Comcast Overage Rate Changes

[Aikouka]

I received this e-mail earlier from Comcast about overage charges:

Dear XFINITY Internet Customer:

At Comcast, we recognize that our customers use the Internet for different reasons and have unique data needs. As a reminder, starting November 1, 2013, Comcast will trial a new monthly data plan in this area, which will increase the amount of data included in your XFINITY Internet Service to 300 Gigabytes (GB) and provide more choice and flexibility.

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 300 GB . While we believe that 300 GB is more than enough to meet the Internet usage needs of most customers, Comcast will automatically add blocks of 50 GB to your account for an additional $10, should you exceed the 300 GB included in your plan in a month.

In order for our customers to get accustomed to this new data plan, we are implementing a three-month courtesy program. That means you will not be billed for the first three times you exceed 300 GB included in the data plan during a 12 month period. Should your usage exceed 300 GB a fourth time during any 12-month period, an additional 50 GB will automatically be allocated to your account and you will be billed $10 for that data and each additional 50 GB of data in excess of 300 GB during that month and any subsequent months your usage exceeds 300 GB.

Please note that this is a consumer trial. Comcast may modify or discontinue this trial at any time. However, we will notify you in advance of any such change.

The gist is that if you go over 300GB, you get charged $10 and allotted another 50GB. That will then happen again if you go over 350GB and ad infinitum. Although, you won't get charged for the first three times you go over.

I wonder if I need to upgrade to a business account. :hmm:

 

[z1ggy]

Comcast is turning into a glorified cell phone company now.

I had to sign an agreement with them last night to lower my bill with them by $60, but had to sign a 2 year contract. When the fvck did cable companies start making us have contracts with them just to keep our prices reasonable??

Fack this noise, Fios needs to start becoming wayyyy more popular.

 

[techs]

Comcast is trying this in certain areas. Where are you located?

 

[SKORPI0]

I wonder if I need to upgrade to a business account. :hmm:

Did that 3 1/2 years ago after I got a email about going over 250GB.
Same monthly at $59.99, but slower speed from 50/10 to 20/5. :\

 

[Pardus]

Check your Comcast Data Usage
https://customer.comcast.com/Secure/UsageMeterDetail.aspx

 

[rudeguy]

This is an OUTRAGE!

This must be stoppped!

How dare they limit us to reasonable bandwidth limits in order to ensure advertised speeds! I should be able to run a website from my residential account and torrent "ISO's" 24x7 because I pay the least amount possible and still complain about that!!!

 

[poofyhairguy]

Jeez that sucks. I would have run up a multi-hundred dollar bill during my peak month last year (4+TBs).

 

[allisolm]

I think I'm safe. Usage for last three months <20GB total.

 

[Aikouka]

Did that 3 1/2 years ago after I got a email about going over 250GB.
Same monthly at $59.99, but slower speed from 50/10 to 20/5. :\

Yeah, I was expecting that I would have to pay probably about $20 more per month for a comparable business-class Internet connection.

Comcast is trying this in certain areas. Where are you located?

Northern Alabama

This is an OUTRAGE!

This must be stoppped!

How dare they limit us to reasonable bandwidth limits in order to ensure advertised speeds! I should be able to run a website from my residential account and torrent "ISO's" 24x7 because I pay the least amount possible and still complain about that!!!

If you're going to try to make a cohesive argument, you ought to try making a better one. Comcast couldn't care less about ensuring advertised speeds for two reasons:

1) Their contract verbage states that you won't always achieve advertised speeds.

2) it takes a ludicrously low amount of bandwidth to actually hit the cap per month: (300 * 1024 * 1024) / (30 * 24 * 60 * 60) = 121KB/s. Of course, that means you're downloading (and uploading) constantly. Say you only use the Internet heavily for one hour a day. That would require 2.8MB/s for a full hour to hit the cap in a month.

In other words, don't be so damned naive. This is purely about peering agreements because that is what costs Comcast more money. Why do you think Comcast doesn't count Xfinity on Demand against your cap? Because all the traffic is local to Comcast's network.

