dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
uniqs
41

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS to rody_44

MVM

to rody_44

Re: [Caps] Comcast New 300GB Monthly Limit And Overage Charges

said by rody_44:

The cap isnt about streaming video at all. Unlike what Karl likes to preach.

The cap isn't about streaming video, or congestion. Collecting from the "one percenters" won't generate sufficient revenue to upgrade the infrastructure, either. Amazingly, all ISPs across the board, that have "cap-and-overage", have settled on the same $10 per 50 GB cost for going over; but not the same volume for the trigger. About the only conclusions I can draw are, "protect the TV revenue stream", or, "because they can (charge what the traffic will bear)".

Zydia
@comcast.net

Zydia

Anon

A lot of this discussion has left out several of the largest rising usages for the internet.

First, streaming that isn't service (Hulu, Amazon, Netflix) based that is user generated (a la Twitch.tv and others). People who stream or watch streams will use up a lot of data very quickly.

Two, Gaming. Whether you're talking about console or PC, gaming is a huge thing and only becoming larger. New consoles will automatically patch when they're not being used now and this includes downloading content for games that users have purchased (and have a cd for). In fact, one of the big draws of new consoles is their ability to stream video (from services and user generated) straight to the tv (something that competes with TV services offered by ISPs). For players on PC, the market actually favors digital delivery these days and digital purchasing. It is incredibly easy to reach high data usage if you buy video games digitally. Games can range from 1gig to 40 gigs and players constantly patching/updating those games (required for most to play) will use a lot of data. This also, of course, ties closely into other digital purchases (video, music, books/magazines.).

Three, streaming music. My household streams radio and music via completely legal paid for services. This can also eat up bandwidth more quickly than you think if you're running it in the background.

Fourth and finally are devices. Most Americans use a variety of devices and many of these devices have limited internet usage so people rely on their wi-fi at home to do most of their updating/patching. While these may be small individually, they can add up.

None of these things are illegal but they can all be heavy usage.

When you are talking about average users, you need to factor in all the new changes to American media usage and the rise in video game popularity as well as how the new consoles being sold as entertainment centers, which is a huge change. User created content is also on the rise. (32 million people watched the streaming video of the popular video game League of Legends world championship tournaments compared to the 108 million that watched the SuperBowl on TV and only 3 million who watched it streamed).

I have had Comcast/Xfinity for about 10 years now. I have watched service decrease steadily over the last 5 years with frequent outages, horrible lag spikes and poor customer service. We use Comcast as they are the only viable alternative in our area and we have a tv, internet and phone plan with them. We have outages for hours at a time and we have terrible spiking lag during peak times.

We also have a very high usage rate. My roommates and I all game and watch streaming video (including Xfinity on our PCs). We also will sometimes stream video (the new PS4 allows you to stream directly from the console). We purchase the majority of our media online. We are paying $182 a month for standard cable, internet and voice. None of the plan upgrades we can look at will allow us to increase the 300GB data cap. They only increase our upload and download speeds (which are not the problem and honestly, we get lower than the speeds we pay for anyway, even if only a single person is using the service, so there's another underperformance issue). Our data usage for the month of November was 813GB. That means, at $10 per 50GB, we're looking at over $100 in overages in addition to our $182 a month, without any improvement in service.

I consider this to be wrong. As a previous user pointed out, Comcast plans charge by the provided speed, not by the data usage. The switch now, without any improvement of service and no way to switch to a plan that is more economical, is unethical. At the very least, they should increase the cap if you purchase a higher cost plan or a higher cap if you are a bundle user. If we find a better provider, we will be switching. To say we are displeased with the changes is an understatement.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

3 edits

rody_44 to NormanS

Premium Member

to NormanS
I actually think my conclusion makes more sense. Which is instead of having to build and maintain a network that must support what 1 percent of users use to the other 99 percent. They attempt to get the 1 percenters to conform at least to a more reasonable amount to what the 99 percent uses. Does that not make more logical sense. If it was about streaming video the cap would be much lower. Lets not forget comcast was fine with sandvine and managing that 1 percent of users bandwidth which doesnt go along with any theory of protecting the video side. Not to mention there is broadband cable internet providers that only cover the isp side and not video. Guess what, they have caps to. If it was all about protecting video they wouldnt be having a cap where you can stream 300 hours a month of video and still not go over it.
catnapped
join:2010-11-22
Elizabethtown, PA

catnapped to Zydia

Member

to Zydia
said by Zydia :

If we find a better provider, we will be switching.

