Comcast XFINITY → The Bandwidth Limits/Congestion Management Topic

Good, we've established that you are not from where I am from, and I am not from where you are from.

Where I am from the Amish are a very large community. Truly statewide. On any given day driving through the state you will encounter many Amish buggies and farms. Just point out to you that just because your experience says that the Amish are a small community, I would say that there often is more to an issue than your experience of it.

But we are getting way off course. I still have not heard a good reason why net users shouldn't be charged according to the bandwidth they use.

You don't grasp that NO individual can decide what is or is not classified as a utility.
No one is forcing you to have water or electricity, but it usually does have to be offered to the curb.

I have a friend that has water at the road/curb(no actual curbs on his road, but you get the idea) - he uses his well.
The fact is, the water is offered as a utility because it is a utility.
Electricity, yeah! Duh!

No internet or cable until he requested it.

quote:

---

You don't grasp that NO individual can decide what is or is not classified as a utility.
No one is forcing you to have water or electricity, but it usually does have to be offered to the curb.

---

That is simply not so! Many rural areas do NOT have access to municipal water lines. Or sewer lines for that matter. They have wells and septic tanks. Same with natural gas lines. Many places in rural areas here heat with oil or liquid propane tanks because natural gas lines do not hit their area. It really is not uncommon.

Here's a article that is a good read:

»www.networkworld.com/col ··· son.html

Have you seen ANYWHERE where I was opposed to metered billing?
I use a network crushing 30-35GB per month!
Bring it on!

At the current pricing scheme, I am paying(aparently) $52.95 for 250GB per month.
Do the math!
With metered/by the GB use, my bill would be $7.41 per month!

Naw, screw all that, huh?

No, you did not. What you did say and keep saying is that residential broadband is a luxury, which it would seem like quite a few people are disagreeing with you. What might be more accurate in a factual sense is that residential broadband is a luxury for you.

If you really do believe Internet access is a luxury and don't understand how it has integrated over the last decade in to the every day life of many people around the world, then maybe we should start another thread dedicated to that subject so you can get a better understanding of how people use the Internet in their daily lives.

In response to your other comment in another thread regarding using the Internet in relation to your employment, I don't believe I need a business class connection or service level to check e-mails and visit a few web sites. That would just be, well, silly.

From This Thread:From The Other Thread:

quote:

---

Have you seen ANYWHERE where I was opposed to metered billing?

---

Great, then we agree!

What I think is wrong is Comcast threatening to discontinue service to those who go over. That's just dumb. Why not just charge them more accordingly? The added profits would make their shareholders happy.

Agreed!
But what about here in the city or suburbs?
I cannot have a well drilled.
Windmills are forbidden.
Where do you suggest I get my power and water?
From the Public Utilities, right?

Tell me, who was it that made the utilities - utilities?
You?
Me?
Joe Blowski?

Please quit reaching here friend!
It is not my fault that internet is not a utility, but it isn't!
When it does becaome a metered utility, we can compare bills, ok?

Your situation in the city is different. I'm just pointing out that many, many, MANY people don't live in the city, and as such, don't have access to municipal water or natural gas. You mentioned in a previous post that those would be considered utilities because while you can do without them, they need to be available (run to the curb, in your words).

I'm just point out that for significant numbers of the population, that is not so.

Tell me friend, can you show me anything anywhere that states internet is a utility - aside from a few users that think it is or should be?

Didn't think so.

A public utility (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies.

Comcast is not within this group, is it?

Thanks!

There is still the opinion by some heavy users that metered usage/billing is still unfair. You'll never please them. I would love metered usage/billing. My usage is so low, that my bill should be $5.00 a month.

My usage for 1.5 days:

WAN Bandwidth - Daily
Date Download Upload Total
2008-08-31 0.13 GB 0.00 GB 0.13 GB
2008-08-30 0.40 GB 0.03 GB 0.42 GB

I agree!
I think per use would be fine!
Some people think I am opposed to this form of billing - WRONG!

Let's see - $52.95 and use 35GB per month, or $7.41 for the same use... yeah, hard decision!

No, it aint happening and it aint my fault.
Bring it on!

Dadkins, to use your words, go back and re-read my posts. I never stated Internet access through HSI or otherwise was a utility. The comparison I would make if I were to make such a comparison would be to the public telephone network, which in most cases is not considered a "public utility" and typically has its own classification with its own set of nuances. What I have and continue to take offense at is your statement as fact that Internet access is a luxury.

