SOB Comcast did it to me!!!

[Broni]

Today, I received following email:

Dear Comcast High-Speed Internet Customer,

We appreciate your business and strive to provide you with the best online experience possible. One of the ways we do this is through our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). The AUP outlines acceptable use of our service as well as steps we take to protect our customers from things that can negatively impact their experience online. This policy has been in place for many years and we update it periodically to keep it current with our customers' use of our service.

On October 1, 2008, we will post an updated AUP that will go into effect at that time.

In the updated AUP, we clarify that monthly data (or bandwidth) usage of more than 250 Gigabytes (GB) is the specific threshold that defines excessive use of our service. We have an excessive use policy because a fraction of one percent of our customers use such a disproportionate amount of bandwidth every month that they may degrade the online experience of other customers.

250 GB/month is an extremely large amount of bandwidth and it's very likely that your monthly data usage doesn't even come close to that amount. In fact, the threshold is approximately 100 times greater than the typical or median residential customer usage, which is 2 to 3 GB/month. To put it in perspective, to reach 250 GB of data usage in one month a customer would have to do any one of the following:

* Send more than 50 million plain text emails (at 5 KB/email);
* Download 62,500 songs (at 4 MB/song); or
* Download 125 standard definition movies (at 2 GB/movie).

And online gamers should know that even the heaviest multi- or single-player gaming activity would not typically come close to this threshold over the course of a month.

In addition to modifying the excessive use policy, the updated AUP contains other clarifications of terms concerning reporting violations, newsgroups, and network management. To read some helpful FAQs, please visit http://help.comcast.net/content/faq/Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-Excessive-Use.

Thank you again for choosing Comcast as your high-speed Internet provider.

At Comcast web site, it says:

What will happen if a customer exceeds 250 GB of data usage in a month?

The vast majority - more than 99% - of Comcast customers will not be impacted by a 250 GB monthly bandwidth or data usage threshold. If a customer exceeds more than 250 GB and is one of the heaviest data users who consume the most data on our high-speed Internet service, he or she may receive a call from Comcast's Customer Security Assurance ("CSA") group to notify them of excessive use. At that time, Comcast will tell the customer exactly how much data per month he or she had used.

If a customer surpasses 250 GB and is one of the top users of the service for a second time within a six-month timeframe, his or her service will be subject to termination for one year. After the one year period expires, the customer may resume service by subscribing to a service plan appropriate to his or her needs.

I just read the above mail, so I'm still munching on it. Pissed off, that's for sure.

[patio]

I knew it was only a matter of time...

[Broni]

I'm all so pissed off. I can't type. I'm gonna think clearly, later.

[evilfantasy]

The question is, will the 250 GB/month effect you?

I know from a contractual standpoint it doesn't matter because that isn't what you signed up for and that isn't what I'm getting at. Just curious to know what would you rather happen.

1. Your rates raised so they can upgrade their entire network and accommodate those this effects.
2. A bandwidth cap put in place.

They've made it clear for some time something is going to happen.

[Broni]

The question is, will the 250 GB/month effect you?

Not really, but that's not the point. This is about principle:
UNLIMITED Internet
Since I care a lot about principles, I hope some civil action suit will follow.

Greed: you give them a finger, soon, they'll ask for a whole hand.
You know how it goes, don't you?

Just curious to know what would you rather happen.

None.

[Computer Hope Admin]

So where did you get the e-mail, your Comcast e-mail account? I wonder what they'll do for people like me who haven't checked their Comcast e-mail account once since signing up for Comcast over 5 years ago.

[Broni]

Yeah, through Comcast account.
I posted, what they'll do to you

[Aegis]

What if you wrote to Comcast, explained your activities, and asked for their suggestions as to what you should do?

[Broni]

I'm sane, yet

[mcxeb52!]

If you're gonna complain about the problems caused by the 250gb monthly limit, then stop subscribing to Comcast and get a different ISP!

[Aegis]

If you're gonna complain about the problems caused by the 250gb monthly limit, then stop subscribing to Comcast and get a different ISP!

...and which ISP would you suggest to match cable speed / bandwidth?

[Computer Hope Admin]

...which is the only reason Comcast is able to do this because there isn't competition.

[Aegis]

Don't let me get myself started! 

The only advantage of the Bell System divestiture from 24 years ago is that long distance is cheap or free -- but I'll let you in a little "secret" from back in those days:  long distance rates subsidized local rates.

Oh, and we now have fewer phone companies than we did during the days of the Bell System...

[Broni]

...which is the only reason Comcast is able to do this because there isn't competition.

That's it. I thought, there is some law against monopoly.

In any case, I'll be checking out Astound. As far, as I can say, I see no limits there, and prices are similar as with Comcast



[recovering disk space -- attachment deleted by admin]

[Aegis]

That's it. I thought, there is some law against monopoly.

In theory, yes. In reality, companies are allowed to "buy out" each other rather than truly compete against one another.  I'm waiting for Verizon to buy at&t.

[Dead_reckon]

Broni, check your Comcast contract. As I said previously, if your contract states there is to be no change to the unlimited bandwidth, then legallly they are bound to that. If they try to change it where legally bound to a contract, there is reason for a lawsuit against Comcast. Check your contract thoroughly, ensure they are not violating anything you didn't sign up for/screw yourself over with previously. Regardless of how much money the company has, they are STILL legally bound to any contracts they issue to ANY customer.

[patio]

And he would need a Contract Lawyer at $750.00 an hour just to find out what exactly it is that is stated in the contract.