They're counting on most people having no choice but to keep writing them those checks.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS to rody_44

MVM

to rody_44
said by rody_44:

Not to mention there is broadband cable internet providers that only cover the isp side and not video. Guess what, they have caps to.

Not all of them. Mine surely does not. But a lot of smaller ones, such as Windstream, do have capacity issues.

iNick
Premium Member
join:2012-12-11
Joliet, IL

iNick to Zydia

Premium Member

to Zydia
this Exactly for me to download BF4 on the PC was almost 25GB then the updates are almost 2GB each and for me to download it on the PS3 was 35GB the same on my PS4 and each update is almost 2GB then for each map pack to come out is almost 2GB the same with CoD Ghosts for the Map Packs then we use Netflix a lot on the 4 devices at a time listening to Music from Google Music for $8 legally take up a lot of GB's from Comcast no CAP yet in Chicago hope it stays like that or else i'm switch to Business Class then

Bodyslide
join:2000-12-14
Woodstock, GA

Bodyslide

Member

So far this month. With 2 ps3's, 1 ps4, One Xbox, A few laptops and 4 smart phones we have done 43 gb in the first 5 days.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

said by Bodyslide:

So far this month. With 2 ps3's, 1 ps4, One Xbox, A few laptops and 4 smart phones we have done 43 gb in the first 5 days.

So if you have a big family (of devices) you need to budget more for 'food', and food delivery.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by tshirt:

So if you have a big family (of devices) you need to budget more for 'food', and food delivery.

Oh, dear! Now we are having a byte famine. Or is it that Chimera called the "Exaflood"?
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to tshirt

Premium Member

to tshirt
You mean the way comcast has to budget more knowing that they will have way more service calls from high users of the service.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt to NormanS

Premium Member

to NormanS
Not a famine, the OP is paying for the various devices, but using/needing greater bandwidth CAPACITY to receive more bits per month.
He KNOWS he only purchases 300GB per month from comcast so if he orders more than that he'll obviously need to pay for the extra.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by tshirt:

He KNOWS he only purchases 300GB per month from comcast ...

I have looked at the Comcast site for ordering Internet service. I read the "Details and Restrictions" for a number of the plans. Comcast sells "speed", not "volume". None of the plans I looked at mentioned that Comcast is selling any number of "GB" per month. I tried reading the Acceptable Use Policy, I could not find any reference to "volume" of data, only delivery speed.

So, based on not being able to readily find what the Comcast "volume" limits are, how can he know he is only purchasing 300 GB per month? This service cap is not mentioned on the sales site.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Reread the OP of this entire thread.
The OP received (along with everyone else in the effected area) receive a notice (think addendum to the static ToS's you read) stating "At Comcast, we recognize that our customers use the Internet for different reasons and have unique data needs. Starting September 1, 2013, Comcast will trial a new monthly data plan in this area, which will increase the amount of data included in your XFINITY Internet Service to 300 GB and provide more choice and flexibility.
Not sure how much clearer they need to be to satisfy YOUR definition of notice, most people caught the gist of it, even if they don't agree.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

1 recommendation

NormanS

MVM

said by tshirt:

The OP received (along with everyone else in the effected area) receive a notice (think addendum to the static ToS's you read) stating "At Comcast, we recognize that our customers use the Internet for different reasons and have unique data needs. Starting September 1, 2013 ...

Still not available on the order site. NEW customers trying to perform Due Diligence by checking the order site can't know details not presented to them on the order site. What I know, from lurking/posting at DSLR forums is not necessarily common knowledge to potential customers.

Comcast should be forthcoming on the order site, instead of blindsiding their customers.

NetFixer
From My Cold Dead Hands
Premium Member
join:2004-06-24
The Boro
Netgear CM500
Pace 5268AC
TRENDnet TEW-829DRU

1 edit

NetFixer

Premium Member

said by NormanS:

Still not available on the order site. NEW customers trying to perform Due Diligence by checking the order site can't know details not presented to them on the order site. What I know, from lurking/posting at DSLR forums is not necessarily common knowledge to potential customers.

Comcast should be forthcoming on the order site, instead of blindsiding their customers.

