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Cox Starts Threatening Disconnection if You Use Their Product
May be Considering Per Byte Overage Penalties

Cox Communications has traditionally had what are called "soft" caps, or usage caps that aren't usually enforced, but may be enforced if congestion in a market is particularly bad. Back in September we reported how Cox Communications would be moving from soft caps to tougher enforcement, warning users that they'd be booted off the network if they consume "excessive" amounts of bandwidth. What Cox has traditionally considered to be excessive can be found here, and varies by market and tier.

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Cox's new system will give customers four warnings. On the initial three warnings, users will be upsold to more expensive usage tiers. On the fourth warning Cox threatens disconnection, but will give users plenty of opportunities to avoid disruption. Users in our forums say that Cox is telling them the company has expanded their security and support staff to handle the new work load:
quote:
I have spoken with an Employee at Cox and was told that they have expanded their "Security Department" adding an entire new call center for the sole purpose of Data Cap Usage enforcement. He stated that the disconnects have become somewhat automated and if you go over them by more than 1GB you will be disconnected. I have been disconnected 3 times so far and was told by the technician I would have to call back EVERY MONTH to reconnect if I go over by more than 1GB. I have 6 people in our home, and 200GB is nothing when we all use HULU, and Netflix in addition to Reddit.tv and Youtube HD.
Cox pioneered the practice of cordoning off infected user PCs from the Internet until they called Cox support. It appears that Cox is using a similar system here, with users who cross the cap being forced to call in and apologize to Cox for using their product. Repeat offenders are greeted with a Cox warning screen that prevents full Internet access, and are sent an e-mail after disconnection urging users to call in. A Cox tech told one user overage penalties are also in the works:
quote:
The Tech I spoke to says this is just the beginning and even he thought it was ridiculous and commented how their network isn't anywhere near capacity. Also stated that Cox will be rolling out new "service options" in the near future where we will have a new selection of Internet Plans with increased bandwidth and/or will pay per GB over the limit.
ISPs are imposing such caps and overages to offset lost TV revenue due to Internet video, and despite breathless claims by industry, the penalties (at least on wireline networks) have absolutely no attachment to actual costs or congestion. It's effectively a way for the ISP bean counters to future-proof revenues -- artificially constricting the pipe and jacking up consumer costs for a product that costs less and less to provide each year. One problem we continue to see is that ISPs have had a hard time tracking and billing usage accurately, and despite ISP desire to bill like utilities -- no regulators have shown an interest in monitoring meter accuracy.
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ArrayList
DevOps
Premium Member
join:2005-03-19
Mullica Hill, NJ

ArrayList

Premium Member

comcast

I like how it shows you how much usage per day you are using.

I still wish there was a regulating body to make sure that the ISPs are not full of shit when they cap their products.

Nightmare
@corpmailsvcs.com

Nightmare

Anon

Re: comcast

SO why is that congestion and caps magically clear up if you get a business class connection??? same number of people in the area, same speed, same usage.......but if you pay us more... ITS ALL BETTER :D:D:D...................... someone please explain. And by someone i mean a engineer that can validate that there is a real network difference between a residential and business connection.

FutureMon
Dude Whats mine say?

join:2000-10-05
Marina, CA

FutureMon

Re: comcast

USUALLY...business class customers are routed through different circuits...which are shared as well, but only shared between business class customers...so they can offer 'uptime guarantees' and you get higher speeds due to lower overall usage of the circuit.

Just guessing.

- FM

theyisgreedy
@optonline.net

theyisgreedy

Anon

Re: comcast

No, usually business class customers have a higher priority when it comes to calling customer service. That's all. The poster was right, it's all about the money that Cox is charging people. It's pure greed.
cramer
Premium Member
join:2007-04-10
Raleigh, NC
Westell 6100
Cisco PIX 501

cramer to FutureMon

Premium Member

to FutureMon
I cannot speak about Cox, but TWC does no such f'ing thing. Sure, they'll parrot an SLA, but it's worth about as much as the paper you signed. It runs over exactly the same infrastructure as all the residential traffic, right in the middle of all the residential traffic.. The only visible difference... business customers have a router (cisco ubr) vs. the residential modem.
Expand your moderator at work

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel to ArrayList

Member

to ArrayList
All ISPs that cap usage are full of shit, because caps--by their nature--are nothing more than thievery (a policy of theft), as in, "Yes, you've paid for it... but we're not going to let you use it unless we say so."

