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Geo
@comcast.net
| Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs Once again, Comcast seems to be starting to cut off internet service to "customers with excessive Internet use and downloads." This is an old story that receded from public view a couple of years ago after Comcast previously received much negative PR over the issue. The company has been heavily criticized for misleading advertising of "unlimited" Internet service, while issuing vague charges of excessive bandwidth use when some customers are sent disconnection notices by the Comcast Abuse Department. Comcast has never accurately defined "unlimited" or "excessive" in terms of service agreements, although the term "unlimited" seems self-evident to most average citizens.
See the story below and THINK before you sign up for Comcast Triple Play (Cable TV/Internet/Phone) service:
»www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2111373,00.asp
Several other media outlets have picked up this story and one former Comcast customer has started a blog on the issue (»comcastissue.blogspot.com/). I believe that this is just the first step in Cable TV's scheme to invalidate net neutrality and head off competing IPTV movie and HDTV download services that soon will be offered by Apple Computer (and already offered by other, lesser known startups companies).
Again: THINK before you sign up for triple play service with Comcast and any other cable TV company. These companies have an inherent conflict-of-interest in providing content services and controlling Internet access, and they will use their positions to stifle Internet TV competition. | |
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djdanska
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Glen Ellyn, IL
clubs:
1 edit | Re: Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs Known about this for like ages.. (Years??) Still with them! Better than the alternatives... (and i cannot remember the last time my comcast hsi was advertised as unlimited..) | |
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b1gdr3
I Blame Your Mother
join:2001-07-28
Pittsburgh, PA
| said by Geo :
Once again, Comcast seems to be starting to cut off internet service to "customers with excessive Internet use and downloads." As they should. It clearly states in the Terms of Service that this is going to happen. This is not anything new.
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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers. | |
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Geo
@comcast.net
| Re: Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs Obviously this is an old story that is in the news once again after a long absence of publicity, and more is now at stake for customers with the advent of competing IPTV services. This most certainly IS NOT the same old story.
But does the Comcast TOS clearly define "bandwidth limitations?" Below are the only two passages in the TOS I found that discusses this issue. The company still only vaguely defines bandwidth limitations, and customers are reporting that their Abuse Department still will not tell you what the limitations are even when they disconnect you from the service for exceeding the limitations.
Please, someone correct me if I am wrong and if the complaints we are starting to see again are fair and accurate. I guess I do need to look around the net and be watchful on TV commercials to see if they still are advertising "unlimited" Internet service, but Comcast routinely did do this in the past.
»webwalker06.comcastonline.com/Cu···?Id=3712
"...Bandwidth, Data Storage and Other limitations Use of the Comcast network infrastructure in a manner that (i) exceeds the then current bandwidth, data storage or other limitations on the Comcast High-Speed Internet service or (ii) puts an excessive burden on the limitations of the network. Examples include: Using the Comcast network to run a Web-hosting server or any other commercial enterprise..."
"...You further agree to comply with all Comcast network, bandwidth, and data storage and usage limitations. You shall ensure that your bandwidth consumption using the Service does not exceed the limitations that are now in effect or may be established in the future. If your use of the Service results in the consumption of bandwidth in excess of the applicable limitations, that is a violation of this Policy. In such cases, Comcast may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your Service account or request that you subscribe to a version of the Service with higher bandwidth usage limitations if you wish to continue to use the Service at higher bandwidth consumption levels..." | |
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b1gdr3
I Blame Your Mother
join:2001-07-28
Pittsburgh, PA
| Re: Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs said by Geo :
But does the Comcast TOS clearly define "bandwidth limitations?" Doesn't have to. They tell you to cut back. You don't. You get terminated. Pretty simple. Cut back means stop abusing the service. What is complicated about that?
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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers. | |
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Ebolla
join:2005-09-28
Dracut, MA
| heavily critized for advertising unlimited services? where? link please, I have not seen "unlimited" in advertisements for years. BTW this really should be in Comcast Internet forums along with the multitude of similar posts that go nowhere on this topic. | |
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Geo
@comcast.net
| "...BTW this really should be in Comcast Internet forums along with the multitude of similar posts that go nowhere on this topic...."
Except that as I said, I believe these policies really are about the Net Neutrality, bundled "Triple Play" services and giving a competitive edge to Comcast Cable TV, which someday will have to compete with other IPTV services.
For that reason, HD and Cable TV customers need to be thinking about this in the context of their services... | |
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Geo
@comcast.net
| ...and by the way, I don't view making these observations as complaining at all. I view it as simply passing along interesting, current and real news and maybe clarifying what a given company may or may not be telling prospective customers about their services.
Why should anyone (except perhaps Comcast or other cable TV employes) get defensive about that? Hey, we're Comcast customers who wouldn't want to get caught up in this either. But with Comcast's lack of HD programming right now (and for the next couple of years), I can see a day coming when some of us may want to start downloading extra content from Web sources. So, like many, I'm simply trying to analyze the facts, look ahead and anticipate if I'm going to have to drop Comcast Internet to be able to achieve this (should it prove to be attractive). | |
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Geo
@comcast.net
| Re: Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs "...They tell you to cut back. You don't. You get terminated. Pretty simple. Cut back means stop abusing the service. What is complicated about that?..."
Well, if you take the time to read the blog I linked to instead of just commenting without any information, you'll see the guy who's Internet service was terminated did cut back and even asked Comcast how much to cut back.
Apparently, he contacted the Customer Service department about his warning letter and they emphatically told him their was no problem. Still, he substantially cut back on his downloads, (he thought) even though he had no idea how much he should cut back. The Abuse Department (which customers cannot contact directly), still went ahead and terminated his Internet service.
If the tale is true, it seems to me this is unprofessional customer service and poor communications by any standard, but in my experience, it's also representative of how poorly Comcast treats customers -- with arrogance and disdain. | |
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Ebolla
join:2005-09-28
Dracut, MA
| this has nothing to do with net neutrality, nothing is being hindered at all. And the high usage cutoff is just that, high usage cutoff. You can have Internet and no cable or no phone so that would have nothing to do with any bundles. Also the people impacted by this are what? approx. 1,100 people out of comcast as a whole? People who in most cases are warned and dont curb usage. And also in most cases people doing massive downloading on what is an ever increasing debate of legality (copyright infringment). | |
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geo
@comcast.net
| Re: Comcast again starts to cut off Internet bandwidth hogs "...And also in most cases people doing massive downloading on what is an ever increasing debate of legality..."
Yes, I agree, but this will not necessarily be the case in a very short time. Soon, people will be legally downloading 720p HD movies from Web sites like the iTunes store, and we'll need the bandwidth to download whatever we need or want. In some cases, people will be replacing services they once received from the cable companies, which are used to operating like monopolies (which is going to have to change). Let's face it, bandwidth and Internet speeds in the U.S. are slow compared to some other nations. Our nation is technologically behind, and the Cable TV industry's very slow conversion from analog-to-digital is part of the reason why. | |
| Phugg
join:2004-09-30
Riverbank, CA
 ·Charter Pipeline
| Play by the rules and NO PROBLEM , abuse like a child and SEE YA. How hard is that to understand ? I know I will get bashed , but OK go for it. For those that say 300gb a month is NOT enough ... well if you are doing that much , you should PAY for that much ! End of story. | |
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