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I forgot that there are countries that, unlike Australia, actually don't have quota caps on internet plans. Honestly it's not the end of the world so long as yo

I forgot that there are countries that, unlike Australia, actually don't have quota caps on internet plans. Honestly it's not the end of the world so long as you have ISPs offering reasonable quota-exempt content (Netflix + iiNet <3). That said I do see that huge, gaping conflict of interest between cable providers and content distribution.

remarkEon 11y ago
Isn't this why people were mad about the Comcast/Netflix deal though?
ploxiln 11y ago
The problem here is, what if you want to use a new competitor to Netflix, perhaps one with more content and a snappier UI? But you can't because they didn't pay-off your ISP? (In addition to them paying their own ISP, and you paying your ISP. And then your ISP not doing its job because no kick-backs.) I'm actually OK with the idea of caps, as long as there is competition so they are reasonably high caps. Some overselling / bursty-ness of consumer ISPs is reasonable IMHO, and communicating that with caps is reasonably simple.
dangrossman 11y ago
Netflix streaming wouldn't exist for you to <3 if ISPs had prohibitive data caps when they were new. Do you want to freeze the internet as it is today, blocking out new entrants and innovations, so long as you get your Netflix?
davidlumley 11y ago
I live in Brisbane, and my current internet plan is 'unlimited' (TPG). The biggest problem I have isn't the quota / data caps available, it's the fact I can't get any better than 2mbps upload speed, even if I switch from ADSL2+ to cable through Telstra.
detaro 11y ago
So if I don't care about Netflix but want to watch e.g. a lot of twitch.tv I have to shop around for an ISP that has a deal with them? No thanks...
wycx 11y ago
I don't know why you are getting down voted. I came here to make more or less the same comment: Australia has not slid of the face of the earth due to download quotas. Last month internode increased my quota from 250 to 1000 Gb at no additional cost. Perhaps people are raging against usage caps because all hope of non-cable monopoly broadband in the US is lost.

remarkEon 11y ago

Isn't this why people were mad about the Comcast/Netflix deal though?

ploxiln 11y ago

The problem here is, what if you want to use a new competitor to Netflix, perhaps one with more content and a snappier UI? But you can't because they didn't pay-off your ISP? (In addition to them paying their own ISP, and you paying your ISP. And then your ISP not doing its job because no kick-backs.) I'm actually OK with the idea of caps, as long as there is competition so they are reasonably high caps. Some overselling / bursty-ness of consumer ISPs is reasonable IMHO, and communicating that with caps is reasonably simple.

dangrossman 11y ago

Netflix streaming wouldn't exist for you to <3 if ISPs had prohibitive data caps when they were new. Do you want to freeze the internet as it is today, blocking out new entrants and innovations, so long as you get your Netflix?

davidlumley 11y ago

I live in Brisbane, and my current internet plan is 'unlimited' (TPG). The biggest problem I have isn't the quota / data caps available, it's the fact I can't get any better than 2mbps upload speed, even if I switch from ADSL2+ to cable through Telstra.

detaro 11y ago

So if I don't care about Netflix but want to watch e.g. a lot of twitch.tv I have to shop around for an ISP that has a deal with them? No thanks...

wycx 11y ago

I don't know why you are getting down voted. I came here to make more or less the same comment: Australia has not slid of the face of the earth due to download quotas. Last month internode increased my quota from 250 to 1000 Gb at no additional cost. Perhaps people are raging against usage caps because all hope of non-cable monopoly broadband in the US is lost.