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Nashville Is a Testing Ground for New Comcast Cap
As Comcast Rolls Out Higher Caps, Overages

Back in May Comcast announced that the cable operator would be eliminating their 250GB monthly cap for all users -- and would instead be testing a number of new cap and overage options. At the time, Comcast stated that users in some trial markets would see their monthly caps raised to 300 GB a month -- but users would also potentially be seeing overages ($10 for 50 GB was cited as an example). One of our regular users says they've been informed that Nashville will be one of these trial markets, an e-mail to users informing them that the decision to start charging overages was an "evolution" in Comcast services.

The e-mail confirms that users in Nashville participating in the trial will see a 300 GB monthly cap, and be charged $10 for each additional block of 50 GB. Comcast says that to get users used to the overages, they'll be implementing a "three-month courtesy period" where users are not charged for the first three times they violate the cap in one year. The full e-mail sent to users:

quote:
Dear XFINITY Internet Customer:

At Comcast, we recognize the ways our customers are using the Internet are evolving, and that our services should evolve as well. Starting on August 1, 2012, Comcast will introduce a new Internet data usage management plan in Nashville that increases the data usage allowance for all XFINITY Internet customers from 250 GB to 300 GB and provides more options for usage.

What This Means for You

The vast majority of XFINITY customers use far less than 300 GB of data in a month. If you are not sure about your monthly data usage, please refer to the Track and Manage Your Usage section below.

We want our customers to use the Internet for everything they want and your service will not be limited to the 300 GB monthly data allowance we provide as part of XFINITY Internet. While we believe that 300 GB is more than enough to meet the Internet usage needs of most customers, you can always buy more data in additional blocks of 50 GB for $10 each.

In order for our customers to get accustomed to this new data usage management plan, we are implementing a three-month courtesy period. That means you will not be billed for the first three times you exceed the monthly 300 GB allowance during a 12 month period. Should your usage exceed the monthly allowance after the courtesy period expires, you will automatically be provisioned for additional $10 blocks of data each time you exceed the 300 GB allowance.

For more information about this plan please visit

www.xfinity.com/datausageplan/nash

Track and Manage Your Usage

Comcast provides you with several tools to easily track and manage your data usage:

Usage Meter - See how much data you have used with our usage meter, available in the Users and Settings tab at www.xfinity.com/usagemeter.

Data Usage Calculator - Estimate your data usage with this tool available at www.xfinity.com/datacalculator. Simply input the quantity of your typical Internet activities and the calculator will estimate your monthly data usage.

In Browser Notices and Emails - We will send you courtesy "in-browser" notices and emails to your Comcast.net e-mail account letting you know when you reach 90% and 100% of your monthly data usage allowance.

If you have any additional questions about the new data usage plan, please visit www.xfinity.com/datausageplan/nash

Thank you for being an XFINITY Internet Customer.
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Anon2857
@comcast.net

Anon2857

Anon

Dear Nashville, TN Comcast Users

Please respond to this idiocracy by downloading as much as you can (even if it is random data) to intentionally blow through these ridiculous profiteering bandwidth caps.

Since you are limited in State, Regional, County, and City markets to lackluster competition, your voice means little and voting with your money becomes nearly impossible.

Resist this pressure by threatening cancellations of service or making a complete mockery of their statistics.

Regional Slave from Comcast Northwest Region
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: Dear Nashville, TN Comcast Users

said by Anon2857 :

Please respond to this idiocracy by downloading as much as you can (even if it is random data) to intentionally blow through these ridiculous profiteering bandwidth caps.

Since you are limited in State, Regional, County, and City markets to lackluster competition, your voice means little and voting with your money becomes nearly impossible.

Resist this pressure by threatening cancellations of service or making a complete mockery of their statistics.

Regional Slave from Comcast Northwest Region

Are you serious? You do realize that until recently they did have 250 GB cap. No offense but your idea is stupid and no one will do it. most of the people you say a e being victimized by Comcast don't come near the old 250 GB let alone a 300 GB cap.