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail to ArrayList

Premium Member

to ArrayList
said by ArrayList:

Re: comcast

I like how it shows you how much usage per day you are using.

Brighthouse

I like how they don't cap my internet.

NV
tpkatl
join:2009-11-16
Dacula, GA

tpkatl

Member

What an ass-backwards way of doing business

What can they be thinking? Rather than kick off (and tick off) your best customers, they ought to be courting them. Capitalize on them in advertising. Make use of the fact that Cox's services are so good that people want to use them a lot.

Instead they dump their best customers? Idiocy, sheer idiocy.
wkm001
join:2009-12-14

wkm001

Member

Re: What an ass-backwards way of doing business

This is a lot like the OWS movement. 5% of the users use 80% of the bandwidth. No ISP wants to provide service to that 5%. It skews the over sell figures.
talz13
join:2006-03-15
Avon, OH

talz13 to tpkatl

Member

to tpkatl
said by tpkatl:

What can they be thinking? Rather than kick off (and tick off) your best customers, they ought to be courting them.

Remember, their best customers are the ones who pay their bill in full and use a minimal amount of the service!

CRSatWRK
@cvgs.net

CRSatWRK to tpkatl

Anon

to tpkatl
Their best customer don't go over their cap because they have the most complete cable package which makes them the most money.
dwd
join:2008-12-16
Eureka, CA

dwd to tpkatl

Member

to tpkatl
Del
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

A new call center

Imagine if they'd taken the capital they spent on a new call center, upfitting the call center, and all the monies and energies in hiring the call center and put that towards network upgrades.

Then perhaps they wouldn't have to boot people from the network.

Apparently, the customer is always right has been buried for good.
25139889 (banned)
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH

25139889 (banned)

Member

Re: A new call center

customer is always right does not apply here. You know up front what your cap usage is. It is YOU FAULT if you go over it. NOT Cox's.

theyisdumb
@optonline.net

theyisdumb

Anon

Re: A new call center

The only cost to Cox for people going over a download cap is that they have to work harder to make sure their network can support the number of subscribers they have in each market.

It doesn't cost any more money in a well maintained network if someone downloads 6 Gig per month instead of 1 Gig.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to ke4pym

Premium Member

to ke4pym
There is no such thing as the customer is always right - never has been. If you look up the history of that, it was a feel good statement that came out of the mid-west from a department store.

The customer isn't always right, but the customer is still the customer. Just as there are many shady business operations these days, there are entitled consumers who believe they are entitled to more than they are; they have higher than reasonable expectations.

However, as was stated this is an issue of profit protection, not network capacity in the case of an ISP like Cox, Comcast, or TWC.. smaller ISPs do in fact face pressure from data intense users but that's another story.

There is a simple way to put a face on the issue.. it's "Dollar per customer"... when you look at any business there is always a dollar value to unit they try to achieve. In the case of the cable and phone company, it's dollar per subscriber. If they really wanted to set things on a level they really desire, they'd simply increase the price of stand alone internet service to about $99 per month, and discount the service to their desired $49 a month with TV bundled along with it. So, drop the TV for Hulu or Netflix, so be it, but they're going to get their $99 a head/sub for the connection. However, they've not yet climbed up that far on the ladder yet but I'd be willing to say that it WILL happen, if at least as an option to a billing by the MB model.

The games are getting old and they really need to shit and get off the pot and make their transitional moves once and for all. I've been around in the industry long enough to know (on both sides) as to what's coming. The things that are hitting the streets today are things that have been in discussion for at least a decade already. So far I've predicted the outcome of just about every move they've been making, even while people here have tried to tell me I'm wrong.