EDIT:

I think I'm safe. Usage for last three months <20GB total.

I tend to do quite a bit. For example, I prefer the freedom of having movies as files rather than being stuck on disc. I could rip them all myself (I own around 360 movies), but frankly, it's easier to just download them (sans torrents). Also, for the longest time, I didn't have Blu-Ray playback software on my PC (it can be pricey). I have for a few months, so it isn't too bad.

 

[rudeguy]

Yeah, I was expecting that I would have to pay probably about $20 more per month for a comparable business-class Internet connection.



Northern Alabama



If you're going to try to make a cohesive argument, you ought to try making a better one. Comcast couldn't care less about ensuring advertised speeds for two reasons:

1) Their contract verbage states that you won't always achieve advertised speeds.

2) it takes a ludicrously low amount of bandwidth to actually hit the cap per month: (300 * 1024 * 1024) / (30 * 24 * 60 * 60) = 121KB/s. Of course, that means you're downloading (and uploading) constantly. Say you only use the Internet heavily for one hour a day. That would require 2.8MB/s for a full hour to hit the cap in a month.

In other words, don't be so damned naive. This is purely about peering agreements because that is what costs Comcast more money. Why do you think Comcast doesn't count Xfinity on Demand against your cap? Because all the traffic is local to Comcast's network.

EDIT:



I tend to do quite a bit. For example, I prefer the freedom of having movies as files rather than being stuck on disc. I could rip them all myself (I own around 360 movies), but frankly, it's easier to just download them (sans torrents). Also, for the longest time, I didn't have Blu-Ray playback software on my PC (it can be pricey). I have for a few months, so it isn't too bad.

on demand does not run off the same server as your internet. Sorry bub.

 

[Aikouka]

on demand does not run off the same server as your internet. Sorry bub.

I'm talking about the Internet-delivered content that you can stream through the XBOX 360. There was a big hubbub earlier this year about Comcast not counting that usage against their users, but they would charge other services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Also, I think you're misunderstanding me. The point is that the servers that host the IP-based content exist within Comcast's network. In other words, they do not have to cross into another peered network to get the data. This means it doesn't count against their peering arrangements, which have costs if they become unbalanced!

EDIT:

I do want to add that yes, there could be some areas that have issues with bandwidth saturation and Comcast simply doesn't want to add more nodes or upgrade the existing infrastructure. However, my area does not have issues with this. Also, if there are problems with bandwidth hogs affecting other users, then actually target the hogs in those areas. Most of my downloading tends to occur during the early morning hours anyway (i.e. not peak time).

 

[rudeguy]

I'm talking about the Internet-delivered content that you can stream through the XBOX 360. There was a big hubbub earlier this year about Comcast not counting that usage against their users, but they would charge other services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Also, I think you're misunderstanding me. The point is that the servers that host the IP-based content exist within Comcast's network. In other words, they do not have to cross into another peered network to get the data. This means it doesn't count against their peering arrangements, which have costs if they become unbalanced!

I think you are only worried about this because you download too much stuff. If you want to use 10 times the bandwidth that I do, I think you should have to pay more than I do. Its fair and I'm glad companies are doing it.

 

[Aikouka]

I think you are only worried about this because you download too much stuff. If you want to use 10 times the bandwidth that I do, I think you should have to pay more than I do. Its fair and I'm glad companies are doing it.

So, how far should this go? Should my friend pay more for Netflix than I do because he watches it significantly more than I do? Netflix has to pay for its bandwidth usage, and frankly, I'm not using much. Netflix's bandwidth usage has caused a lot of peering issues in the past, which most likely ends up costing Netflix more as Level3 ends up eating the cost -- unless the ISP has Netflix's cache installed, which most larger ISPs won't do.

Also, I do most likely pay more than you already. I have Comcast's second highest tier in my area, which gives me ~60Mbps. I selected that because I want faster Internet so I can download more at a faster pace. That's one thing that's a bit silly. If I remember correctly from when Comcast discussed the 300GB limit earlier this year, all higher-tier Internet packages have the same 300GB limit.

