Kniveton
join:2001-09-20
San Francisco, CA
| reply to Rick
Re: Comcast Bandwidth Abuse/Limits - Discuss here only
Yes, this seems to make sense. They have not invested in an infrastructure that could provide huge amounts of bandwidth to users over an extended period of time. So it is reasonable to cap users' capacity after a certain point, and not tell them about what that point is, so that they won't try and subvert the limitation.
this is all fine and dandy, except for one thing.. ADVERTISING! Or more specifically, FALSE advertising. Comcast is advertising about how fast their services are, and it would be a reasonable assumption that the service is fast because it can support a user transferring lots of data. By penalizing users for doing so, Comcast is setting themselves up for a HUGE class action lawsuit.
I'm sure they're aware of this, vis a vis their recent binding arbitration clause for all customers. ...which was thrown out by the courts. Oooops.
Wonder if investors are paying attention to this trainwreck waiting to happen. |
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deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE
| What does speed have to do with the amount of data they allow you to download (whether published or not)? I'm not taking either side here, I'm just saying that Comcast advertising the connection as fast has nothing to do with how much you can download. If you, as a viewing user, make an assumption that if the speed is X, you can download 30*24*60*60*X in a month without repercussion, you're doing just that - making an assumption. Comcast advertising their speed as fast does not necessarily mean that you are guaranteed to be able to download as much as possible at said maximum speed.
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"The Dude abides." |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Skype
| said by deblin  :If you, as a viewing user, make an assumption that if the speed is X, you can download 30*24*60*60*X in a month without repercussion, you're doing just that - making an assumption. Let's say you sign up for a gym membership -- standard stuff, $30 a month, no time-of-day restrictions, no day-of-week restrictions. You start working out every day for around two hours a day.
After about a week, the gym manager walks up to you and says, "Deblin, you're using the gym too much. You have to use it less or I'm canceling your membership."
"Why didn't you tell me this when I signed up?" You ask. He doesn't answer you, but he does point out this clause that says that your use of the gym cannot be disruptive.
Appropriately peeved, you grit your teeth and ask, "Well, how much can I use the gym?"
"No, we can't tell you that, either. But, keep in mind, that if you don't cut back your use of the gym enough, you're out of here and you're banned from the gym for a year," he says. "And don't forget, we're the only gym in town -- except for that ratty old set of free-weights down at the city Parks and Recreation department."
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon USA
Are you affected by Comcast's RST forging? How to test it! -or- Read my original report. |
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hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY
clubs:
| "You start working out every day for around two hours a day."
Another bad analogy.
I have made this point before. You have to be in the Gym to be able to use it! I don't think there would be any problem if the service was being used...IE the person was sitting in front of the computer. In almost all cases they are not. They have everything queued up and are in bed or at school!
A better analogy would be if you went to the gym and threw towels over all the exercise machines reserving them for you even though you were home in bed! Thus impacting the gym for others.
Hob
--
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-01
Middletown, DE | Very well put. |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| reply to hobgoblin
said by hobgoblin :Another bad analogy. I have made this point before. You have to be in the Gym to be able to use it! I don't think there would be any problem if the service was being used...IE the person was sitting in front of the computer. In almost all cases they are not. They have everything queued up and are in bed or at school! So you shouldn't be able to download e-mail into Outlook Express or get OS updates from Microsoft unless you're warming the seat in front of your computer? May I synchronize my clock using NTP or request a DHCP renewal while I'm walking the dog?
It's another invented excuse -- and a lame one, on par with "residential service." Computers are automatons. They're supposed to do things like downloading podcasts and nntp news while you're out enjoying life.
Comcast is encouraging the customer's perception of the service with their advertising that mentions specific bandwidth.
"The REAL problem here is that the customer thinks he is subscribing to service that comes with 6000 kbps / 384 kbps bandwidth -- and then the customer gets spanked for using it."
Or maybe you think customers should behave this way?
New Customer: "6000 kilobits per second?"
Comcast Rep: That's right, sir!
New Customer: "Do I have to ask, 'Which Seconds?'"
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon USA
Are you affected by Comcast's RST forging? How to test it! -or- Read my original report. |
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hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY
clubs:
| This was my statement based on my opinion.
Its not an invented excuse....it was a reply to your analogy.
2 hours a day in the Gym is expected.....24 hours a day is not and that is what you were comparing.
Downloading mail...getting OS updates is normal use....and you know it.
The small minority that think its cool to run everything full bore are the ones that are spoiling it for everyone...I dont understand how you cant see that.
