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Comcast to limit customers' broadband usage
SavannahLion:
--- Quote from: ChadTower on September 02, 2008, 07:58:14 am ---
--- Quote from: SavannahLion on September 01, 2008, 08:00:21 pm ---You're applying a current standard to what could potentially be a future problem. Yes, today that would be around 2 DVD's a night. But what about tomorrow? Is it still going to be two DVD's a night?
--- End quote ---
It's only a soft limit, though. It's not like they can't just say "hey, all of a sudden we have 5% of users at 250G, and usage patterns suggest it is legit usage, time to update that to 400G". I'm fine with a pretty high ceiling like this if if ensures better service for me.
--- End quote ---
That's true, but then there's nothing really preventing Comcast from saying, "hey, all of a sudden we have 5% of users at 250GB, and usage patterns suggest it is legit usage, let's see if we can charge $5 for each additional 100GB over the limit."
All I'm saying is that I wouldn't trust Comcast to develop policies that are ultimately in our best interests. They're saying now that they're doing to protect the QOS of 99% of their other users. But what are they going to have in mind five years down the road?
I get this argument from other people all the time. "If you don't like Comcast, why don't you go with AT&T or someone else?" These people just don't get it. I would if I could, but the simple fact of the matter is ISP's have monopolistic practices. If I want broadband, Comcast is the only provider in my neighborhood.
It's not like I live out the ---smurfing--- boondocks either. It's a well developed urban neighborhood with an excellent mix of residential and commercial zoning. It's the unfortunate fact that some providers are so well entrenched other providers can't gain entry.
ChadTower:
--- Quote from: SavannahLion on September 02, 2008, 10:48:59 am ---But what are they going to have in mind five years down the road?
--- End quote ---
I bet they're going to be saying something like "what the hell are we going to do about the fact that everyone seems to be moving to fibre optic connections?"
I have comcast right now because it's the only broadband option available to me. That supposedly changes by end of 2008 when FIOS becomes available here due to the construction of a new office park a couple blocks away. When FIOS becomes available I will no longer have a Comcast connection of any sort. As it is my Comcast line is subleased by Galaxy Internet Services and I buy it through them - as I likely will my FIOS connection. The big companies aren't user friendly but the smaller subleasers almost always are.
SavannahLion:
FIOS isn't all cracked up to be. Not too long ago a contract was drawn to bring fiber to each home. The company brought fiber to the neighborhoods. The company asked if they could simply bring it down to the street and break it out to copper at that point due to the costs involved. The city gave the OK. A year later the company asked again if they could bring it to a square block and break out to copper to the houses. Again the city gave the OK. That's where FIOS is stuck. Fiber was brought to the individual neighborhoods, but still not breakout to copper or even a direct fiber as specified in the original contract.
ChadTower:
It may not be what they originally said it would be... but it is faster and cheaper than cable. That's all most people will ever care about.
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