Comcast Overage Rate Changes

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Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
So much fail in this thread.

First off, Comcast does not just sell business accounts to individuals. So the argument some are making that people should just get a business account is not valid.

Secondly, the idea that everyone, or most people, who do a lot of downloading is false. Or lets just say there is no evidence to prove it.

Finally, and this is the big one. The only real issue is the number of people who download during peak times. ISP's have a responsibility to build up their networks so that during peak times a very large majority get peak or near peak speeds. During non peak hours ISP's have huge amounts of excess capacity.

If ISP's really wanted to free up bandwidth during peak hours, than they could boost speeds during times of limited demand and allow heavy users to do their downloading at the off times.

Yeah, most of your posts......

Comcast will give anyone a business account provided you'll pay for it. I asked and they said SURE without even skipping a beat. Decided to keep residential for the savings.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
Easy guys. Comcast told me the same thing. I chose not to lie. I'm sure if you are self-employed, etc...they'll take that into account.

It's not a lie if you do website stuff, or have a vested interest in computers as a hobby. My rep said so. People that do Folding or other activities such as that can get one too, no hesitation or "lying" involved. That info came straight from my comcast rep.
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,091
513
126
I told comcast I didnt have a SS. They let me use my drivers license number. In the past I have used my LLC to get cell phones so they didnt have my SS.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
39,749
20,323
146
It's not a lie if you do website stuff, or have a vested interest in computers as a hobby. My rep said so. People that do Folding or other activities such as that can get one too, no hesitation or "lying" involved. That info came straight from my comcast rep.

That's cool. We all know how consistent comcast rep's are :p
 

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
Jan 2, 2001
32,675
146
106
www.neftastic.com
Speaking of consistency, this should be fun... I just paid my comcast bill online. Never got a confirmation or anything, it just dumped me back to the page saying the amount due. Checked my account and there's a pending charge. Who wants to put money on them saying I didn't pay it...?
 

Zargon

Lifer
Nov 3, 2009
12,218
2
76
Yeah, most of your posts......

Comcast will give anyone a business account provided you'll pay for it. I asked and they said SURE without even skipping a beat. Decided to keep residential for the savings.

I have asked about one in my area before and they said if I dont have an EIN, the information for my registered state business would be fine(which I have).

I was doing around 200gb a month so I was worried I would get hit soon

but they would revote my double play offer so I didnt do it

then they raised it to 300 last year without telling anyone, and now its suspended for my area
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
Not disagreeing, simply stating what they told me.

When I was at the cable co, cleaning up dsr messes were the worst. Those bastards would lie cheat and steal to make $2. And it always ended up with a customer not getting what they were promised.

Those reps are scum and should be treated that way.
 

MadScientist

Platinum Member
Jul 15, 2001
2,183
63
91
Speaking of consistency, this should be fun... I just paid my comcast bill online. Never got a confirmation or anything, it just dumped me back to the page saying the amount due. Checked my account and there's a pending charge. Who wants to put money on them saying I didn't pay it...?

Same here. It took them a few hours to post my bill as paid even though I used a CC.

I'm assuming that while you our bittorrenting that uploads also count as data usage.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
When I was at the cable co, cleaning up dsr messes were the worst. Those bastards would lie cheat and steal to make $2. And it always ended up with a customer not getting what they were promised.

Those reps are scum and should be treated that way.

Some people here are scum and should be treated that way, sadly they are not. :sneaky:
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
if you are too lazy to buy a modem you deserve it. It is a complete scam though of course, but it is amazing how many people are not buyin modems. Time Warner is pulling the same trick of late.

Nah, I don't think it's really laziness. I think it just goes back to how some people don't really keep up with technology and they don't really know any better. I mean... why else would anyone rent those horrid router/modem combination devices?
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
5,909
17
76
They are doing it for 2 reasons:
1. to make a profit
2. because they can

Its just that simple.

In my opinion it has nothing to do with making a profit (well not making a profit on the people who go over their limit). They would be happy if 0 people went over 300GB per month and would be even happier if every customer who does go over 300GB regularly moved to another ISP.

People with usage scenarios like the OP are becoming more popular and they are trying to disuade people from doing it. If every one of their customers downloaded 299GB per month their services would grind to a halt.
 

Pray To Jesus

Diamond Member
Mar 14, 2011
3,622
0
0
From a business point it makes perfect sense. Most markets are either monopoly or an oligopoly market with only two providers aka a duopoly. Higher prices means they make more money so higher prices it is. This rings true until you hit a very high point in which they will decide not to keep raising it. I'm guessing that is probably at least in the $100+ a month or even higher.

As we have seen time and time again on this site is that as soon as 3 or more providers spawn are in an area new packages emerge, prices drop, caps are removed for customers. In every market where Google has entered with their services the competition suddenly dropped prices and removed caps. The reason? Those markets saw an increase in competition where it went from no longer a duopoly or monopoly so they knew if they wanted to retain those customers they had to offer a more competitive pricing.

Competition is good for the customer, bad for the oligopolies. It's just that simple and we should strive to create these types of markets or if not put hefty regulations on these companies if they want to serve our areas. The problem is it seems the people in charge of creating this regulation are taking bribes from the oligopolies and thus there is nothing being done about the market.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
From a business point it makes perfect sense. Most markets are either monopoly or an oligopoly market with only two providers aka a duopoly. Higher prices means they make more money so higher prices it is. This rings true until you hit a very high point in which they will decide not to keep raising it. I'm guessing that is probably at least in the $100+ a month or even higher.

As we have seen time and time again on this site is that as soon as 3 or more providers spawn are in an area new packages emerge, prices drop, caps are removed for customers. In every market where Google has entered with their services the competition suddenly dropped prices and removed caps. The reason? Those markets saw an increase in competition where it went from no longer a duopoly or monopoly so they knew if they wanted to retain those customers they had to offer a more competitive pricing.

Competition is good for the customer, bad for the oligopolies. It's just that simple and we should strive to create these types of markets or if not put hefty regulations on these companies if they want to serve our areas. The problem is it seems the people in charge of creating this regulation are taking bribes from the oligopolies and thus there is nothing being done about the market.

Sounded good, but you are wrong.
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
6,674
7
76
IMO Comcast business class internet = win. Guaranteed speeds, no data cap, very high uptime. I just wish I had it where I live, but I'm stuck in shitty U-Verse hell right now.
Verizon FiOS > Comcast business class.
 

OCNewbie

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2000
7,596
25
81
I have Brighthouse in Orlando. I have no cap as far as I'm aware. I snooped around a little on their customer website (where I go to pay my bill), but I couldn't find an option to see my bandwidth usage. I am now curious about it though.