| My experience with Comcast bandwidth suspension Let me preferace this by saying that the building i live in is an historical landmark upon which I am not legally allowed to mount a satellite dish or antenna of any kind. For whatever reason Qwest is currently refusing to supply DSL to it as well (I don't have a home phone number so I can't do a prequal to see if any other dsl providers will.) Thus my only option for broadband is cable.
I had gotten a letter in September for the month of August. It stated that I had downloaded ~60 gigs that month and uploaded ~20, and that this was over the limits. After a while spent trying to ascertain the actual limits I decided to just decrease my usage by about 30%.
Yesterday my service cut off at approximately 11am local time. It was preceded by no notice of suspension via email or snail mail. I called 1-800-Comcast only to be refered to their abuse voice mail box.
This afternoon I was called by a courteous person who informed me that i'd been suspended due to overuse of bandwidth. As mentioned above with no alternatives I had decided to be as cooperative as possible with comcast in order to not have my account terminated permanently. I informed her that I had read up on their policy on the internet and understood it and wasn't going to argue with her about it, to which she expressed relief. I then asked her if there was any rule of thumb she could give me. She said that a good rule of thumb would be to decrease my usage by two thirds.
Somewhat shocked but still meekly accepting (better 1/3 than 0) I asked for the statistics for that month so that I could target a 1/3 figure. She said that the statistics were classified and she wasn't allowed to tell me. Still somewhat shocked, I acquiessed and thanked her for turning my connection back on and hung up. Truly do I feel powerless, unable to turn to an alternative to slake my addiction to broadband.
So now I'm stuck. From reading comcast employee's comments in previous threads on this subject, I was lead to believe that one doesn't get this kind of smackdown unless they're downloading upwards of 100GB per month. I'd estimate my usage at no more than half of that for the month of November (though of course I can't verify that).
I'm not sure exactly what to do now. |
|
 jansm38Vn800-BPremium
join:2003-05-19
Blackwood, NJ | The first thing I did as soon as I heard of warning notices going out and no hope of knowing what the caps were I installed dumeter, that way if I did get pegged I'd be able to at least get some idea of what my usage was and go from there.
Comcast should be able to provide usage statistics for their customers. News providers do it, I don't see why Comcast couldn't. Maybe if enough people pushed for it they would comply. They should at least be allowed to tell you what the usage was that got you pegged, it's your account and you should have access to any and all information they have on you.
--
Dialup? They still make that? |
|
|
|
| reply to j23s3afj
Did the letter actually say you downloaded 60 GB and uploaded 20 GB or is that just your own estimate? Could you scan a copy of the letter and attach it so we can see it?
Sorry about your situation but thanks for any info you can provide based on your experience. |
|
1 edit | reply to j23s3afj
Upload and download speeds are rather asymmetric, what is the ratio 1:8?, 1:10? Whatever, it's a relatively large number. What's a typical download speed? 180 kB/s? With a 1:8 speed ratio that's 22.5 kB/sm upload. You estimated 60GB/20GB Down/up. Pulling it together...
60 GB download => 92 hours effective connect time
20 GB upload => 247 hours effective connect time
So total "connect time" is ~ 339 hours or 14 days @ 24 hrs/day
Maybe it's the upload amount at work here. Just a thought from someone doing a bit of algebra, having no connections to Comcast, and even less idea of the issues with real networks.
Too simplified a picture?
Blue |
|
 MDboyz
join:2001-01-11
Silver Spring, MD
2 edits | reply to j23s3afj
Anyone realizes that most people got suspensed for going over the limit are from areas which do not have any other alternate choices of internet?
I have a friend who live a couple blocks away from me has his computer on 24/7. He downloads alot every month, but he doesnt' get that kind of letter from Comcast. Also, there are many choices besides Comcast for his house tho. |
|
mikehu2
join:2003-11-28
Los Angeles, CA | reply to j23s3afj
I have use more than 60GB DL and 20 UL for more than a few months, dating back to April. I average around 60-80GB Downloading and at least 20 GB uploading, computer on almost 24/7, except weekend.
I Don't know the exact date when Comcast took over ATTBI in my area. Anyways, here in LA, I have so many choices for Broadband; SBC, Speakeasy, Satellite, etc. I have read a lot on here about bandwidth limits B.S., so this month I'm currently testing to see if they will send me a letter. I will not disclose the amount I have used, but is it a lot. I guess you can say I am feedup with COMCAST services and "unlimited" B.S. Bandwidth, so for the past 3 WEEKS I have use 2 computers 24/7 downloading and uploading, will disclose the DU meter image the end of December, or hopefully I will get the letter by then.
I was kinda paranoid by Comcast, some idiot tried to hacked into my computer, I thought it was Comcast Personnel trying to see what I have on my HDs, but it was just someone on Comcast account doing it, maybe? maybe not?