But back to your idea of putting that money towards network and not the call center.. again, it has nothing to do with that.. not at all. You're notion plays directly to the ideal that they're providing a necessity that is required to sustain life so it's a required move to boost the network, and they're not. There is always going to be a business model underlying, like it or not. And when they work to relieve the motivation from the customer is the day they die.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Usage Meters

I ended up calling AT&T about a definite problem with the usage meters on my wireless. Data use was tallied for a day I was on wifi, which pushed me over my cheap plan's cap. While the rep argued some possibilities that may have used the data(they didn't), she gave me no problem putting in a credit on my bill for the overage and apologized for the inconvenience. Last several reps I have talked to at AT&T were fantastic, btw. I really think they try in that area of service. This tells me either this rep was super nice, or AT&T knows that these meters still aren't 100% accurate. Cox is newer to the game of metering usage, so they more likely than not have even more gremlins in their usage meter system. Probably why they are holding off on charging for use, atm. Sad for wireless they can't even quite get the meters accurate. It's even sadder to have these meters, in the first place. for wireline, accurate or not, but especially if not.
PinkyThePig
Premium Member
join:2011-05-02
Tempe, AZ

PinkyThePig

Premium Member

Re: Usage Meters

When i worked for AT&T it was really really simple to give credits on accounts and as long as there is a half valid reason for the credit no one cares. Although some reps will be hesitant to give credits out willy nilly but what you can do instead is ask for free months of hbo etc. because we were encouraged to give those out instead of actual credits. As long as you are nice to the rep and push them in that direction then you should be fine.

joshy
@charter.com

joshy

Anon

Organize a complaint strike

Utilize what bandwidth you have to reach out to your fellow customers of Cox. State you will not accept bandwidth caps. There are lawyers who will work with you, just look for them. A facebook page called suing Cox would be a good start
25139889 (banned)
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH

25139889 (banned)

Member

Re: Organize a complaint strike

suing Cox for what? They're a private business and they can refuse to do business with anyone they wish. You agree up front and before any usage meters are put in that you accept what ever they give you. If you choose to still do business with them then you can NOT legally sue them..
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Organize a complaint strike

said by 25139889:

They're a private business and they can refuse to do business with anyone they wish.

Not true - not in the slightest.
25139889 (banned)
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH

25139889 (banned)

Member

Re: Organize a complaint strike

yes they can. Just like your neighborhood BP can refuse your business. You must not know how businesses work. They can REFUSE anyone they wish. You owe your local utility for back power bills and try and get service; it will take an act of God to allow you to have power and a lot of throwing fits and screaming. Cable is NOT a regulated utility though; and thus it is NOT a right. They can say sorry but we choose to disconnect YOU and you can NOT do a damn thing about it. YOU have no Rights when it comes to doing business with someone. The same as my business can tell you "i refuse to sell you what my company produces" and you can't do anything about it. Want to sue me; go ahead. You won't have grounds to do it under.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Organize a complaint strike

said by 25139889:

yes they can. Just like your neighborhood BP can refuse your business. You must not know how businesses work. They can REFUSE anyone they wish.

This is amusing...

First of all, I own and operate a business, I'm very well aware how it works. In MY business I CAN refuse business to anyone I want, so long as I don't violate any of the protected class rules or discriminate.

However, when you're talking about a business such as Cox, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint.. etc. THEY can NOT simply refuse to do business with someone "just because".. there are certain rules and regulations they must abide by in order to operate their businesses in the locations they do. In order to, as you say, "refuse" to do business with you, there has to be an established reason as to why..

An example of some valid reasons:

1) Former non-payment balance outstanding.
2) Failure to pay a current bill in established times.
3) Vandalization of their equipment.
4) Violating a terms in the TOS.
5) Unacceptable agressive behavior or repeated abuse towards employees.

.. but really, violating any of the provisions of the TOS/AUP agreement is about it. If they tried to deny service "just because" they'd be in violation of their franchise agreement which states they must provide services to the homes they pass. And while they are not utilities (which means nothing here) and while internet is not regulated, many local franchise authorities have provisions which REQUIRE they provide service to any home passed (again, so long as they don't have a valid reason why not to such as a violation of the TOS)

However, as you stated, they can't simply just say "sorry NWOhio, we're not going to do business with that... " But I can see how you somehow believe your alleged business is the same as a cable company, WHICH by the way IS most often governed by a local or now statewide cable franchise agreement.

Would you care to try again? .. or you think you can drop it here and realize that you're incorrect in this very firm position you're taking.

