before it's too late.

If somebody could help with formulating a better Petition (under 1000 chars.) I'd be willing to sign it and spread the word.
Rob_
Premium Member
join:2008-07-16
Mary Esther, FL

1 recommendation

Rob_

Premium Member

Re: Petition

DONT WASTE YOUR FUCKING TIME this is about control. pure plain and simple. the internet will cease to exist once all of the ISP's (and they will) go to this type of system.

wake up sheep before you get slaughtered.

if you want to take TRUE action, contact your congress representative and tell them to look into this, contact your local news media, contact CNN

but stop wasting your time with bullshit petitions. they don't do crap!

ctceo
Premium Member
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN

ctceo

Premium Member

Re: Petition

I'm sorry you feel that way.

Just FYI others have already signed and written several different parties from Municipalities, to State Attorney Generals, Governors, The SEC, FCC etc, etc; Specifically regarding this plan.

The petition is actually an after the fact attempt to consolidate signatures for said parties to see that a commitment is and can be undertaken.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

Mr Matt

Member

An instant replay on the year 1997.

Between 1994 and 1997 the Local Exchange Carriers were excited about all of the new business coming from the Dial Up ISP's. By 1997 the traffic caused by the long holding time by residential dial up customers accessing the Internet resulted in voice network blockage. The Local Exchange Carriers changed their minds. Because of the increased traffic the Local Exchange Carrier Management decided that they should be able to change all inbound lines to the ISP's Modem pools to measured service for incoming calls. The Local Exchange Carriers Management's excuse was that they would have spend a lot of money to increase the capacity of their switches and inter-office trunks to carry the additional traffic. After all in the past the Local Exchange Carriers used the industry standard of 2.5 C.C.S. (250 Seconds) per hour per line for residential customers. In 1996 there was a study by an Internet association that determined that the holding time for a typical Internet session was 26 Minutes. That increased holding time caused network blockage. After considerable lobbying by the Local Exchange Carriers and ISP's the ISP's won. The Democratic Administration determined that converting to usage sensitive billing would delay or inhibit the development of an effective internet network. Because the Local Exchange Carriers were regulated they were not able to unilaterally impose usage sensitive billing on incoming lines to modem pools. The current administration does not care what their fascist corporate friends charge. As I have said in my previous posts the only way to prevent price gouging by the Broadband ISP's would be to regulate rates for Broadband Service.
corinthos
join:2007-10-09

corinthos

Member

blah

This is a bunch of BS. Glad I don't have them. I think if they were going to do this as a trial then they should not charge the customers for the overages for about two months so they can see how they do on their data before getting huge bill that they actually would have to pay. Greedy big business, it blows.

viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium Member
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL

viperpa33s

Premium Member

Misleading the customer

All it amounts to is companies like Time Warner and AT&T want to spend the least amount of money and get the most money for there shareholders. Metered billing don't enhance the users experience, it limits the users experience.

Time Warner and AT&T are misleading the service they are selling. They are making it out like your getting a lot when in fact your getting less. They are still making you pay the same price for it. In fact they just gave everyone a huge price hike without having to hike prices. They know that people are naive and will pay it.

Though Time Warner and AT&T may spend less money on upgrades, they will lose money on other things. For example, Time Warner started selling videos online to fight off companies like Netflix. If a customer reached there cap then Time Warner just lost a sale. The customer will end up going to Blockbuster to get the movie.

Through all this metered billing the level of service will still stink. In the end the customer will get a huge price hike, limited access, and lousy customer service. Guess this is what they mean by enhancing the users experience. Metered billing adds fuel to the fire for the people who want government run internet.
ADL
join:2000-12-20
USA

ADL

Member

New Business Idea

Maybe I should start a business mailing prefilled hard drives.

hihi9
join:2007-05-06
Port Orange, FL

hihi9

Member

Re: New Business Idea

said by ADL:

Maybe I should start a business mailing prefilled hard drives.


no my friend even dvd media are cheaper
like 5 cent per GB
4.7gb cost u 20 cent orless these day
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