How about on-peak/off-peak internet metering?

[boomhower]

It's obvious that usage caps are becoming more and more commonplace and there isn't a lot we can do other than bitch. How about this solution, on-peak and off-peak bandwidth. Set a reasonable amount during peak hours and then all you can eat after hours. Just an arbitrary time, 9PM. This way the networks are not getting clogged up with porn torrents during peak hours but said torrents can download their hearts out at night.

I hate usage caps but I could live with a set-up like this. I chew threw a ton of video in a month and could certainly live with this as a compromise. I live in a relatively lightly populated area and can still feel the slowdown in the late afternoon and early evenings.

Just a thought.

 

[CrazyLazy]

Bandwidth caps are infinity better than, the-only-way-can-download-movies-i-bought-is-by-waking-up-at-3-am-to-start-them cap

 

[Leros]

It would be confusing to the customers. On-peak off-peak works for electricity because they don't change anything except the cost. You can suck up all the energy you want at all times.

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: CrazyLazy
Bandwidth caps are infinity better than, the-only-way-can-download-movies-i-bought-is-by-waking-up-at-3-am-to-start-them cap

If done correctly you would have plenty of bandwidth to watch/download a reasonable amount of movies. The download overnight crowd is going to be those they want to pirate 30GB blue rays and the like. Those folks should know how to schedule downloads to start/stop. The only ones that would be inconvenienced by this are the abusers anyways.

 

[frostedflakes]

I never thought about this, but it's actually not a bad idea. IIRC HughesNet does this. Any download manager worth its salt can be set up to schedule downloads (I use Free Download Manager and I think it supports scheduling).

 

[spidey07]

It's been discussed. The problem is the infrastructure has to be built for peak loads and associated costs.

I'd much rather see some kind of 95th percentile billing.

Not to mention the business customer's traffic patterns peak during the day and slump during the evening. This gives a reasonably flat load until the wee hours of the morning on the network as a whole. Busiest time being morning and early afternoon.

 

[mxyzptlk]

We just need fatter pipes, not caps.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: mxyzptlk
We just need fatter pipes, not caps.

There is tons of dark fiber out there. Why don't you light it up?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

That's how my internet works.

I get 15gb peak, and 30gb offpeak.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: mxyzptlk
We just need fatter pipes, not caps.

There is tons of dark fiber out there. Why don't you light it up?

The Man? keeps holding me down.