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Those caps seem pretty draconian. Key points: * 768Kbps connection with a 5GB cap for $29.95 per month * 15MBps with a 40GB cap for $54.90 per month * Cu

Those caps seem pretty draconian. Key points: * 768Kbps connection with a 5GB cap for $29.95 per month * 15MBps with a 40GB cap for $54.90 per month * Customers will be able to see how much bandwidth they have left by visiting the Time Warner Cable web site. * $1 for each additional gigabyte consumed beyond the cap. I worry that this won't scale well as streaming services become more and more common. That's bad news for startups expecting their customers to have flat-rate access.

dkokelley 18y ago
Wait, $1/GB after the cap? So it gets cheaper the more you use. Maybe I'm used to the cellphone model of obscene rates after the cap. In any case, I'm glad I live in an area with decent ISP competition. If I was charged like this I would switch in a heartbeat.
noonespecial 18y ago
Its expensive but its fair. The connection I have now is as much as you want, until its too much, in which case we'll just cut you off without warning. I believe I might actually prefer the expensive and fair model.
- Xichekolas 18y ago
  > I believe I might actually prefer the expensive and fair model. Or, you know, they could have enough network capacity to support the speeds they offer. Ironically I moved to Beaumont (the city in question) last week (girlfriend earns big bucks with Exxonmobil). I'm definitely glad I have a 6m/768k dry loop DSL plan with AT&T that doesn't have any bandwidth limits... especially since it's only $38.99 a month. If they were really trying to fix a network problem by modifying behavior, it'd make sense to go after the top 1% of bandwidth users (which according to my last cable company used 35% of bandwidth) by setting really high caps and higher per gb fees. By applying silly things like 5gb caps, all they are trying to do is milk more money out people that don't know any better. (If anyone in the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas area wants dry loop DSL, you can save yourself time by calling the dry loop department directly at 1-800-264-0002. Sadly I don't even like AT&T that much, but at least they don't do retarded stuff like this.)
- sealedidentity 18y ago
  My angry response is: Nonsense. They can shove their internet where the sun doesn't shine. Rationally speaking: These blokes were given a free rein and tax breaks by Clinton to develop sturdy networks capable of handling great loads and redundancies at multiple layers and levels. The fact that they sat on their asses all the while eating the money and spent virtually nothing on improving the internet experience makes them monopolizing culprits. If anything,the government should penalize them to the tune of billions for the disservice they've done the public. And oh btw, for these rates I'd switch providers immediately if I had an option or go back to dialup.
- dime 18y ago
  5GB for $29.95 is hardly fair. Web hosting companies have found ways to increase bandwidth and keep plan prices at same or lower levels. Why can telcos do the same? $5.99 per GB is a ripoff. I have already called Time Warner Cable and warned them that if they implement bandwidth caps in my area, I will discontinue their service. I have other options in my area like Speakeasy or wireless internet providers.
- noonespecial 18y ago
  Hmm, I meant fair as in you know what you are buying for the money you are giving them because the declare it up front. Is this amount reasonable? Hell no. As has been stated above, these companies got massive tax breaks and subsidies (and sometimes monopoly powers) on the promise of limitless bandwidth and fiber everywhere. They have been essentially selling dial-up ever since. (At these caps, they still are). I call that stealing. What I meant was, this is slightly more honorable than telling the customer that it is unlimited and then cutting off the account without warning when the magic undisclosed number is reached. This way the customer knows in advance that the service sucks monkey balls and can choose an alternative if possible.

dkokelley 18y ago

Wait, $1/GB after the cap? So it gets cheaper the more you use. Maybe I'm used to the cellphone model of obscene rates after the cap. In any case, I'm glad I live in an area with decent ISP competition. If I was charged like this I would switch in a heartbeat.

noonespecial 18y ago

Its expensive but its fair. The connection I have now is as much as you want, until its too much, in which case we'll just cut you off without warning. I believe I might actually prefer the expensive and fair model.

Xichekolas 18y ago
> I believe I might actually prefer the expensive and fair model. Or, you know, they could have enough network capacity to support the speeds they offer. Ironically I moved to Beaumont (the city in question) last week (girlfriend earns big bucks with Exxonmobil). I'm definitely glad I have a 6m/768k dry loop DSL plan with AT&T that doesn't have any bandwidth limits... especially since it's only $38.99 a month. If they were really trying to fix a network problem by modifying behavior, it'd make sense to go after the top 1% of bandwidth users (which according to my last cable company used 35% of bandwidth) by setting really high caps and higher per gb fees. By applying silly things like 5gb caps, all they are trying to do is milk more money out people that don't know any better. (If anyone in the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas area wants dry loop DSL, you can save yourself time by calling the dry loop department directly at 1-800-264-0002. Sadly I don't even like AT&T that much, but at least they don't do retarded stuff like this.)
sealedidentity 18y ago
My angry response is: Nonsense. They can shove their internet where the sun doesn't shine. Rationally speaking: These blokes were given a free rein and tax breaks by Clinton to develop sturdy networks capable of handling great loads and redundancies at multiple layers and levels. The fact that they sat on their asses all the while eating the money and spent virtually nothing on improving the internet experience makes them monopolizing culprits. If anything,the government should penalize them to the tune of billions for the disservice they've done the public. And oh btw, for these rates I'd switch providers immediately if I had an option or go back to dialup.
dime 18y ago
5GB for $29.95 is hardly fair. Web hosting companies have found ways to increase bandwidth and keep plan prices at same or lower levels. Why can telcos do the same? $5.99 per GB is a ripoff. I have already called Time Warner Cable and warned them that if they implement bandwidth caps in my area, I will discontinue their service. I have other options in my area like Speakeasy or wireless internet providers.
noonespecial 18y ago
Hmm, I meant fair as in you know what you are buying for the money you are giving them because the declare it up front. Is this amount reasonable? Hell no. As has been stated above, these companies got massive tax breaks and subsidies (and sometimes monopoly powers) on the promise of limitless bandwidth and fiber everywhere. They have been essentially selling dial-up ever since. (At these caps, they still are). I call that stealing. What I meant was, this is slightly more honorable than telling the customer that it is unlimited and then cutting off the account without warning when the magic undisclosed number is reached. This way the customer knows in advance that the service sucks monkey balls and can choose an alternative if possible.