And by the way.. if/when you owe the power company lots of money and they pull the plug on you, it doesn't take an act of god, fits and screaming to get it turned back on - it's rather simple.. you pay the back bill and often a deposit and the friendly power man comes back out and unlocks your meter. Ironically this is the same as the cable company too only cable doesn't require a deposit to re-establish service.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

Why wouldn't Cox do this? Nobody will

slap them on their hand if their usage meter is incredibly off.

Cox and just about every other ISP using their meters have so many reported cases of screwy numbers that it seems irresponsible to release them to the public.

But again, what is the concern for Cox? If some customers get screwed, so what? They can't do anything...many of whom would like to quit but probably can't due to their contracts and/or no competition around them.
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

oh well

Sad.

I *NEVER* thought I'd do this, but since I'm moving soon, I ended up going with 6Mbps DSL instead of Cox. The price is hard to beat, even with slightly lower caps.

At least AT&T is up front about a simple $10 overage fee.

I will certainly miss the 18Mbps plan from Cox, but with a cap at 200GB, this equates to an absurdly low amount of usable TIME at full speed. With AT&T, if you factor use over TIME, even with 50 less GB/mo., and especially for the promo price ($25/mo), it's a better deal.

If one factors up the amount of time it takes to use the data allocated, it becomes immediately clear that caps are a HUGE ripoff.

200GB/mo a 18Mbps (assuming 1.96MB/sec., which I could achieve) = 28.185 hours of use, or, split daily = 6.66GB/day (counting 30 days in a month), which would take less than 1 hour to use up.

Again, the current cap on "preferred" or "standard" Cox service @ 200GB/mo is essentially allowing one to use their connection at full speed, for less than an hour a day...

Think about it. Is that really a fair amount of use in today's day and age, with "average household" use that is proven to be growing at a faster rate than ever???
bluedyedvd
join:2007-04-15
Overland Park, KS

bluedyedvd

Member

Re: oh well

I don't Think AT&T enforcing it's overage do to problem with there meters

I think the broadband companies are starting to get it that There broadband is there new bread and butter the more people that use the net the more money that they make. Overage fees make people use the net less just look at twc last press release
talz13
join:2006-03-15
Avon, OH

talz13 to amungus

Member

to amungus
Ok, so at 18Mbps you can use it full speed for 0.97 hours per day, while on 6Mbps DSL you can use it full speed for 2.18 hours per day.

You are still using the same amount of data, it's just taking you longer to get it! Actually, AT&T's 150GB cap on DSL means you can only download 5GB per day instead of 6.67 on 18Mbps cable, and it will take you over 2 hours instead of less than 1 hour.
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

Re: oh well

...true, but I'd rather ISPs stick with being able to use one's connection with less restriction... regardless of speed.

In any case, I'm only giving AT&T a try since the promo is so cheap and I'm looking to save a few bucks at the new pad since I won't be there long.

I may or may not end up over the 150GB limit, but if so, I'll try to track my own use and see how it stacks up against their meter and check my bills.
talz13
join:2006-03-15
Avon, OH

talz13

Member

Re: oh well

said by amungus:

...true, but I'd rather ISPs stick with being able to use one's connection with less restriction... regardless of speed.

In any case, I'm only giving AT&T a try since the promo is so cheap and I'm looking to save a few bucks at the new pad since I won't be there long.

I may or may not end up over the 150GB limit, but if so, I'll try to track my own use and see how it stacks up against their meter and check my bills.

I completely agree, but I also think there's a point of diminishing returns... If I had a 1Gb connection with a 500GB cap, it would go through it in 68 minutes of full usage, but I would never be able to find enough to have queued up in that on hour of usage, so it would still be spread out over the month... Unless I started getting 4K streams from netflix or something...

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

TechyDad

Premium Member

1 GB Cap

I've heard of low caps before, but 1GB is ridiculous. Even if this, if I'm reading it right, is a per-day cap.

If you use Netflix, on Standard Definition, a 30 minute TV show will take about 400MB (Source). This means, without *ANY* other activity, you'd be able to watch two and a half TV shows on Cox each day before being booted off. I have a feeling my family could go through a 1GB cap before breakfast without trying hard.

There is no reason for a cap that low. This isn't "protect the network from bandwidth hogs." This is "protect our video service revenues from Netflix, Hulu and other online video sources (legal or not)" with a sprinkling of "squeeze our customers for more money by charging overage fees in the future."

