Comcast’s data caps are ‘just low enough to punish streaming’

[Aikouka]

Hm, so Comcast just charged me $180, which included a $60 fee for bandwidth overages. Hm, it's time to see if I can actually get Knology/Wow instead of Comcast. Last I knew, I could only get Mediacom, and they're not very good. The thing is... I don't really even recall downloading around 500 to 550GB of stuff. It'd be interesting if I could break down what I do to see how much stuff like YouTube and Twitch uses. I've been tempted to setup a PFSense box -- does anyone know if it can give reports that are detailed like that?

I don't understand why folks complaining about the Comcast caps just don't go business class and have no caps. How many actually saturate their Internet connection as a norm?

I looked up how much business class costs, and it's cheaper for me to pay overage fees. Also, I'd have to prove to Comcast that I'm running a business as they don't just let you sign up for it.

The thing is netflix sends out servers literally filled with their movies. If you are an ISP, you can request one of these servers from netflix FOR FREE. They are 100-200TB boxes that netflix preloads with a set library based on your physical location (certain regions have certain preferences). Then they get updates every day downloaded to add new shows or remove old things, etc.

http://gizmodo.com/this-box-can-hold-an-entire-netflix-1592590450


There is no excuse for ISPs to throttle netflix connections.

Comcast using the Netflix server: $0 revenue
Comcast charging Netflix for peering: > $0 revenue

It's really not hard to figure out why Comcast would never use Netflix's storage server.

 

[Phoenix86]

Comcast using the Netflix server: $0 revenue
Comcast charging Netflix for peering: > $0 revenue

It's really not hard to figure out why Comcast would never use Netflix's storage server.

http://arstechnica.com/business/201...for-direct-connection-to-network-wsj-reports/

Which is major bullshit considering the congestion links I posted above. They are double, and in your case, triple dipping.

 

[OverVolt]

All Comcast cares about is driving revenue, I would bet they don't even know the cost per subscriber anymore for different bundles. They just want you paying at least $100/mo for the line and preferably $200.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I don't understand why you guys hate capitalism.

 

[Pocatello]

I don't understand why you guys hate capitalism.

I love the type of capitalism where there are plenty of competitions. America type of capitalism means the big corporations buy out the politicians, buy out the competitions, and offer limited choices for the consumers. If everybody cuts the cord, really cut the cord, live without TV and internet from the cable companies. That would really hurt the cable companies, else you're not cutting the cord, you're just chancing the way you watch your favorite TV programs.

 

[BUTCH1]

Comcast: 300Gb
Cox: Varies depending on your plan.
CenturyLink: 150Gb.
Verizon: Doesn't have a set cap, but does start warning for excessive usage
AT&T DSL: 150Gb.
AT&T UVerse: 250Gb.

Yup, same here with ATT U-verse, 250 cap, sucks as I like to watch long documentaries on YT, I'll probably wind up getting hosed eventually.

 

[slag]

Yes. I refuse to "upgrade" to 18mb uverse because it has a 250gb cap with $1/gb overage charge ($50 minimum charge) for the same price. So I stick with my unlimited DSL and hope for a better tomorrow.

Some of my neighbors have had over $200 bills because of that.

Actually, I found this over the weekend. Uverse has no caps.

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r30446586-Does-AT-T-U-Verse-Internet-enforce-data-caps

 

[local]

Actually, I found this over the weekend. Uverse has no caps.

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r30446586-Does-AT-T-U-Verse-Internet-enforce-data-caps

That appears to be correct, for now. I looked up the neighbors bill they shared and it was for regular old DSL so I was wrong there. I guess I have a grandfathered account, it's been active since 2004, or they forgot to flip the switch on me.

But I did look up Uverse availability for me and they stopped 8 houses away with no plans to expand. So I'm screwed there anyway.

 

[XavierMace]

Actually, I found this over the weekend. Uverse has no caps.

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r30446586-Does-AT-T-U-Verse-Internet-enforce-data-caps

Not enforcing the cap is not the same as not having one. The U-Verse cap I listed is straight off their website.

 

[ultimatebob]

I have Frontier as an ISP now. Not only do they not discourage streaming in my area, but they GIVE you a free year of Amazon Prime when you sign up as a promotion.

 

[13Gigatons]

Copy and paste from another forum:

People hate you because you're hateful. You've carved up the country into hundreds of tiny monopolies, you do everything in your power to avoid competing, you charge ridiculous prices because you can, and you render horrible customer service because you can. When people want to use alternatives like streaming from other sources, you plunk down data caps so they effectively can't. You own the content and the means to view it, so you've got a stranglehold. And you contribute large sums of money to politicians to ensure none of this changes.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Copy and paste from another forum:

Did you not see their rebuttal a few days ago?

http://www.vox.com/business-and-finance/2015/12/15/10161100/brian-roberts-comcast-bad

Comcast CEO to angry customers: It’s not me, it’s you


The problem isn’t Comcast’s service, Roberts is saying; it’s that people have to pay for it. Comcast operates by striking deals with content creators and publishers — ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, HBO, and the rest — for the right to broadcast their shows, movies, football, baseball, and basketball games. And as Roberts said, it doesn’t come cheap.


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Because monopolies and poor customer service have nothing to do with why anyone is angry.