Hob
--
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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dogcacher
join:2004-07-17
Central City, PA
| reply to funchords
said by funchords :So you shouldn't be able to download e-mail into Outlook Express or get OS updates from Microsoft unless you're warming the seat in front of your computer? May I synchronize my clock using NTP or request a DHCP renewal while I'm walking the dog? That is about as lame as it gets. Consume 500 GB checking mail, getting updates, synchronizing clocks and renewing DHCP?
Uh huh, get real. |
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Wayne99021
Premium
join:2004-12-28
Mead, WA
| There is a good article in the PC World Oct 2007 issue.
Companies to customers: your fired.
Just a couple from that article.
Sprint Nextel terminated 1200 customers for excessive service calls
AT&T has kicked off cell phone users who roam or use data services too frequently.
Now these are not too much bandwidth usage issue, but it does show what companies are doing now.
Verizon EvDO high speed wireless data services terminates people if there usage is regularly 5 gig or more per month.
Verizon only does this if their warnings to the customer are ignored. Does that sound familiar to the people who got the letter from Comcast.
Verizon has also cancelled the accounts of callers who are "extremely abusive" to customer service representatives.
So Comcast is not the only company dumping customers.
This appears to be the way things are going to be from now on so quit bitching about what isn't and accept what is. |
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dogcacher
join:2004-07-17
Central City, PA
| said by Wayne99021 :reply to dogcacher quit bitching about what isn't and accept what is. Who's bitching? |
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Wayne99021
Premium
join:2004-12-28
Mead, WA | Sorry:
That wasn't meant for one person, it was meant for all the people who complain about Comcast and bandwidth limits.
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Ryan
Premium
join:2001-03-03
Attleboro, MA
| reply to Wayne99021
said by Wayne99021 :There is a good article in the PC World Oct 2007 issue. Companies to customers: your fired. Just a couple from that article. Sprint Nextel terminated 1200 customers for excessive service calls AT&T has kicked off cell phone users who roam or use data services too frequently. Now these are not too much bandwidth usage issue, but it does show what companies are doing now. Verizon EvDO high speed wireless data services terminates people if there usage is regularly 5 gig or more per month. Verizon only does this if their warnings to the customer are ignored. Does that sound familiar to the people who got the letter from Comcast. Verizon has also cancelled the accounts of callers who are "extremely abusive" to customer service representatives. So Comcast is not the only company dumping customers. This appears to be the way things are going to be from now on so quit bitching about what isn't and accept what is. That is a completely different argument then what comcast is doing.
A. all the services are not monopolies there are others availible for most people.
B. the wireless infastructure is different then standard isps. To download more then 5 gis on a cell is insane if not imposible.
c. sprint and nextel terminated these people due to service related issues. They releived them from their contract so that they did not have to pay early contract fees which imho is a customer service move. |
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Wayne99021
Premium
join:2004-12-28
Mead, WA
| What you are saying may be true as I am just going by what the article says.
Your B. is not correct as Verizon EvDO is wireless internet, I know this for a fact as my daughter is 2100 feet from the nearest Comcast hookup and rather than going dialup she went Verizon wireless internet, so the 5 gig is not impossible. |
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EG
The wings of love
Premium
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ
| reply to dogcacher
said by dogcacher :said by funchords :So you shouldn't be able to download e-mail into Outlook Express or get OS updates from Microsoft unless you're warming the seat in front of your computer? May I synchronize my clock using NTP or request a DHCP renewal while I'm walking the dog? That is about as lame as it gets. Consume 500 GB checking mail, getting updates, synchronizing clocks and renewing DHCP? Uh huh, get real. You don't get it  |
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dogcacher
join:2004-07-17
Central City, PA
1 edit | said by EG : You don't get it
Oh, that's a big help.
I get it alright. I understand the effects of a few bandwidth hogs on a shared network, I understand that it is impossible for a Comcast residential customer to download that amount of data without getting into the illegal activities of copyright infringement and porn.
Now, what is it you claim I 'don't get?' |
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Ryan
Premium
join:2001-03-03
Attleboro, MA
| The problem is dont beleive that is true anymore esspecially if there are multiple users in a household and if they use streaming services. Many can stream "HD" movies and music which sucks up tons of bandwidth depedning on how much you use it. Things like youtube and vpn also will eat up bandwidth. |
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skyjock41
Shag Diesel
Premium
join:2001-12-11
Ledyard, CT
clubs: 
| reply to Wayne99021
said by Wayne99021 :Verizon has also cancelled the accounts of callers who are "extremely abusive" to customer service representatives. Good to keep that in mind.......you dont want to pay a termination fee for breaking your contract just call up and call the CSR every dirty name in the book. Wonder if that will work with Dish Network........ |
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Mdoc
Ehh... munch munch... what's up, Doc?
join:2007-03-27
Sterling, VA
1 edit | reply to dogcacher
Disregard... reply was to the 1st page of this thread. |
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