So AT&T is testing usage caps

[God Mode]

http://gizmodo.com/5014290/wel...width-caps-in-the-fall

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6611072.html

Wtf

Why cant these fucking companies at least give customers a reliable tool to monitor their broadband consumption? Expecting them to roll over unused bandwidth is like turning water into wine at this rate.

I've read on another source that they will charge $1.00 for every gig over the cap.

 

[Leros]

Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

 

[JS80]

can someone write what kind of downloading one would have to do in order hit such a cap?

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: JS80
can someone write what kind of downloading one would have to do in order hit such a cap?

Depends on the cap. Could be a handful of 1080p movies.

 

[God Mode]

Originally posted by: Leros
Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

How do you check how many minutes you used on your mobile phone? Electricity? Gas? If its not in some kind of legal contract does ethics fly out the window? $1.00 extra per gig over. I would imagine that they're counting on people going over their amount.

What I dont understand is why they didnt kick these so called bandwidth abusers from the start instead of pulling this shit on every customer.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: God Mode

Originally posted by: Leros
Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

How do you check how many minutes you used on your mobile phone? Electricity? Gas? If its not in some kind of legal contract does ethics fly out the window? $1.00 extra per gig over. I would imagine that they're counting on people going over their amount.

What I dont understand is why they didnt kick these so called bandwidth abusers from the start instead of pulling this shit on every customer.

I can use as much gas and electricity as I want without worrying about crossing some magic consumption line. I can monitor my cell phone minutes from the web. I'm not so sure on my internet access.

 

[axelfox]

Originally posted by: God Mode

Originally posted by: Leros
Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

How do you check how many minutes you used on your mobile phone? Electricity? Gas? If its not in some kind of legal contract does ethics fly out the window? $1.00 extra per gig over. I would imagine that they're counting on people going over their amount.

What I dont understand is why they didnt kick these so called bandwidth abusers from the start instead of pulling this shit on every customer.

#MIN# on GSM (ATT, TMO). On CDMA, just call CS.

 

[Canai]

So to check bandwidth usage, would I have to use more bandwidth and go to some website?

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: JS80
can someone write what kind of downloading one would have to do in order hit such a cap?

Well, Netflix will have streaming HD movies to my Xbox 360 within a month. If I watch a lot of movies, it'll add up.

 

[Shawn]

Good news for Blu-ray I guess. Digital downloads will never take off with these stupid bandwidth restrictions.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

You guys think you have it bad? I'm capped at 40gb for $110/month and an unlimited plan doesn't exist here. In fairness, there has to be some sort of restriction or that top 2% of users will continue to ruin it for everyone. I think a 250gb cap right now is more than adequate, but in a few years (or less) it certainly won't be.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: God Mode
http://gizmodo.com/5014290/wel...width-caps-in-the-fall

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6611072.html

Wtf

Why cant these fucking companies at least give customers a reliable tool to monitor their broadband consumption? Expecting them to roll over unused bandwidth is like turning water into wine at this rate.

I've read on another source that they will charge $1.00 for every gig over the cap.

Prologue does this, but the funny thing is, they never told their users that a bandwidth limit existed. You only learn of it when you exceed it and get a letter in the mail about "excessive" usage. 50GB/month.
I scoured their website and the bill's terms of service. Nowhere does anything mention a monthly limit.
But they do have a bandwidth monitoring site.

Why others don't do this, I don't know.

 

[0roo0roo]

eventually they know we'll be streaming highdef at a good bitrate. just think about how little bandwidth the average person used just 5 years ago compared to now. they are just being greedy. bandwidth gets cheaper and cheaper.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
You guys think you have it bad? I'm capped at 40gb for $110/month and an unlimited plan doesn't exist here. In fairness, there has to be some sort of restriction or that top 2% of users will continue to ruin it for everyone. I think a 250gb cap right now is more than adequate, but in a few years (or less) it certainly won't be.

56k modem on 24/7 would consume 32gb


http://stopthecap.com/

 

[DaTT]

If you can log into your account on the internets, then you should be able to see your usage. You can with my provider.

 

[13Gigatons]

If only I could get FIOS from Verizon. AT$T is definitely one of the greediest companies out there.

 

[Crono]

I don't mind caps, but only if they are advertised very clearly up front. ISPs shouldn't advertise their up/down speed in large print and then say nothing about the download limits they impose. I don't want to see ISPs tack on exorbitant fees for an "unlimited" plan like they do with cell phones, though.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: JS80
can someone write what kind of downloading one would have to do in order hit such a cap?

Depends on the cap. Could be a handful of 1080p movies.

Right but the question really comes down to are they legal and needed.

I have been asked several times about HDD upgrades by people that just have their PC's downloading whatever all day and all night long.

It's like a collection or 'just because they can'.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: God Mode

Originally posted by: Leros
Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

How do you check how many minutes you used on your mobile phone? Electricity? Gas? If its not in some kind of legal contract does ethics fly out the window? $1.00 extra per gig over. I would imagine that they're counting on people going over their amount.

What I dont understand is why they didnt kick these so called bandwidth abusers from the start instead of pulling this shit on every customer.

I can use as much gas and electricity as I want without worrying about crossing some magic consumption line. I can monitor my cell phone minutes from the web. I'm not so sure on my internet access.

Plus no one installs magical gas stealing devices without your knowledge (spam bots, virus, adware) that usually require a professional to remove. Also, my furnace doesnt decide that it really needs to phone home to make sure its operating legally (internet activation) and my TV doesnt decide that it needs a 500mb update out of the blue.

If they are going to cap then applications need to ask permission before using your connection. And dont tell me firewall either.

 

[Queasy]

Well crap. None of the bandwidth cap shenanigans is one of the reasons why I've liked AT&T. I'm not a heavy downloader but just knowing it is there is a downer.

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: God Mode

Originally posted by: Leros
Is there not some legal basis requiring them to provide a good bandwidth measuring tool?

How do you check how many minutes you used on your mobile phone? Electricity? Gas? If its not in some kind of legal contract does ethics fly out the window? $1.00 extra per gig over. I would imagine that they're counting on people going over their amount.

What I dont understand is why they didnt kick these so called bandwidth abusers from the start instead of pulling this shit on every customer.

Problem is no longer P2P or BT anymore. Video streaming is the issue. Netflix and similar outlets are severely cutting into the TV business, and it's getting larger - maybe 1 out of the 10 people I know down stuff off BT, but 9 out of the 10 people watch video streams off the net.

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: 13Gigatons
If only I could get FIOS from Verizon. AT$T is definitely one of the greediest companies out there.

I'm sure FIOS will follow.

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Crono
I don't mind caps, but only if they are advertised very clearly up front. ISPs shouldn't advertise their up/down speed in large print and then say nothing about the download limits they impose. I don't want to see ISPs tack on exorbitant fees for an "unlimited" plan like they do with cell phones, though.

I agree. They need to make it a law that every ISP provider needs to advertise the cap at larger bold letters as big as their speeds and price.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: 13Gigatons
If only I could get FIOS from Verizon. AT$T is definitely one of the greediest companies out there.

pretty sure AT&T is not the only one...verizon will be on the wagon here soon...

 

[stag3]

i hope verizon doesn't follow suit, i just upgraded to the 20/5 package
as everytime i play games online, i'm the server.