You can find out more info here: "http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,8706020~mode=flat" or the Topic Title: "Comcast caught Hacking? for too much Download?????"
The worse situation for me is I have to rely on dial-up, I will get it for free anyways since I'm an USC student. Perhaps I can room with an USC student to get EDU speed and not have to worry about such B.S. Bandwidth. hehehe. My brother in Orange County having Road Runner already have there speed upgrade to 3.0MBs and 384k back in late SEPTEMBER, and soon 512k for upstream, during the holiday, I guess before Christmas. I wondering why Comcast is lagging behind and why we California residences have not received at least the Download increase? Seems like we are always the last to get it. I was watching the local COMCAST last night, they mentioned the Speed increase before the holiday season. I will not be around the holiday, so I can't monitor it, though I will logging into this site and see what is going on with everyone..:o)
I am very happy such forum like this existed, cuz it feel likes everyone here are "FAMILY" helping and taking care of the needy from those CORPORATE SCUMS!!! |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
I am in the same boat and I have been with them since 1998, but I have lost my connection for the whole year. My download/streaming habbits have not changed since 1998, so I'm kind of inline with the previous poster saying they are targeting those that don't have access to other forms of high speed internet.
I don't have access to DSL cause I'm 900feet too far away, nor am I going to pay $1,000 to setup a satellite connection. Righ now I'm on Juno Speedband, cause it's the only option I have currently. From what I've been reading Verizon will be expanding in the coming months and possibly rolling out fiber lines which will hopefully be available to me.
I called the number I was given to call and asked them why I got this cancellation letter. They started by saying that these letters are due to me downloading music and movies. I asked them to provide me with proof of music/movies downloaded (I have seen letters in the posted past, so I know comcast sends them out if caught with illegal material). The 1st person that answered the phone couldn't provide me with any proof, because there is none. He just told me I use their service too much. I asked if anyone in the neighborhood has complained about service in the neighborhood due to my usage. The guy says he doesn't know of any complaints, nor could he tell me, so I'm pretty sure no one is complaining.
I then asked for a supervisor, and was told that there is nothing she can do, but that I would have to wait a year before getting cable back (Only to be disconnected again). I went on explaining to the supervisor what it is I do online. She went on about how there was nothing she can do to turn my service back on. After talking to this later for 15 minutes in circles, where she is claiming that there is a cap, but then comes back saying that there is no cap, I just got irate over the whole situation.
My computer is basically my entertainment center. For the past 5 years I have listened to streaming music 24/7 (helps me sleep at night, and it's not like I can turn the cmputer), played games like Quake, HalfLife, WarCraft 3, Diablo, and many others online countless hours into the night. I head over to apple.com/quicktime and am always looking at the newest trailers that come out (all of them, cause never know what I might like). And I'm paying for porn sites, which usually have a 100meg+movie every week, sometimes more than that. Plus if you have just found a new site you may be wanting the old videos. Not to mention the coutless Windows Updates that come out everyweek due to a new bug being found, Antivirus Subscription updateds, countless game patches that are required to play online, especially when some of them can be over 100megs themselves. I can't forget the webcam I use for videochatting on MSN Messenger.
That is why I got broadband 5 years ago. I'm not some grandma that just likes to hop on and check her email every day. I actually want to use the service.
I told the supervisor all this and she told me that would do it and that I'm cancelled for a year. I did nothing but do what they advertise on TV which is Listen to music, Watch streaming video, and play games.
Well if you actually look at their annual report for when they purchased AT&T BroadBand, their userbase more than doubled in size. Add all those people to the nodes, and increase population from people that will want to leave DSL for their new 3mbit download speeds, then you got saturation and overload of the line.
And to the above post it can't have anything to do with uploading, because I haven't uploaded anything in 2 years. I used to upload videos, ect. to family and friends because they were away at college. This was in addition to my downloading habbits mentioned above.
Since I'm still at home with my parents for the time being they have decided upon themselves to get a lawyer to take on the $20 billion monopoly. I guess I'll have to wait and see what comes of that. |
|
 Big_DPremium
join:2003-06-02
Augusta, GA | said by cumcast:
Since I'm still at home with my parents for the time being they have decided upon themselves to get a lawyer to take on the $20 billion monopoly. I guess I'll have to wait and see what comes of that.
Keep us posted. Definitely want to see what happens with that.
--
You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
and by the way before I got cutoff I did stop/slow down a few things. I stopped playing online games, and I stopped watching trailers online. But each time they could tell me what I was doing wrong, or guide me in the right direction other than to say to cut down a little.
Of course I don't know how much to cut back, if they don't tell me anything other than that there is no cap, but that I need to download less.