 

[Broni]

I went for a walk, and some brilliant discovery came to my mind!
I realized, that I'm actually very happy with Comcast limit 
Remember? People were always asking this question: how much can I download per month, so I don't trigger ISP attention?
They were constant rumors about 100gig number, but nobody knew for sure.
Now, I know. I can safely download up to 250gig. That's much more, I ever downloaded in a single month.
That's mean, I'm gonna download MORE, and I'm pretty sure, many people will do too!
That's how I'm gonna take part in a war against Commucast 

[Aegis]

Good!  Take the one-way bastards for what you can!

High-speed internet should be a buck a day or less, unbundled. 

[Siscorskiy]

Are these megaBYTES or BITS?

I have the "charter bundle" with 3mbps..(dont know if its bytes or bits)

All though, i have heard them say "bits" in the commercial...

[Broni]

Kilobytes per second = KB/s
Kilobits per second = kbps

Your browser reports speeds in KB/s, the speed tests here at BroadBandreports.com report speeds in kbps.

1 kbps = 1000 bps
1 KB/s = 1024 B/s
1 KB/s = 8.192 kbps
1 kbps = .1221 KB/s

KB/s to kbps
Take KB/s and multiply by 8.192
Example
100KB/s = 819.2kbps

kbps to KB/s
Take kbps and divide by 8.192 (or multiply by .1221)
Example
1000kbps = 122KB/s

Your browser reports speeds in KB/s, so if you see 500KB in your browser your speed is 4096kbps or 4.096Mbps.

The dslr speed tests report speeds in kbps, so if you see 5000kbps, that's equivalent to 610.5KB/s in your browser.

[drmsucks]

Just signed up with Comcast in Colorado. Sales rep said "No Limit."  Subsequent talks with Tech Support revealed the 250 GB/month limit, eff 10/1 - but no way to track usage by the customer. 250 GB certainly isn't a constraint for me but the notion of having a limit that Comcast is going to track yet not providing a means for the customer to keep track seems a bit one-sided.

[mcxeb52!]

you can track bandwidth usage if you use a router but that's all I know as of now.

[drmsucks]

you can track bandwidth usage if you use a router but that's all I know as of now.

Thanks. There are several programs that will track usage - but, in my mind, that will simply set the floor for a debate about which is correct, my numbers or Comcast's; a losing debate, I'm sure. The point for me is that if they are going to measure usage and provide sanctions for "over usage," then they ought to provide a means for me to measure my usage according to their criteria.

I can measure my usage for my cellphone at the service provider's website; I can measure my electricity power consumption at the power company supplied meter; I can measure my water usage at the meter supplied by the water company; I do not need to measure my current download usage from Qwest DSL because I have unlimited usage; I won't be able to check on my download usage with Comcast because they won't provide the means to do so.

[Broni]

Good points!

[mcxeb52!]

but like I said, you can check your bandwidth usage from the Comcast servvice. Just that comcast doesn't provide you the means to do it doesn't mean you can't.

I hope it's not that Comcast is limiting you and not giving you a quick way to check your bandwidth so that they can potentially charge you more for going over the limit (provided there's some little words in the contract or on their website allowing them to legally do so) so they earn more?

[Broni]

you can check your bandwidth usage from the Comcast servvice

How?

[Computer Hope Admin]

I've heard officially from Comcast and through several different news segments that Comcast has *no* way of providing users with any type of meter that shows their usage for the month and/or way for their employees to check it.

As far as checking your bandwidth usage through a router, that could be possible on some routers. However, for users such as myself who has multiple routers it makes it kind of hard. In addition seems pathetic that if they're wanting to do a meter type service they can't even provide you with a meter and you'd have to rely on a third-party solution.

This is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[drmsucks]

In addition seems pathetic that if they're wanting to do a meter type service they can't even provide you with a meter and you'd have to rely on a third-party solution.

This is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.

I agree. But, I guarantee that the third party "meter" will not agree with their "meter." However, in front of a disinterested third party (e.g. judge), such third party evidence (your meter), coupled with the refusal of Comcast to provide you with access to their "meter," would most likely cause you to prevail - assuming, of course, that your "meter" showed less than 250 GB of usage.

Further, I believe that the reason that they don't provide a means to check usage is twofold: a) they don't want you to see that you use 15 GB and are "paying" for 250 GB, b) they don't want you to see that you've used 15 GB, have 235 GB "left," and either try to use the bandwidth or "arrange to have it used."

[Computer Hope Admin]

Actually I believe it's more of a technical issue. I'm sure they're just using traditional bandwidth monitoring tools, which just show bandwidth per port / blade. Actually stripping out data for bandwidth per user and logging that information in a database would be pretty difficult. Not saying it'd be impossible, just something you couldn't implement overnight.

[drmsucks]

Perhaps, Admin - but, for what it's worth, I'm certain that they do not want the customer to know.

[Computer Hope Admin]

Perhaps. Although I'd prefer customers knowing over a lawsuit if I were Comcast.

[mcxeb52!]

you can check your bandwidth usage from the Comcast servvice

How?

I typed it wrong. I meant to say. You can check your bandwidth usage FOR the Comcast service but Comcast ain't helping you do it so you have to find the solution yourself.

[Broni]

I hate to say, "I told you", but...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/151589/article.html?tk=nl_cxanws

A usage cap can be applied poorly, too. Time Warner Cable, for instance, is testing a system in Beaumont, Texas, that applies caps and overage charges--its Internet access plans look a lot like cell phone plans. Time Warner customers choose plans that range from $30 per month for 5GB and a 5-mbps connection to $55 per month for 40GB and a 15-mbps connection. Considering that nifty but high-bandwidth online services such as Mozy backups and Netflix movie streaming could easily push someone over 40GB in a month, let alone 5GB, I really don't like Time Warner Cable's idea, to put it mildly. To my dismay, Comcast says it's "very interested" in seeing how the Beaumont trials turn out, and that it might move toward such a model in the future.