The overages are $10 for 50 extra GB will be considered reasonable. especially in the light of cell companies charging $10 per ONE GB. You expect people that don't do anything about paying $10 per 1 GB to the cell phone company to plain about $10 for 50 GB?

Also you have to go 2 times in 12 months without having to pay any overage and the first 3 months under this beta test don't even count. So one can go over 5 times in the next year and not get charged. So seriously how many people will this affect?
Wilsdom
join:2009-08-06

Wilsdom

Member

Re: Dear Nashville, TN Comcast Users

Wireless and wired are not the same! Not the same. Not the same. Do you get it yet? Cause they are not the same.

aSic
application specific
Premium Member
join:2001-05-17
Wakulla, FL

aSic

Premium Member

Re: Dear Nashville, TN Comcast Users

said by Wilsdom:

Wireless and wired are not the same! Not the same. Not the same. Do you get it yet? Cause they are not the same.

I'll say. My pr0n shows up on a bigger screen on my wired connection.
ualdayan
join:2004-07-17
Antioch, TN

ualdayan to Anon2857

Member

to Anon2857
Don't you love that one of the FAQ is:
»customer.comcast.com/hel ··· t-trial/

Can I opt out of the new data usage plan in Nashville?
No, you cannot opt out of the new data usage plan in Nashville.

JasonOD
@comcast.net

JasonOD

Anon

Alleluia!

After years of stockholders and analysts practically begging them to monetize/annuitize the bandwidth demand curve and that cutting off or forcing heavy residential users into inappropriate business class services is a bad idea, it begins..........
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Alleluia!

said by JasonOD :

After years of stockholders and analysts practically begging them to monetize/annuitize the bandwidth demand curve and that cutting off or forcing heavy residential users into inappropriate business class services is a bad idea, it begins..........

Do you just complain and rant just to complain and rant? "into inappropriate business class service.." what's so inappropriate about it? I have both residential AND business class and I don't see an issue. I have business class because I run a business and I use the tools that come with BC. However, under this plan, as a "heavy user" I would actually pay FAR LESS on BC than with residential. My BC service costs me $69 a month and that includes the static IP and no cap.

So, want some cheese with that wine?

Now back to reality.. people want "fair" from comcast. The fact is that MOST people still do use FAR less than the current 250gb hard cap as it's set. Comcast has now increased it to 300gb AND their overage price is only $10 per *50* gig of data. Many providers are $10 per gig in overage. AND, Comcast has said that the first 3 overages in a 12 month period are not charged.

So what's with the dramatics?? You still holding out for that top speed wide-band internet with an all you can eat date for $14.95? .. keep dreaming. I will stand with anyone where they're being un-reasonable, but I think that this plan, if one were to be instituted, is still by far the most fair plan of all carriers with overage plans.

Unlimited internet is gone.. no matter what people want, it's gone. I too would love truly unlimited internet but you have to face it that there is no RIGHT to it and no government is going to ever legislate it.. be it pubs or dems.. it will never happen.

The ONLY thing about a business class account that would be hard for a residential user to accept is that it comes with a term agreement and no ETF. eg, if you have 6 months left and cancel, you're responsible to pay to term.

graycorgi
Premium Member
join:2004-02-23

graycorgi

Premium Member

Re: Alleluia!

said by fiberguy2:

My BC service costs me $69 a month and that includes the static IP and no cap.

Lucky you. Most people can't get that kind of deal.

That said, this is the most reasonable cap & overage model I have seen out of any ISP yet.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Alleluia!

Click for full size
Ummmmmm.. that's the going rate nationwide for Comcast business class. I have that in CA, MN, and IL right now.. all businesses.. Depending on the contract you can get it cheaper. One business I signed in at $39.99 per month as I took a 3 year agreement knowing that it was going to stay. Again, it's a REAL contract so you're in it for the term - not an ETF deal. Business class CAN be negotiated.