 

[rudeguy]

So, how far should this go? Should my friend pay more for Netflix than I do because he watches it significantly more than I do? Netflix has to pay for its bandwidth usage, and frankly, I'm not using much. Netflix's bandwidth usage has caused a lot of peering issues in the past, which most likely ends up costing Netflix more as Level3 ends up eating the cost (unless the ISP has Netflix's cache installed).

Also, I do most likely pay more than you already. I have Comcast's second highest tier in my area, which gives me ~60Mbps. I selected that because I want faster Internet so I can download more at a faster pace. That's one thing that's a bit silly. If I remember correctly from when Comcast discussed the 300GB limit earlier this year, all higher-tier Internet packages have the same 300GB limit.

if you use more, you pay more. Otherwise you jack up the price for normal users.

How is this concept so hard to understand? I don't want to subsidize your pirating ass.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I think I'm safe. Usage for last three months <20GB total.

I haven't been below 200GB a month in a year.

 

[PliotronX]

What's that? Dissatisfied with cable companies?

 

[poofyhairguy]

How is this concept so hard to understand? I don't want to subsidize your pirating ass.

Sometimes I want to send all the grannies on my block a little thank you letter for paying so much just to check email. All that extra bandwidth for me.

I am fine with a metered system long-term though. Why? Because its fair and I already got mine (some classic Americanism for you).

 

[SKORPI0]

What's that? Dissatisfied with cable companies?

:biggrin::awe: - Last nights South Park episode - Informative Murder Porn

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s17e02-informative-murder-porn

 

[rudeguy]

Sometimes I want to send all the grannies on my block a little thank you letter for paying so much just to check email. All that extra bandwidth for me.

I am fine with a metered system long-term though. Why? Because its fair and I already got mine (some classic Americanism for you).

In my mind, it would be the same as people who have long commutes complaining that they have to pay more for gas than people with short commutes. ITS ALL THE SAME ROADS!

I pay more for some things because I'm a premium user of those services. Even with lil rudeguy on the youtube, skype, xbox live, steam and netflix 24x7 and me surfing the web, watching netflix and downloading random stuff (I'm a serial app downloader/deleter), we never get anywhere close to our cap.

But then people like the OP complain like someone is committing a crime when they limit usage. Adjust your habits or pay the premium.

 

[AMDZen]

Hope this "trial" doesn't work out and they don't implement this where I live

 

[Aikouka]

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to post a picture or make a reference to South Park.

if you use more, you pay more. Otherwise you jack up the price for normal users.

Is Comcast actually losing money? If I had to guess, their biggest beef is with video streaming:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/05/netflix-youtube-traffic/65210/

I'd actually be interested in seeing some of the peering maps and what big players are on each side.

How is this concept so hard to understand? I don't want to subsidize your pirating ass.

It's pretty sad how you instantly jump to pirating as the only use for bandwidth. I'm a PlayStation Plus and XBOX Gold member both of which give away free games (4 and 2 per month respectively). I have a 400+ game library on Steam with around 60% of that installed. All of that uses bandwidth. Games range from small at around 200MB to around 30GB. I also watch quite a lot of videos on YouTube. You may think this is nothing, but I've downloaded the underlying MP4 videos because YouTube gets flaky if you let it sit paused for a while. I've had quite a few that were in the range of a few hundred MB to a few GB. There's a good chance that I own more movies (i.e. waste more money on buying movies instead of renting ) than most people in this forum, but go ahead and generalize me.

In my mind, it would be the same as people who have long commutes complaining that they have to pay more for gas than people with short commutes. ITS ALL THE SAME ROADS!

That analogy doesn't work well. If you want to make something remotely feasible, you should reference the gas tax that is added onto each gallon for road upkeep. Although, if you want to start to pull silly crap like that, I'll just ask you why don't hybrids and EVs pay more in taxes since they don't expend as much gasoline (or any) compared to normal ICE-based vehicles. Also, if we're going to start referencing upkeep of physical parts, why don't we get charged based on how far we are from the local nodes? Why does someone out in the boonies pay as much as I do for the same service when he requires more hardware/infrastructure?