Dadkins,

I will definitely concede that, at least in the great state of PA, internet use is not regulated by out state public utility commission. So you are right in that, as of now, internet is not classified as a utility. I am of the opinion though that it should be.

But I'll give you your premise on a technicality.

Absolutely!
The *MAJORITY* of people in the United States live in a semi-urban/city-esk area.
These areas are served by - utilities!
These utilities are available to this majority of citizens.
Since nowhere is internet classified as a utility, you get to ORDER it as a luxury.

If you choose to live in the boonies, you are pretty much on your own.
No power, no water, and certainly no internet.
WHEEE!!!

Go for it!
I like hot showers.
I prefer Drip coffee or espresso.
Electric lights.

YMMV

Internet is not a utility - yet. Period.

That's about 8+ GB/day... -- 2 or 4 hours of movies in HD-debatable quality
Roughly 350 MB an hour
It's about 750 Kbps... or 95 KB/s...

If internet is not a utility, and you want it, what does that make it?

NOTHING that is a utility is being forced on anyone - not power, not water, and not phone.

Other items are not utilities and overall, the majority of people do not have - like internet.
Cable TV is a luxury.
Sat TV is a luxury.
Internet is a luxury - usually carried over cable(a luxury in itself) or copper(phone lines - also a luxury) - right?

Wow, 350 MB/hour....every hour...

DAMN! That a whole lot of por... "Research Videos".

Haha! Yeah, that's for sure!

Your afore mentioned espresso, that is a luxury. Internet access or a telephone affects your ability to obtain or maintain employment, ability to effectively participate in educational services such as college or even to a lesser degree grammar school for starters. To answer your question as to what does that make it? For many today and for many more each day, it is called a necessity Dadkins.

Espresso - uses electricity - a utility.
Internet - a luxury.

Employment can be done by commuting and *going to work*.
College, that building we went to - I walked into?
Grammar school? In the '60s No, internet was not around, sorry!
Ya know, kids do still get taken to school everyday during the school year.

Internet is not a utility friend, no matter that you want it to be or you as an individual claims it to be. Sorry.

Maybe some time in the future, but not at present.

...more fun with math...

Here's how long it will take you, uploading and downloading at full speed, to reach a 250 GB cap.

Tier.... Full-speed
up/dn... hours
50/5.... 10.1
16/2.... 30.9
8/2..... 55.6
6/1..... 79.4

Sorry, no.It sounds like you haven't applied for a job recently, if that is the case, then good for you. For others, many are told to go enter an application online - some employers provide a terminal at their location, some do not.I'm glad you mentioned the 60s, it saves me from pointing out the obvious, it's been a while since you were in school, eh?If you're going to keep posting, the least you could do is also read the other posts. As I reminded you just a few posts up, I have never said Internet access is a "utility" or even ever stated that it should be provided through a public utility. That is a much more complex issue.

What I have said is Internet access for you may be a luxury, just as you (and for that matter myself) may consider espresso a necessity. For many others, affordable and reliable Internet access is more of a necessity, not a luxury. Its not a case of "utility" or bust...

It's really not if you have multiple computers. 350mb an hour is peanuts in 2008. I would have been happy with it 6 years ago but not today.

Speed and volume are 2 different things. Calculations like the above are totally irrelevant to a discussion of "bytes transferred" caps.

Tell me pal, how the hell do you make Espresso without electricity?

Quit jumping around please.
The debate is whether internet is a utility or a luxury.
At this point in time, it is still a luxury.
Sorry if that turns your crank, but it's just the way things are.

Everything you listed above can be done without the luxury of the internet.

Say you are starting out - you don't have a phone... you apply for a job... are you screwed? No!
You go back to the place of possible employment and follow up.
No telephone, no internet.
You get the job, you go to work! No internet necessary.
You decide to go to college after work to better yourself, then instead of going home, you go to that big campus with "College" emblazend on it and go to class.
No internet, perhaps computers, but internet is not usually used in class(the IT dept usually blocks it).

Good grief pal, people EVERYDAY go to school, college and work without that thar interwebs.
How is that possible? Maybe because it is not a "necessity".

Anything else I can help you with today?

No Dadkins, I don't believe you could. For what its worth, earlier espresso machines did not use electricity, that is a more recent change.