»business.comcast.com/smb ··· et/plans

For the record, attached is my speed test from testmy.net using a large file. While I have starter, this is about the norm for me.

graycorgi
Premium Member
join:2004-02-23

graycorgi

Premium Member

Re: Alleluia!

No DOCSIS 3 here. Residential internet without cable starts at 66.99/mo for 6mbps (12 powerboost). The 59.99 price might work for a 3 year contract here, though. Definitely not getting anything faster than 6mbps for that price in my market.

I do stand corrected that most users don't get that kind of deal. The last time I called, it was 100 dollars. I didn't check their website.

Thespis
I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV.
Premium Member
join:2004-08-03
Keller, TX

Thespis to fiberguy2

Premium Member

to fiberguy2
said by fiberguy2:

Unlimited internet is gone.. no matter what people want, it's gone.

Not quite gone yet...

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

300GB cap & $10/50GB overage blocks very reasonable unless you are the ones trying to upload your whole local network to the cloud every day for backup. And if you do that - GET A BUSINESS account.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

Yeah, it's a lot better than getting cut off. While I don't agree with bandwidth caps in principle- this is pretty darn reasonable, and gives you the opportunity to go nuts if you really want to, and your cable bill isn't going to be much higher.

will_it_stop
@comcast.net

will_it_stop

Anon

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

For real heavy users, the overage fees could push the cost of residential service beyond that of business class service. Comcast could block residential users from getting business class (unless they have a need for that type of connectivity, e.g. telecommute.), rake in the dough, and continue to raise the cost of internet.

Here in the mid-south, the cost of internet went up $2 last year, and then $4 this year. Now that Comcast knows they can raise internet rates, I'm sure there will be yearly rate hikes from here on out, in addition to cap-and-overage. When will it stop?
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

Business class service can be as low as $59 per month depending on a 1, 2, or 3 year term. Comcast will not cut off access to business class to residents because there are residents that do run business from their home, like me. Further, as I stated, they come with a commitment, ala true contract. You buy a year, 2, or 3.. and you pay to term, no different that buying a car on term. THAT is the one thing that will distract most residents from buying the service.. THAT, and there IS an installation fee regardless of active service or not. That $200 fee can often be waived if you sign the 3 year term. So really, I don't see comcast blocking residents in exchange for a guaranteed term. THAT is the string to business class.. the price for BC internet would be comparable after the first $10 overage in most cases.
ualdayan
join:2004-07-17
Antioch, TN

ualdayan

Member

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

Business let me sign up as 'M2M' (month to month) in exchange for me paying a $250 'installation fee' (since I previously had residential and they didn't even bother to disconnect any cables there wasn't any real installation process).

Here's the part of this I find annoying:
Will I get a higher monthly usage allowance if I upgrade to a higher plan/tier?
While you may upgrade your service at any time to receive more speed and performance, all of our tiers of service have a data usage allowance of 300 GB per month.

If Nashville had to be a test market why can't it be one of the markets where you get higher caps for higher tiers? I might actually be enticed to spend more on the 105Mbps residential plan, but not if it's going to have the exact same cap as your basic 12Mbps (Or whatever the base residential is now, 12Mbps is still the base business tier)
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

I'll take you on your word that you got a M2M agreement, the reality is that you are the exception to the rule. There's one thing that IS for sure about CBC is that 1) Installation fees go down with a longer term. a 1 Year term requires a $250 install fee EVEN if there service is already existing. (FYI, they insist employees pay the fee too) 2) M2M service is not an option as a rule, so not sure how you swung it. And if a M2M option was ever considered, the fact that they only discount with a longer term would suggest that $59 a month wouldn't be on the table normally because they only discount with longer terms.

On the surface, your reasons and your situation is hard to believe.. but won't argue it. I'll just stand by IF you got it, you are a VERY rare exception. So call it installation fee or activation fee, it's there because they can justify the charge to a business because it's a SERVICE PLAN designed for business.

