Comments on: Comcast launches faster Internet plans, but usage cap remains

Comcast has a slew of dramatically faster Internet subscription packages for residential and business users, however the shadow of the 250GB monthly cap remains for some.

[rickrack17]

File complaints with FCC and stop this monopsonistic behavoir.
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

[kknudson]

I will generally support Comcast, I have found the service reliable and reasonably fast. Until recently I was seeing Ultra speeds on my standard plan, that seems to have gone away.
Note that I have no other alternative, beyond dialup. Even when AT&T does come in, (THEY repeat THEY promised me DSL 5+ years ago, yet no where even close today), I don't trust them at all.

Regarding bandwith caps, the CEO of Qwest recently did an interview (it's available on-line somewhere), and gave a very good case as to why bandwidth caps are valid.
They are monitoring things, but do not currently have plans to implement them.

How would you feel if someone on your street did something that brought 1000s of cars an hour down your street, slowing down your ability to get in and out ? You'd be screaming at your town or village to fix it. Yes, Comcast can put in bigger pipes (expensive, and doesn't happen overnite), and they can't really widen your street but consider the contrast.

I do think that Comcast should provide a monitor, and or emails maybe to help the average user to see if they are going to have issue's.

AND after I made a complaint about CS and Cable TV via email, I did have one of their senior CS Reps call to get the details. In that conversation I was told that a minimal package would be offered. I don't want it, but I know a number of people that would, yet as mentioned earlier, it is strangely missing.

[jamesuss]

Good to see that Charlie from Comcast actually bothered to post. Well, I am sorry Charlie, but that dog won't hunt. For one thing, it's obvious that Comcast places these limits in order to sucker people in to paying for overpriced Comcast services. First you offer someone 22MBS download speeds for a around $70 a month. Of course they can't really take advantage of that speed. Well, not unless they pay Comcast an extra $30-40 a month.

You can talk about how much people would pay for what and how long it would take them to listen or watch whatever, but that is beside the point. Just because I can not listen to 250GB worth of music in a month does not mean I don't want to download it. In other words, quit acting like placing this limit is somehow a favor to the consumer. It's no more a favor than raising your cable bill every year is a favor.

[vay_pers]

Dear Citizens of USA. You are a bunch of whingers. The majority of Internet Service Providers around the world have plans with a monthly download quota. I don't understand the logic of the arguments about one price for unlimited use. Would you expect to buy a car and then demand that you should be able to drive it as much as you want for a fixed fee - unlimited gasoline for $100 per month - I don't think so. The only legitimate case you have is for Comcast to provide an online usage meter so you can see how close to quota you are, and possibly send you an email at 80% quota so you can manage you consumption. In Australia they throttle your speed down to dial-up (64kbs) once you use up your monthly quota - some of our ISP count uploads as well - do Comcast do that ? If you want to see some REALLY BAD VALUE Internet plans that you could moan about with some justification, check out here: http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/

[brandonmrv93]

this is keeping down technological advance ments now if there is someone who is download teribites of stuff in a week now comcast should try to police that guy but for the most of us who use it for internet browsing and there are many of devices coming out to have hd movies on there big tv if they put caps on isp's no one will want to manufacture these devices.

okay not many people in a average month downloads 250gigs but at&t I heard will be putting up a 25gig cap on some of there service plans I put up a thang to see what exactly I use in a month with gaming internet browsing and streaming media such as youtube I use 30gig in november so and also with youtube they now support hd and download music and movies it can get a bit higher than that in the feuter so this should stop before more isp's get the idea such as mine and then hay even if they put it high unless they make it astronomical I amd going to find a deffernt isp that dosent do it unless I would have to go to dial up I would rather get rid of my internet than have it that slow

[Tgrable84]

The thing is as technology advances this 250gigs will become less and less. You can already buy memberships to sites that let you stream HD movies to your TV. A compressed divx quality HD video is around 8 gigs where a full bluray movie is about 20-22 gigs, it doesn't take many of those to break the cap.

You have Streaming music.

Almost all Tv series can be watched online now

Gaming

Digital download purchases

HD movie streams

Software updates

Online Data backups

Email

Webcam/voice chat

These things count for more for each person you have in your house.

If you have 2 adults and 2 kids with 3 pcs between the family

A normal month would probably look like this

Adults a few emails a little browsing maybe a tv episode or two

Kids Tons of Movies and Music. Then you have gaming Via PC and/or PS3 Xbox360.

You have both pc's needing all their windows and software updates.

Throw in a streaming media center or two for your HD streaming needs and you have just eaten the cap just from this.

There are just so many ways the web has improved out quality of living but now we are being punished for enjoying that quality. I pay for the higher speed package because I use that additional bandwidth and now I'm going to be punished for BUYING MORE and using more, does that make sense? What will be next, Will they tell us we can only watch 250 hrs of TV a month? Where does it end?

Comcast is using these tactics to scare customers and make them avoid using new technology that takes advantage of a fast internet connection.. They do all of this because its cheaper than upgrading their network. Thats the only reason.. comcast wants to skimp on their networks and make as much profit as possible and bully the customer and keep them from using the service they are purchasing.

Also one more fact, the USA has the LOWEST average internet speed of all the countries last i checked. So we are paying more,but getting less.. all our hard earned money is just going to line the pockets of executives in comcast.

[ma9168]

This is so scary for me. I'm a handicapped great-grandmother and the internet is my window to the world. I battled HughesNet's restrictions for years, until my son found WydeBeam for me. It is fantastic to finally have the internet act like it is supposed to. I can listen to my internet radio all day (instead of the "free" time of 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. that I got from Hughes), download and watch a movie anytime of the day and never experience a reduction in speed. Plus excellent customer service; I'm in heaven. How can Comcast and other companies like them lose sight of their customers so badly? I just pray that the competitive marketplace will respond and keep us from being ruled by the "only game in town" mentality of the big boys.
Maureen