Absolutely correct. And just in case you weren't seeing mention of a bandwidth usage restriction because your area did not have it, I just checked the order site as a new residential customer in my area (which has the 300GB limit for residential accounts), and there is no mention of a bandwidth usage restriction on the main page or in the "Details and Restrictions" or "Learn More" links.
swanlee
join:2013-12-05

1 recommendation

swanlee

Member

Uhh this sucks, We are a family of 3 and have already used 57GB this month and that is without downloading any games on my Xbox one. I hate having to now treat bandwidth even more restrictive than water or electricity.

500Gb would have been a more realistic level but with Super HD netflix, Youtube, next gen game downloads etc. Comcast needs to understand the world has changed and 300GB is simply not enough.

NetFixer
From My Cold Dead Hands
Premium Member
join:2004-06-24
The Boro
Netgear CM500
Pace 5268AC
TRENDnet TEW-829DRU

NetFixer

Premium Member

said by swanlee:

Uhh this sucks, We are a family of 3 and have already used 57GB this month and that is without downloading any games on my Xbox one. I hate having to now treat bandwidth even more restrictive than water or electricity.

500Gb would have been a more realistic level but with Super HD netflix, Youtube, next gen game downloads etc. Comcast needs to understand the world has changed and 300GB is simply not enough.

Comcast fully understands that many (and at some point, most) of their HSI residential customers will go over the 300GB bandwidth ceiling. That is why they now charge extra fees if you exceed that limit instead of simply terminating the customer's service (as they used to do). They finally learned to tap that resource for cash instead of shooting themselves in the foot.

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

1 recommendation

JohnInSJ to swanlee

Premium Member

to swanlee
said by swanlee:

Uhh this sucks, We are a family of 3 and have already used 57GB this month and that is without downloading any games on my Xbox one. I hate having to now treat bandwidth even more restrictive than water or electricity.

500Gb would have been a more realistic level but with Super HD netflix, Youtube, next gen game downloads etc. Comcast needs to understand the world has changed and 300GB is simply not enough.

"Comcast will automatically add blocks of 50 GB to your account for an additional $10, should you exceed the 300 GB included in your plan in a month."

So, you'll pay at most $40 more in a month when you use 500GB. Months you don't, you won't. It's not like you'll RUN OUT. You'll just pay a bit more.

This isn't a hard concept. Hell, I pay $200 more a month in the winter for gas then I do in the summer. To keep my house 90% as warm. Seems unfair.
JohnInSJ

JohnInSJ to NetFixer

Premium Member

to NetFixer
said by NetFixer:

Comcast fully understands that many (and at some point, most) of their HSI residential customers will go over the 300GB bandwidth ceiling.

I seriously doubt this. Many? Sure, where Many > .1% and less than 5% In all likelihood the spread is more like .1 - 2%

The vast majority of people just don't use boatloads of data. Some small numbers do. Shockingly, most of them are here on this forum. I know, I was stunned to find I was atypical too.
swanlee
join:2013-12-05

swanlee to JohnInSJ

Member

to JohnInSJ
My problem is this kind of cap stuff is not being advertised and was not what I signed up for when I subbed it was advetised as no cap and was based on speed as to which plan I got. Their is no competition in my area for real HSI so I'm pretty much stuck in a monopoly. Also if they are trying to punish cord cutters how about waving this cap nonsense for triple play subscribers?

I also fond it funny when they advertise live TV web steaming now as a comcast service. Yeah I'll use the live TV streaming from the comcast site just to go over my cap and pay them more money.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt to NormanS

Premium Member

to NormanS
I agree clearer disclosure is a good idea, but this being an evolving item' in some locations, for a limited time (or not) it isn't yet.
On the other hand with 3 months of notice BEFORE you pay an overage, it is unlikely to "bill-shock" anyone.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by tshirt:

... with 3 months of notice BEFORE you pay an overage, it is unlikely to "bill-shock" anyone.

Concede, on the warning time. My locol ILEC also gave advanced notice of implementing a paltry 150 GB cap. They have a more "generous" 250 GB cap on a service they are force-migrating users to; so I take it that they are using their cap as a cudgel to drive their customers to a more expensive set of services.

Fortunately there are at least three local competitive providers (two of which are CLECs) without caps, so I bailed. My speed is comparable to some MSO tiers; and at least half the price.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan to NetFixer

Member

to NetFixer
said by NetFixer:

said by swanlee:

Uhh this sucks, We are a family of 3 and have already used 57GB this month and that is without downloading any games on my Xbox one. I hate having to now treat bandwidth even more restrictive than water or electricity.