What you're trying to do is tell me that all-you-can-eat buffets should start charging customers after a certain amount of food. These services are designed to prey on the people that don't use them enough. The problem is that people are using the heck out of Netflix and YouTube! They may not be getting close to 300GB, but they're no longer incredibly miniscule.

But then people like the OP complain like someone is committing a crime when they limit usage. Adjust your habits or pay the premium.

Funny... I don't see any complaints in my initial post at all. :hmm: I posted this to let people know about the looming changes to their service since they may not check their Comcast e-mail. I set mine up to forward all e-mail to my main e-mail account.

 

[poofyhairguy]

In my mind, it would be the same as people who have long commutes complaining that they have to pay more for gas than people with short commutes. ITS ALL THE SAME ROADS!

I pay more for some things because I'm a premium user of those services. Even with lil rudeguy on the youtube, skype, xbox live, steam and netflix 24x7 and me surfing the web, watching netflix and downloading random stuff (I'm a serial app downloader/deleter), we never get anywhere close to our cap.

But then people like the OP complain like someone is committing a crime when they limit usage. Adjust your habits or pay the premium.

My biggest problem is what was said earlier- often they don't increase the tiers enough with packages.

For example, with my cable company offers 15, 30 and 108 down for $40, $60, and $100. The 15 gets like a 200GB cap, the 30 gets a 250GB cap, and the 108 gets a 350 cap with $10 for every 100GB over. I had the 108 for a while but it just was giving me too poor a value for cap vs price so I dropped to the 30 and I just pay an extra $20 a month to get me to my 450ish monthly average.

If the caps scaled with speed the 108 would have like a 500GB cap and I would be fine. Problem is the cable company arbitrarily decided 350 is all someone needs so I am stuck on slower speeds to get maximum value.

I have been calling them every month and I am forcing them to look at my usage to show them that SOME people can easily use more than 350GB. One of their guys told me I use on average more bandwidth per day than most of their users use in a month.

Makes me miss my old cable company that didn't have caps. I remember one day one of their head local guys called me and asked when I was doing with all that bandwidth. He said they were using my usage patterns to model what they expect to see five years in the future and to keep going. I liked them, they were my all-time favorite provider.

 

[rudeguy]

My biggest problem is what was said earlier- often they don't increase the tiers enough with packages.

For example, with my cable company offers 15, 30 and 108 down for $40, $60, and $100. The 15 gets like a 200GB cap, the 30 gets a 250GB cap, and the 108 gets a 350 cap with $10 for every 100GB over. I had the 108 for a while but it just was giving me too poor a value for cap vs price so I dropped to the 30 and I just pay an extra $20 a month to get me to my 450ish monthly average.

If the caps scaled with speed the 108 would have like a 500GB cap and I would be fine. Problem is the cable company arbitrarily decided 350 is all someone needs so I am stuck on slower speeds to get maximum value.

I have been calling them every month and I am forcing them to look at my usage to show them that SOME people can easily use more than 350GB. One of their guys told me I use on average more bandwidth per day than most of their users use in a month.

Makes me miss my old cable company that didn't have caps. I remember one day one of their head local guys called me and asked when I was doing with all that bandwidth. He said they were using my usage patterns to model what they expect to see five years in the future and to keep going. I liked them, they were my all-time favorite provider.

I would have told him "documents. Lots of documents"

 

[AMDZen]

Check your Comcast Data Usage
https://customer.comcast.com/Secure/UsageMeterDetail.aspx

This doesn't work right now. At least for me. The "Usage Meter" is currently unavailable as they are revamping it, per the CS rep online: "To make it easier to find."

LOL because I started the session because I couldn't find it, and had been able to just fine in the past

 

[alkemyst]

300GB a month is an insane amount of data. It's like 2 DVDs of data per day, every day.

If you have those needs, one should be on a business account.