Why can't Nashville be a test market, why can't it be one of the market for higher caps? ... because they don't offer caps based on tiers as far as I know. Not everyone buys 105 tiers to consume more. Some people would buy it to MOVE the same about of data faster. They still see it as an information service.. people can only still process and consume so much information. I know that at 105mb I'd enjoy the fact that I could move larger image and package files faster so I can get on to the next task.. but having 105 doesn't mean that I'm going to be also to create more files to move just because the internet moves them faster.

The fact is that as of today, Comcast doesn't equate throughput with transfer.. until they do, this is how they price their service.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT
·Frontier FiberOp..
Asus RT-AC68

BiggA to will_it_stop

Premium Member

to will_it_stop
Then don't download so much. If you're paying $60-$70/mo for a 25mbps connection, and getting 300GB of transfer, that's a pretty good deal. If you have multiple users using that much bandwidth (which is feasible in a household of multiple tech-saavy users), then maybe you should pay a little more for bandwidth...

JigglyWiggly
join:2009-07-12
Pleasanton, CA

JigglyWiggly to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
but i am not a buisness
what a joek comcast is
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: Better than 250GB cap & no overage allowed

said by JigglyWiggly:

but i am not a buisness
what a joek comcast is

Are you entitled to use 1 TB of data for $40, $50 a month?
88615298

88615298 (banned)

Member

Better than old cap but still not as good as it could be

300 GB is better than 250 GB, and it's higher than other ISPs. However a measly 50 GB increase in 4 years sucks. That's less than 5% increase a year. If they can continue to not count their own stuff against the cap that's ok but not great. If they have to count their own stuff then the caps needs to be at least 500 GB.

$10 per 50 GB is not a horrible deal especially compared to mobile that charges $10 per ONE GB( funny how mobile data is apparently 50X more expensive than cable internet ). The bad side is if you go just a few GB over you're paying more 20 cents per GB. In fact you have to use all that extra 50 GB to get the 20 cents per rate. If you use 25 GB then you're paying 50 cents per GB which gets into bullshit territory. Just make it $1 per 5 GB. That's easy to understand.

redxii
Mod
join:2001-02-26
Michigan

redxii

Mod

Re: Better than old cap but still not as good as it could be

Probably because cable has much more capacity.

I bet Comcast finally realized it wasn't good business to boot users indefinitely/permanently from their network, whether they went slightly over the cap or a lot.

keithps
Premium Member
join:2002-06-26
Soddy Daisy, TN

keithps to 88615298

Premium Member

to 88615298
If it's not such a horrible deal, then why didn't they just do it a bit down the road in Chattanooga? Is it because we have can get 30/30 FTTH with no caps for $60/month? Is that why Comcast offers great cut-rate deals down here, and Nashville pays $10 per 50GB overages?
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to 88615298

Premium Member

to 88615298
800gb transfer for $100.00 isn't necessarily bad for even a regular streamer. That alone could be enough to encourage people to stray away from cable all together for a full streaming option.

spike010101
Premium Member
join:2003-11-28
Austin, TX

spike010101

Premium Member

ugh

And Verizon fios continues to put Comcast to shame... I think the next time I move, being in a fios area will be a requirement.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: ugh

said by spike010101:

And Verizon fios continues to put Comcast to shame... I think the next time I move, being in a fios area will be a requirement.

Hope enjoy paying $75 for 15 meg speeds.
nanaki333
join:2010-08-11
Chantilly, VA

nanaki333

Member

Re: ugh

$70 for 15meg and $80 for 50 meg, both unlimited. seems like a good deal to me, especially when you get the 50meg package with 15meg upload.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: ugh

Yup. I would LOVE to have the ability to get FIOS.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: ugh

Yea.. I'd love to have Fios too, IF it was provided from a different company that hasn't demonstrated some incredibly bad business practices, drastically raises price, controls and manipulates consumers in other products they offer, and outright leave their undesirable customers in the cold all while they pay their bills. I'm GLAD they offered DSL for $15 month,... good luck getting it fixed when it had a problem because they did everything possible to NOT send a tech out. What's that? Don't have a second phone cord to TRY in your modem? .. go buy one and then call us back. (after a trip to the store....) what? move the DSL modem to a new jack? .. no computer near said jack? .. move your computer and then call us back. Really good for 60 year old widows.