Right now, I've very glad I don't have Cox.

•••••••

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Give Them What They Want

Well, if they threaten to disconnect you... let them. They don't need your money, and people should not be paying for service they cannot use anyway. Even if there are no other Internet options near you, there is no justification to pay for something you cannot use.

Look what Bank of America did to its plans to impose a $5 monthly fee after many of its customers decided to quit the bank. Canceling is the only language that these companies will understand.

•••••••••••••••••••

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

Anyone who doesn't see the writing on the wall...

All providers are making noise about, or actively moving towards a system designed to extract more money from consumers via some sort of UBB system/caps "packages" plan. The writing is clearly on the wall.

The lack of competition here, and the high hurdles to entering the market or deploying communications services is emboldening the few Oligopoly market owners to bend consumers over. It also protects other legacy products like Pay-per-view and pay-tv.

The only markets you will not see this happen is the few where you have more competition (For example, a Muni-Fiber offering, or Google's Fiber, or somewhere where an ISP such as Sonic.net is building out.) Everywhere else, there's little or nothing to stop this trend from accelerating. While the rest of the world advances, we slide backwards.

It wouldn't surprise me if you jumped forward 10 years that we've moved almost entirely to by-the-byte billing at really stupid levels of profit. (Probably with a steep base charge to guarantee profit even off a grandma who only checks email.)

I hope I'm wrong. I don't see any evidence that I will be.
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

chgo_man99

Member

Re: Anyone who doesn't see the writing on the wall...

have you ever thought the way analysts at cable companies might think that people with money, most who are singles or couples dont have need much for tv because nobody watching so they use netflix, hulu and single person won't go over 250GB unless watch tv all day (but people have to have a life beyond house).

Then you have a large family, like of 4 or 5 people. Someone will always watch tv and having kids to watch their favorite show on dvr or demand is gonna be still cheaper with internet and cabletv bundle (with predictable fixed prices) than cable internet base + high charges for unpredictable overages.
temporalwar8
join:2003-11-26
Huntsville, AL

temporalwar8

Member

Mediacom no caps - YET

Mediacom is not as bad, but huge net neutrality violations

thedragonmas
Premium Member
join:2007-12-28
Albany, GA
Netgear R6300 v2
ARRIS SB6180

thedragonmas

Premium Member

Re: Mediacom no caps - YET

said by temporalwar8:

Mediacom is not as bad, but huge net neutrality violations

mediacom has a 250GB cap, they just dont enforce it, give it time though. the way they have gotten with fee's ever since rocco took it private i give it a year or two and theyl start the same thing.
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

1 recommendation

chgo_man99

Member

Re: Mediacom no caps - YET

said by thedragonmas:

said by temporalwar8:

Mediacom is not as bad, but huge net neutrality violations

mediacom has a 250GB cap, they just dont enforce it, give it time though. the way they have gotten with fee's ever since rocco took it private i give it a year or two and theyl start the same thing.

Lol, Mediacom is the second worst cable internet provider in North America and probably the world after Rogers (robbers)! Especially in category of worst network management.

davidbugs
@cox.net

davidbugs

Anon

Best Solution. Everybody Go Back Dial up

In the Golden of Dial up Era. We have so many choice.

We have seen A Free Dial up.

Now Broadband is freaking expensive.

We should be paying 10 bucks a month for broadband now.

Best Solution. Everybody Go back to Dial up. Support Small guy and even support Dial up exits.

Dial up is only cost like 6-10 dollars a month.

•••

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland

Premium Member

Doesn't make much sense

CenturyLink has, to my surprise, been agressively going after Cox with Prism and some higher speed DSL (still eons behind Cox's speed) lately, so the timing of this is kind of stupid IMHO. One thing's for sure, if they warn me I'm going to warn them right back, and take at least three accounts along with me. I don't abuse my connection but I expect to be able to use what I pay for when I want to. Its not like at $65 a month I'm stealing service.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Public Company

cox is acting more and more like a public company with stockholders to keep happy every day.

SpottedCat
join:2004-06-27
Miami, FL

SpottedCat

Member

Keeps getting worse

These companies act like the service they provide is a *favor*, and not a product you are purchasing.

It's absolutely revolting. If there were real competition in the market, this would not happen.