500Gb would have been a more realistic level but with Super HD netflix, Youtube, next gen game downloads etc. Comcast needs to understand the world has changed and 300GB is simply not enough.

Comcast fully understands that many (and at some point, most) of their HSI residential customers will go over the 300GB bandwidth ceiling. That is why they now charge extra fees if you exceed that limit instead of simply terminating the customer's service (as they used to do). They finally learned to tap that resource for cash instead of shooting themselves in the foot.

Yep and with our government asleep at the wheel as usual for regulation of these wired HSI oligopolies, we'll all get taken to the cleaners.

But wait, there's more! Our new FCC commish (former paid stooge for cable and wireless) says it's ok to let ISPs charge extra for preferred access to websites, which will basically destroy the open internet we have now if it's allowed to happen. Gotta love the corporatocracy.

»arstechnica.com/tech-pol ··· st-lane/

bigjohn
join:2005-05-26
Woodstock, GA

bigjohn to rody_44

Member

to rody_44
Huh? I've been on comcast for 2+ years now and not a single service call - and I use over 300gb a month.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

2 edits

telcodad to GTFan

MVM

to GTFan
said by GTFan:

said by NetFixer:

Comcast fully understands that many (and at some point, most) of their HSI residential customers will go over the 300GB bandwidth ceiling. That is why they now charge extra fees if you exceed that limit instead of simply terminating the customer's service (as they used to do). They finally learned to tap that resource for cash instead of shooting themselves in the foot.

Yep and with our government asleep at the wheel as usual for regulation of these wired HSI oligopolies, we'll all get taken to the cleaners.

But wait, there's more! Our new FCC commish (former paid stooge for cable and wireless) says it's ok to let ISPs charge extra for preferred access to websites, which will basically destroy the open internet we have now if it's allowed to happen. Gotta love the corporatocracy.

»arstechnica.com/tech-pol ··· st-lane/

In connection with this week's CES, AT&T today announced its "Sponsored Data" service:

AT&T Criticized For Data Cap Carveout
New Service Would Allow Businesses to be Charged Directly for Customers' Data Use

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News - January 6, 2014
»www.multichannel.com/tec ··· t/147506

EDIT: A DSLR news item on this now: »AT&T To Launch Sponsored Data Product [72] comments

EDIT2: A press release from Free Press in response to this:

AT&T Sponsored Data Scheme Is a Lose-Lose for Customers and App Makers
Free Press - January 6, 2014
»www.freepress.net/press- ··· p-makers

iNick
Premium Member
join:2012-12-11
Joliet, IL

iNick

Premium Member

I wonder how this would work?

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

On the Ars Technica site today:

AT&T plan to turn data caps into more cash could come to home Internet
Net neutrality law doesn't explicitly bar payments to bypass data caps.
By Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica - January 9, 2014
»arstechnica.com/tech-pol ··· nternet/

Kasoah
join:2013-08-20
Merced, CA

Kasoah to tshirt

Member

to tshirt
Because using bandwidth is using something(limited) up.
haha

Rion
@comcast.net

Rion to tshirt

Anon

to tshirt
I'm a new customer to COMCAST, leaving UVERSE. I read the small print and I read nothing about going over 300. But that being said, the first full month of COMCAST. I went over. I admit that I was used to streaming Iheartradio all night and watching Netflix for hours on the weekends but that all stopped when I got the first phone call in December but now I'm on the 9th and I'm already close to exceeding. I did work from home one day this week but I haven't used Netflix or Iheartradio since January 1 so I could see what my usage was and now I'm at 90%. I wasn't at 90% this early in the month of December and the site where I should be able to monitor my usage is not working. Very sad that my 30 day trial period ending 6 days ago or would have gone back to Uverse.

Anyone else having this issue especially those in areas where we will have to pay if we go over 300 gb

train_wreck
slow this bird down
join:2013-10-04
Antioch, TN
Cisco ASA 5506
Cisco DPC3939

1 edit

train_wreck

Member

kind of straying off topic, but if you stop your normal usage but are still going over/close to the cap, then something else inside your network is transferring data, and you should figure out what that is... could be a family member, a rogue backup program on your computer automatedly running, or potential malware activity.