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April 22nd, 2009, 08:50 PM
#1
Internet bandwidth capping for the USA?
It looks like US ISPs are investigating metered or capped bandwidth schemes:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30229181//
I wonder how much of this is motivated by torrents and filesharing?
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April 22nd, 2009, 10:43 PM
#2
It looks like US ISPs are investigating metered or capped bandwidth schemes:
They are doing more than just investigating. Comcast is metering/capping my residential service.
In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.
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April 23rd, 2009, 12:02 AM
#3
Hi CSR,
Over here, we have had capped internet right from the start.
To begin with (in dial-up days), we generally had "free" internet. The ISP didn't charge you because they got money from your Telco (no free local calls here, so you paid your Telco, and they paid the ISP).
With broadband you were generally offered a range of packages with a low cap option to emulate the previous dial up option for people who didn't use the net very much. I guess it was a marketing strategy to support legacy options.
There is usually a high-end option that is supposedly uncapped, but if you believe that, you are certainly more naive than you look. I have the uncapped option and have had no problems, even though I have sometimes downloaded very large amounts of data in a short period.
My friend, who lives about 500 yards away and has the same deal with the same Telco is a guy who downloads a lot of audio/video and uses torrents. He must be on the same loop as me, and is about 300 yards closer to the telephone exchange.
He gets 2Mbps (throttling?) whilst I get around 5.5, and has had a warning from them that he is using too much bandwidth, and they will start charging him for "excess usage" (a clear breach of contract in my opinion...........or misleading advertising......either way, they are violating our laws?).
They say they don't cap and throttle.............but they DO! and that applies to all the major providers over here.
You might like to check out this thread, as I shall certainly be participating
http://antionline.com/showthread.php?t=278156
The other major providers are just as bad.
Last edited by nihil; April 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 AM.
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April 22nd, 2009, 11:52 PM
#4
We're not being capped yet (TWC), but as the article notes, TWC has started implementing it in certain areas (and it's not a coincidence that it's happening in areas where they have a virtual monopoly).
I wonder how much of this is motivated by torrents and filesharing?
You can stop wondering - the answer is probably 99% All large ISPs also happen to either be or are involved with cable TV providers (or satellite in the case of AT&T), and torrents are a-hurting their ad revenue...
I back up a 6+GB database from home every day... A cap would hurt :s
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April 23rd, 2009, 12:13 AM
#5
You might like to check out this thread, as I shall certainly be participating
What thread?
Maybe you are over your limit.
In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.
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April 23rd, 2009, 12:29 AM
#6
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April 23rd, 2009, 12:48 AM
#7
All too well my friend.
Getting old sucks... but the alternative is worse.
In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.
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April 23rd, 2009, 12:58 AM
#8
the only way this will happenis if everybody does it. As long as you have an alternative, companies won't try it. If Time Warner tried it, people around here would switch to FIOS in a heartbeat. I know I would.
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April 23rd, 2009, 01:15 AM
#9
the only way this will happenis if everybody does it.
I'm not too sure of that. In my town, the choice is comcast or slow as sh!t DSL.
That's not really a choice. Currently, I would bet most of the country is in a similar situation. Until FIOS get rolled out nationwide (or other high speed alternatives come to market), the cable companies will get away with this capping thing.
BTW...If FIOS was an option for me, I would switch to the 20/20 service in a heartbeat irrespective of the capping. "I feel the need for speed"
In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.
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April 23rd, 2009, 02:23 AM
#10
Originally Posted by Cheap Scotch Ron
I'm not too sure of that. In my town, the choice is comcast or slow as sh!t DSL.
That's not really a choice. Currently, I would bet most of the country is in a similar situation. Until FIOS get rolled out nationwide (or other high speed alternatives come to market), the cable companies will get away with this capping thing.
BTW...If FIOS was an option for me, I would switch to the 20/20 service in a heartbeat irrespective of the capping. "I feel the need for speed"
if there isn't a choice right now, there will be soon.Verizon is covering the country bit by bit.
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