So it's a big FU to someone who has been there for 5 years just to buy out a division/company to more than double it's userbase. But hey money is everything afterall is it not? |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
said by j23s3afj:
I had gotten a letter in September for the month of August. It stated that I had downloaded ~60 gigs that month and uploaded ~20, and that this was over the limits. After a while spent trying to ascertain the actual limits I decided to just decrease my usage by about 30%.
As somewhat alluded to in BaloksPuppet  's post, this is the first time that I am aware of that Comcast told a customer how much bandwidth they used, let alone put it in their bandwidth abuse letter. Interesting indeed, if verified.
As a side note to mikehu2 , while the phase-in to actual changes to your service began at a later date, November 18, 2002 is as good of a date as any regarding the exact date when Comcast took over ATTBI.  |
|
kpatzMY HEAD A SPLODEPremium
join:2003-06-13
Manchester, NH | So far, everytime I read one of these threads, the pattern seems to be more or less the same:
1. User downloads lots of stuff.
2. User receives warning letter, saying cut back some.
3. User cuts back some.
(steps 4 and 5 may or may not occur)
4. User receives 2nd letter, saying cut back some more.
5. User cuts back more.
6. User gets suspended or terminated.
Has anyone gotten the first letter, cut back, and NOT received a 2nd letter or get disconnected? In other words, did cutting back get Comcast off your back?
Sometimes I wonder if, after sending the 1st warning, they don't just cut you off after a couple months without actually checking that you did cut back your usage. In other words:
1. Month 1, download 24/7.
2. Month 2, receive letter.
3. Month 3, download almost NOTHING.
4. Month 4, still get cut.
Any thoughts? For anyone who received a warning letter more than say, 3 months ago, was cutting back successful in preventing a suspension in service or a 2nd warning? |
|
 JTRockvilleData HoPremium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD | AFAIK
teddystacker received an excessive usage letter during the first wave, and has not been terminated.
There may be others, but I haven't kept track. |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
None of the letters have usage written on them.
-----doubtful |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
j23s3afj i feel for you, Don't know what you can do. Why is Qwest refusing to supply you with DSL?
Anyhow, I download over 70 gig easily each month and i've been constantly downloading this amount since i've got Cable, which was on 2002-11-29. Haven't gotten a warning letter yet - so thats why i don't understand  why you would get a letter for the amount of bandwidth you downloaded.
I'm guessing it has to do with your neighbors who have comcast also complaining of slowdowns? thats my best guess. |
|
Big_DPremium
join:2003-06-02
Augusta, GA | reply to j23s3afj
j23s3afj, Lets see some proof of that letter. |
|
Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| reply to j23s3afj
Re: My experience with Comcast bandwidth suspensio j23s3afj:
does the county or locality where you live have a cable commision or something similar? You could try filing a complaint with whatever agency "oversees" the cable franchise in your area. Chances are it won't do any good, but you never know. |
|
| reply to iBLoStBoY
Re: My experience with Comcast bandwidth suspension said by iBLoStBoY:
j23s3afj i feel for you, Don't know what you can do. Why is Qwest refusing to supply you with DSL?
Anyhow, I download over 70 gig easily each month and i've been constantly downloading this amount since i've got Cable, which was on 2002-11-29. Haven't gotten a warning letter yet - so thats why i don't understand why you would get a letter for the amount of bandwidth you downloaded.
I'm guessing it has to do with your neighbors who have comcast also complaining of slowdowns? thats my best guess.
You got other options to you in your area besides dialup? Some of us think comcast is just targeting the heavy users that have no other options/company to spend their money with. |
|
Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| reply to j23s3afj
Re: My experience with Comcast bandwidth suspensio YES JT is correct - I received a letter in Aug , brought DU meter and cut back by a vast amount.In Sept I did 70 gig and did not get any further problems from them.OCT and NOV were lower - again nothing.MY OPINION is that if you do BELOW 100gig in a month you will be ok,I don't know this for sure ,but that's what I believe the "safe" amount and sort of "hinted" at my the IP Abuse Dept , but don't quote me..
Comcast really is so WRONG on this issue... |
|
Big_DPremium
join:2003-06-02
Augusta, GA | reply to cumcast
Re: My experience with Comcast bandwidth suspension said by cumcast:
Some of us think comcast is just targeting the heavy users that have no other options/company to spend their money with.
What sense does that make? Why would comcast want to only terminate people with no other options?
--
You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! |
|
| reply to j23s3afj
The next time your service gets cancelled because you went over these "caps" that nobody can seem to spell out at Comcast as to what they are, just threaten them with a lawsuit if they 1) don't turn your service back on immediately, 2) turn your service off again for a reason that is not even defined in their ToS (let them know you have a really good attorney who could rip their ToS to shreds) and 3) demand that they give you a credit for the time you were without service. Generally if you threaten a lawsuit against a big company, like Comcast, you'll see them get their asses into gear really fast. Sure, it may be bluffing half the time but big companies usually won't call it. |
|