How about smaller cities where their copper was pure crap and their answer to repairing your service was to give you a crappy flip cell phone as a permanent fix? I'm sure it's no big deal to them either because hey, they have enough crappy flip phones to give EVERYONE on the block 1 phone per house.

How about the tax money they took from governments in the east to build out fiber about a decade PRIOR to building Fios, and then never produced?

I can go on.. but you're right.. I'd LOVE to get FiOS because their service is great... it's just too bad it's provided by a company that could give a crap less about you and has demonstrated time and time again that they'll not only ultimately pull the same stunts everyone else hates so much,.. they'll do it better!!

Yea.. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't touch Fios or anything Verizon ever put in front of me. They could plug the internet into my head and open up the entire node just to me and charge me $5 a month for it but I'd never give that company a penny of my hard earned money.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT
·Frontier FiberOp..
Asus RT-AC68

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: ugh

It's not like AT&T is a great company, and they have a desirable product on ZERO percent of their footprint, unlike Verizon who has it in part. Also, Verizon knows that the areas they don't upgrade will all bleed over to Comcast and gang.

Fiberguy, some people will benefit, and some won't. With Share Everything, plan management becomes a lot easier, people with 6+ phones will save a bundle, heavier users can easily take some data from lighter users on their plan, MHS is now free without having to hack the phone and iPads and Jetpacks are a LOT cheaper to put on the plan.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: ugh

Don't care what AT&T is doing.. I don't play the "he has more cake than I do" kinda argument.. that is to imply that everyone and everything has to be fair. So drop AT&T. This is about Verizon.

Don't care if some will make out better.. that's fine. The fact remains, and Verizon knows this, that the majority of people are going to see a dramatic rise in bills (than not) while getting less service. And if they're billing by the byte, then why must a user also have to pay to have access to said device? If you just had an ipad on the account, that 1gb is now $60, not $50.. If you add a laptop as well, that same 1gb is now $80...

And jet packs are $20 a month. How is that cheaper? The first gb of data for a jet pack is $70 a month for 1gb.. it used to be $50 for 5. I'm sorry if you can't see that. They double dipped in access to the internet. The data only devices only consume data.. period. Since they dramatically increased the cost of data, they should not need to charge a monthly fee to allow for access. The rule should be simple.. "you can have up to X amount of wireless devices on 1 account" same as any other family plan limit.

Sorry.. doesn't work.

•••
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned) to nanaki333

Member

to nanaki333
said by nanaki333:

$70 for 15meg and $80 for 50 meg, both unlimited. seems like a good deal to me, especially when you get the 50meg package with 15meg upload.

50 meg is useless and so is 15 meg upload. Unlimited is great if one uses more than 300 GB per month.

If one need in excess of 500 GB and FiOS is an option maybe that's the better way to go.

Fact is Comcast 20 Meg tier using 500 GB a month basically costs the same as FiOS 15 meg tier over the course of a year.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT
·Frontier FiberOp..
Asus RT-AC68

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: ugh

I have used CDNs that can max out an 80mbps wifi connection, and could probably do well more than that if given the bandwidth. With OS updates now in the 5GB range (OSX), games in the multi-GB range, and even video versions of podcasts now clocking in over 2GB in some cases, the more download the better.

