AT&T Threatening Overages Without Providing Meters? → Re: Monopoly style greed

I question the need for a meter. What exactly are you charging for? The infrastructure is a fixed cost so any utilization under 97% is inefficient. Not to mention that meters has nothing to do with congestion (a supposed reason) or traffic control.

Most people don't even know that AT&T makes money TODAY from netflix. For instance Netflix owns their own global CDN platform, and they house servers/proxies in AT&T datacenters for which they PAY for. In addition they pay for the transit to ingest that data (via their CDN) into said AT&T datacenters, so in effect AT&T transit cost for said content is already ZERO--they are actually paying for the benefit, meaning once the content is in their networks it costs them NILL, ZERO to deliver it to you.

So now that they already charge Netflix to get your data and it costs them nothing to deliver it sans a small infrastructure cost of say $3-$4 per month, and that any network under 97% utilization is inefficient, why exactly are we even talking about meters?

This is the biggest fleecing of American's yet and everyone is arguing about "accurate" meters like a free byte on a pipe is something that actually costs money to provide. Ok maybe its a billionth of a cent, but it's not tied to the byte, its tied to the traffic utilization and management.

People this is not water, electricity, gas. Nobody has to drill it, refine it, or put chlorine in it. And a network pipe that is not being fully used is being WASTED not PRESERVED like an actual utility.

OMG...

I agree with you. However, that point is simply lost on many. It's confusing. The very least that should be done if overages are charged is to provide a meter that works. Can you imagine if cars didn't have speedometers, but police could still give you a ticket for speeding? That is what AT&T is doing.

You are right, it is not a utility, the HSI protion is an unregulated private network that can be controlled however the owner feels is appropriate.
The only portion that is currently regulated is the POTS portion that is a regulated utility.

The problem isn't exclusively limited to consumer ignorance, but also to many at AT&T that create the policies. They don't have a clue either. They understand only that it makes them more money, and lies are often repeated because, in part, they don't really understand how their own network actually works any better than the average executive at any other company.

Gasoline at the pump isn't a utility either, and it has meters regulated by the State. What is the difference?

I agree, however my point is that we are all arguing about meters and caps when in fact it is a dreamed up fairy tale created by the HSI vendors to attempt to rationalize something that doesn't exist, the usage unicorn. That is why there is an argument. It's an indefensible position.

Just go read a Q-4, and they read like HSI is pure gold, and it is.

It is hard to come up with a meter analogy because in fact the physical properties for networks don't conform to a meter

If my local FIOS router is being utilized at 15%, then a good 80% of it is being wasted.

It's WASTED for not being used, not the other way around.

The fact that they will sell you faster tiers and overcharge you no problem is a clear signal their networks are running JUST FINE.

Also the TV portion is regulated dear sir.

I won't get into the private argument, because the simple fact is they are not private, they run their networks over leased public property to the public benefit and sooner or later their revenue protection schemes is going to get them regulated or they adjust.

Their network is as private as my house which is leased from the government.

That gasoline sales ARE regulated, this is not.
The chief reason states ended up tightly regulating gas pumps is that's where TAX is calculated and everystate AND the federal gov't relies partially on gas tax for road building.
If you were willing to have even a minut tax per byte, you'd see 57+ bills in your state legislature calling for certified metering NOW.
As you pay tax(if any) based on a monthly charge metering is a non issue...UNLESS you can create a verifible legal case proving constant or deliberate inaccuracy.

This to me is more similar to having a regulated utility (AT&T and others would really hate being regulated!).
If you're being charged per unit, then that unit must have an 'approved' meter to validate it (similar to water, gas, electricity).

Imagine if my house bill hit $750 for one month while my disconnect was off... I'm not saying that it couldn't happen with an unregulated device, but having a meter on my house that isn't regulated could allow something like that to happen - no checks and balances.

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying,

But you would be charged tax on the overages.