I think we need some regulation here. Other utilities are regulated, including land line voice service. Why shouldn't Internet access be?

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

Re: Keeps getting worse

Agreed. If they want to act like a utility, then be regulated like one.

No, they want to act like a utility, but scream "free market" and "deregulation". Which means they really want to just screw everyone for money... they don't want things that stand in the way of unfettered profiteering.
chasmcg
join:2010-09-13
Cooper, TX

chasmcg

Member

Cox Insurance company

Broadband usage is getting to be like insurance companies. You're a member of good standing as long as you don't use it. The Internet is getting to be all images and video and you can't use it without being throttled.

Tweak
Premium Member
join:2002-06-08
Colonial Heights, VA

1 edit

Tweak

Premium Member

Re: Cox Insurance company

I would expect silly rumors on a website like the register or Gizmodo but not broadbandreports . Had Karl had simply read the faq on overages on the cox website, he would see that Cox does not bill for overages. I show nothing listed on the there website about this or any plans to . I really hope he has better sources for these"rumors" other than an a single report from an anonymous user. Hopefully the l cox employees on this forum will set the record straight to put any of these wild rumors to rest.
Rob_
Premium Member
join:2008-07-16
Mary Esther, FL

Rob_

Premium Member

The Bandwidth Meter

Just to let everyone know, the bandwidth meter is hard to find.

If Cox is going to get anal about this, at least make the consumer aware that there IS a bandwidth meter and it's at »www.cox.com..... whatever.

Cox has been great to me and, if I ever have problems, bye bye Cox, hello Centurylink.

•••

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Not exactly a fan of metered billing but...

If you're sucking a TB a month off your neighborhood shared node, you should either be on a business connection or be using a server at a datacenter. I used to run a server that transferred 2-3 TBs in legal .iso files a month. I did so on a rented 100 mbit dedicated pipe. Seems Cox offers caps proportional to the speed tiers, unlike Comcast and TWC's models, which were each way out of whack in their own "special" way. 450GB can stream plenty of high quality HD video with decent codecs. They don't seem to be trying to kill it on the speed tiers that would actually support it well. Maybe they are just planning in order to keep the pace of upgrade needs in check.

Off topic...I later set it up to do it via torrent download then peak slowdowns were a thing of the past. 100 mbit was expensive enough for free software back then. 1 gbit cost was prohibative. Now gbit is coming down and 10gigE is insanely expensive. Chalk this up as a torrent success story. Make it the default download offered and watch bandwidth usage and congestion drop, if your program is big. Only reason I still offered http and https was isps that throttle torrents aggressively. Cox used to be one of them, in some markets. I guess now they're saying caps are easier for them lol.

ROGERMONOPLY
@rogers.com

ROGERMONOPLY

Anon

Re: Not exactly a fan of metered billing but...

I have Rogers in Canada, been constant fights over ultra low caps. They also use the words "up to" to get away with speeds as low as 3 % of advertised at night.

There are caps that allow users to use the product they pay for without living in fear of unreasonably high overages that can eclipse the total monthly package fee, yet still prevent people from business level usage at home. All packages should include at least 200. Plus it's next to impossible to dispute these overages, and ISP's often use it as a way to bump you up to the next package. I think they get creative in the way they meter and tabulate for a month. I'm sure always in the ISP's favor. Its just robbery.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Re: Not exactly a fan of metered billing but...

Rogers is more like the dysfunctional caps originally proposed for Frontier and Time Warner Cable. Only with Rogers and Bell, it became reality. Cox's look much more realistic for the speed tiers. With that pattern, a faster tier comes out and the cap is higher. 450GB is sane on a shared network for residential use. Heck, TSi has the highest cap in Canada at 300GB.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Reasonable Caps

Cox is implementing caps of 250GB-400GB.

Forum user is complaining ... when they are sharing one broadband link amongst SIX people watching Netflix and Hulu.

While I think hard disconnects are stupid business practice - Cox should simply offer a higher-priced tier for more use, I am incredulous that the aforementioned user seems to believe he should pay the same amount as the grandmother living in an SRO apartment using her Ipad browser.

midas617
@cox.net

midas617

Anon

huh??

THAT MEANS I WON'T BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD HIGHRES MOVIES LIKE CRAZY FROM THE PIRATEBAY??
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