As for upload, I'd love to have 10+mbps of upload. When backing my files up to Backblaze, I can use up to about 8mbps of bandwidth, but Comcast only gives us 2. Now imagine a family all getting back from vacation with a collective few hundred GB of photos and videos to back up, and you're using all that upload very quickly.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to nanaki333

Premium Member

to nanaki333
Judging on the way Verizon has been handling it's business affairs lately, I would tend to believe that FiOS customers WILL ultimately see a cap come to their service. Verizon is VERY good at doing one things well.. pissing off their customers. It's not going to be long before Verizon wants to maximize it's return from FiOS users. While they will likely make it better than the other offerings, they're going to want to manipulate all products they offer.. it's only a matter of time.

Providers don't mind raising the rates on their services and losing a few customers. If they raised their rates or increased the RGU return while losing a small percentage in the process they still come out ahead for the number of people who WILL stay on the service they're hooked on will actually not only make up for the loss of revenue from departing customers, those who remain will help them realize a small increase in revenue too. This will also allow them to service less customers in the process which is also a savings. AS the market shifts, they will market and bring in new customers and the revenue increases.

THIS is what a smart business does to increase profits. That's the game of business.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to 88615298

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to 88615298
said by 88615298:

said by spike010101:

And Verizon fios continues to put Comcast to shame... I think the next time I move, being in a fios area will be a requirement.

Hope enjoy paying $75 for 15 meg speeds.

That is what a bundle is for. I have cellular, Ultimate HD, 35/35 Internet and digital Voice. Cellular has unlimited data and text. My total monthly bill(including taxes and cable cards) is $200. And my cellular portion is $78 of that.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: ugh

Your unlimited data isn't going to last much longer. They HAVE given you the ILLUSION that you're going to have options to keep your unlimited data, you know, so long as you pay full price for a phone, right? ... well, they've already demonstrated very clearly that they want everyone off. It's only a matter of time before VZ just outright says "nope.. we're done." So, if/when you upgrade, even at full price and hand over a premium for your what-ever-phone you buy, just know that at some point you'll have just over paid for a phone in order to keep a plan that you already see the writing on the wall that they don't want you to have.

Let me translate your $78 a month in Verizon-speak.. "you're not the customer we want"... They pretty much just raised the price of a smart phone service to $90 a month and drastically reduced the amount of data at the same time all while selling their customers on "unlimited voice" which people have clearly said "we don't care about" and unlimited Text" which really costs them very little to provide anyway, all so you can REALLY pay, well, about $90 for a gig of data.
Os
join:2011-01-26
US

Os to spike010101

Member

to spike010101
Considering Verizon has sunk to new lows in the wireless industry with their "Share Everything in your Wallet" plans, I wouldn't be that confident FiOS is going to remain so great.

It is a superior product in every facet. But remember who steers Verizon. That company could come up with the most oppressive UBB of them all, and to make it as twisted as possible, they could do it to FiOS.

Remember, they don't feel it's profitable enough.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: ugh

Keep in mind that FiOS has DOCSIS 3 competition across its footprint. They have to be better than the competition to keep subscribers. That means they have to have higher (or no) caps.

Also, VZ has an order of magnitude more capacity, on their system than Comcast does. 2.5 Gbps down, 1.25 Gbps up, spread among at most 64 users. Comcast? They might have nodes down to 64 users now, but those users are sharing maybe 320 Mbps of bandwidth on the downstream side and 70 Mbps on the upstream.You can see why one has caps and the other does not.
Os
join:2011-01-26
US

Os

Member

Re: ugh

AT&T didn't follow that mindset. Neither has CenturyLink.

Yes, FTTN is an inferior joke, but this assumes caps have anything to do with bandwidth management. They're pointless for that, but not for the real motivation, more money.
mmay149q
Premium Member
join:2009-03-05
Dallas, TX

mmay149q

Premium Member

Greeeeaaaat

So if I were to go with Comcast now, I guess I could count on paying whatever the monthly fee is, plus an additional $140 just to meet my requirements (Yep, that's not a typo, I can easily deal out 1TB worth of usage in a month) And seeing how Time Warner is my current provider they'll probably be next to implement this crap... Well... Looks like it's time to make sure I drive around the city and find all the open WiFi networks to leech off of when I need to download huge files

Matt

•••••••••••••••••••
decifal7
join:2007-03-10
Bon Aqua, TN

decifal7

Member

um

Hey comcast.. SE corner of Dickson County TN.. Bring service, I will pay for those limits and overages..

