strollin
San Martin, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/12/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
Comcast is going to put a 250G per month data cap on it's residential high speed internet accounts starting Oct. 1. I think I could live with that. The 5G cap that Verizon has set on it's aircard accounts is a little low (although I haven't hit it yet) but 250G seems more than adequate to me. That's a little over 8G per day, everyday.
I've heard some rumors that the industry is looking to move away from flat fee based internet usage to a pay-per-usage based system.
Article
|
Rick Jay
Greater Springfield area, MA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Yeah...and I think that 250 GB cap S**KS too!!! Yes, it's quite a high cap...TODAY. But what about next year...or the year after that. And once the cap is in place, then how much does it take for them to say something like "Gee...for those of you that don't use 250G, we're setting your cap at 25 GB to SAVE you money. We're going to charge our heavy users an additional premium since they NEED the 250 GB capacity."
A similar example is what our local cable TV supplier (Comcast) recently did to it's analog channel line up. While they've been advertising that the switch to the new "Digital TV" broadcast standards "WILL NOT EFFECT COMCAST USERS", it has. You see, in order to "make bandwidth" for the new digital stations they wish to distribute, they have removed about 9 analog stations off our listing. No reduction in price for us, just removed them. IF you want to receive these stations, you now have to pay EXTRA for a special box! (You see, their "market research" stated that their customers WANT the digital signals.) While I personally didn't watch any of these stations, my parents and many seniors in our community did! (I can tell you that these people don't give a rat's xxx about "digital".) They just got "screwed". Fewer channels, same bill!
NOPE, I don't like it. I don't trust Comcast one bit.
~Rick
* This post was
edited 08/29/08 08:43am by Rick Jay *
2005 Georgie Boy 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22 (Class A)
Rick, Gail, 1 girl (12-Angel), 1 girl (7), 2 boys (8 & 5), 1 plump Golden Retriever.
2001 Honda Odyssey with Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
|
Serena
US
Senior Member
Joined: 01/12/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Check with your phone company before you do that. It sounds generous, and would probably meet most anyone's needs. But do keep in mind that cable DSL and phone line DSL are not equal. They run on different hardware.
The phone company provides everything you need (however many lines to your house, as many lines as your neighbors need as well. You're not using anything but 'spare space' on the lines, and there's tons of it.
The cable company has only limited capability because they run one main cable through your whole neighborhood segment and you all have to share it. (Which also introduces some potential security problems that don't exist with the phone company.)
So why put up with a cap and the threat of overage charges at all, if you don't need to? The cable company is basically telling you that it doesn't have adequate bandwidth available for your market, and trying to tell you it's somehow doing you a solid in setting a cap. Just double-check with the phone company and see if that works for you before you jump.
Serena
I Know Where I Been, Cuz I Was There When I Went.
|
Jim83Itasca
La Quinta Calif
Senior Member
Joined: 09/16/2003
View Profile
|
Just another "Slippery slope" in the works.....
Jim
|
magicbus
LBI, NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 06/16/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Quote:While they've been advertising that the switch to the new "Digital TV" broadcast standards "WILL NOT EFFECT COMCAST USERS", it has. You see, in order to "make bandwidth" for the new digital stations they wish to distribute, they have removed about 9 analog stations off our listing. No reduction in price for us, just removed them. Isn't this the truth. When Comcast says it's a good thing for the customer it's time to start shopping!
Dave
Life doesn't come with a safety fence around it... enjoy it anyway.
|
|
|
tatest
Oklahoma
Senior Member
Joined: 05/14/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
250G is not particularly generous, if at the same time they are trying to sell you Internet TV.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
|
2oldman
WA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
5 Gig? I couldn't possibly hit that with email and rv.net surfing. I guess i'm not downloading enough movies or watching TV.
|
campingrandma
South Carolina
Senior Member
Joined: 08/03/2007
View Profile
|
250G is not nearly enough for anyone who plays online games and/or works at home like I do. I have to download digital voice files every day, sometimes 40 or more.
|
strollin
San Martin, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/12/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Sounds like many of you are spoiled by fast connections. It would be pointless for my current ISP to put a 250G data cap on my account since my connection is less than 1M DL speed I would have to be DLing 24 hrs a day, everyday, to reach the 250G limit.
|
Serena
US
Senior Member
Joined: 01/12/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
I don't know how you figure it's being spoiled to get faster, better quality service for about the same bucks. It's not like anybody scores points for roughing it, unless you're into some kind of Jeremiah Johnson Goes Digital scene, lol. (If that was the deal, some people would go back to dial-up just to prove they could handle it and call you a total wuss for not joining them.)
All due sympathy - I got a text-lashing just a few months ago for suggesting that Verizon's (and now Sprint's) 5 GB/Mo limits were ridiculous, and told I was basically a socially irresponsible pig if I used any more than that. The accuser was beyond clueless, but that's not the point. There's always gonna be somebody who sees it different, rightly or wrongly.
If you run a network in your house, all your proposed numbers can fall apart real quick. If you should get any better speed, same thing. If, as another poster suggested, your usage changes, same thing. It's a number that works for you at the moment. In this case, if you look back you'll see those who disagree are people who generally understand the technology and have a real specific feel for how Comcast historically conducts its business.
My only motivation is to not see you get ripped off if you can do better. Do as thou wilt - but I surely wouldn't commit to anything beyond a month-to-month deal! Best of luck and customer satisfaction to ya.
|
|
|