You will have the monopoly here too btw. Alotta unserved homes for some reason.. Alotta hughesnet dishes and wildblue's around.. I'm sure people would dump them in a sec for a real provider..

••••

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

KrK

Premium Member

The plan is to ease the sheeple into accepting high overages

... and then tighten the screws. Once people have accepted the overages model, then they can begin ratcheting it downwards or creating "Premium" tiers or start making those net neutrality busting agreements where this or that company's content don't count towards said cap.

It just goes to show what lack of competition and regulatory capture does to a nation.

••••••

hyphenated
@bellsouth.net

hyphenated

Anon

Caps

This is nothing. Caps will probably just get lower once you're used to this. Maybe they want have to though for the increase in demand, which will result in more overage.

StevenB
Premium Member
join:2000-10-27
New York, NY
·Charter

StevenB

Premium Member

Why Defend

Something that isn't a thing to defend. For the poster that said 15meg is more money, is incorrect. Goto www.verizon.com put in a friends address or anything, and if you want stand alone service it's still cheaper than Comcast's cap tier.

Bottom is this guys and gals. Comcast and other providers of IPTV, Broadcast cable and what not.. Do not want YOU the CONSUMER to go online and watch Netflix and other legal providers of IPTV and other sources.

Comcast has so much capacity it's a sham, and really a highway robbery.

Back Haul, Last-Mile, HUBS, Routers etc.. Have been going down in costs since god know's whatever. If there is really a need to CAP the service, can the company provide hard data to support it?
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Why Defend

While you are absolutely right that Comcast has a ton of capacity, that really is irrelevant to be honest. Comcast has a right to price their products to fit their business model. And while people call foul at every turn, the fact is that comcast has bills to pay. If they opened up the pipes, and EVERYONE starts streaming over night as their primary TV, well, for 1, NOW that capacity starts to fill up.. and 2, they erode their revenue stream which in the greater scheme of things pays the bills. Whats that? "they can live with less revenue?" .. probably, but who's to dictate that? If they can dictate revenue for business, then perhaps they can dictate your income too. THIS is where competition comes in to keep a market in check.

Comcast could EASILY just price in an internet tier at $99.99 and make the $100 per house they want AND make a much higher profit margin since internet doesn't have to pay networks a portion, BUT, the fact that Verizon is around with Fiber and is not capped tells you why comcast hasn't made the move to just raise the price of internet.

HOWEVER, if Verizon starts to see a drop in adoption and use of Fios video service, and their fiber traffic rises at the same time,.. guess what? ..capped Fios service will arrive. I would tend to believe that the reason Fios isn't capped YET is because their bundles/packages are where they'd like to see them, now so they don't need to screw with their internet... yet.

jasqid
Fiber In Your Diet?
join:2002-04-02
East Palestine, OH

jasqid

Member

As much as this pains me....

to see unlimited die by the way-side... I think its inevitable. My view about broadband is more like a utility now. (Running VOiP phone service through it, etc.)...

And with media content moving online it just makes sense to meter the usage. And FWIW, I dont find these amounts to be all that bad. Especially since there is a forgiveness window (unless this is just for the beta period).

I am so close to becoming a "cord-cutter" and dropping DirecTV. (Im keeping my Sunday Ticket). I'm just to the point to pay for my comcast HSI, netflix and hulu account and be done with it. Save $100 month.

And with the issue between DTV and Viacom, this is only the beginning. I think over the next 5 to 10 years, we're gonna see even more folks going online to get their content directly. It's just going to evolve. So setting up this basic metering that they are doing is the first step and as long as their prices remain fair I guess Im okay with it.