Comcast to Cord Cutters...

[STC]

I think the model to charge metered is a good one that benefits us all in the long run.
As long as the billing is fair use and not gouged, if you use a lot of it, you pay more. Those that don't don't.

[mcewinter]

I think the model to charge metered is a good one that benefits us all in the long run.
As long as the billing is fair use and not gouged, if you use a lot of it, you pay more. Those that don't don't.

Except those who use their service very little won't pay less. The price will stay the same while the heavier users get charged even more. I doubt the end user will benefit from any "new" model.

[STC]

^ We'd all pay a base rate for connectivity, just like we do now.
For heavier users to get charged more is good.

Why should I pay/suffer if my next door neighbor sucks all the lifeblood out of our local bandwidth? Charge them appropriately for it!
There isn't enough capacity in current infrastructure to cope if we all leeched immense amounts of data as some users do and there never will be, those users would always want more.

Metering is the only way to go IMO just like any other utility.

[werds]

^ We'd all pay a base rate for connectivity, just like we do now.
For heavier users to get charged more is good.

Why should I pay/suffer if my next door neighbor sucks all the lifeblood out of our local bandwidth? Charge them appropriately for it!
There isn't enough capacity in current infrastructure to cope if we all leeched immense amounts of data as some users do and there never will be, those users would always want more.

Metering is the only way to go IMO just like any other utility.

Except that you are expecting a business that regularly places low in customer satisfaction, has a practical monopoly position or close to in most markets to apply fair and appropriate charges? The same companies that when you watched Netflix on their networks it was slower than other video on demand streaming services until AFTER they paid more? The same services that the iSP's have competing products that are priced even higher on average and are not subject to any part of the metering?

Sorry but hate to tell you, based on past behavior I do not see fair and appropriate being applied in the way that us the consumers would agree is fair and appropriate... (At least not on the US side of things)

[STC]

Why is this somehow different from cell phone data plans?

Does the FCC over-see ISPs in regards to this area?

[STC]

If they charge too much for the metered service then that's for your monopolies commissions to sort out but it still shouldn't prevent metered billing from coming into effect.

[barnabas1969]

STC, the point is that the current prices they are charging now are designed to cover the current costs associated with delivering the service, including the bandwidth hogs. In order for them to make metering fair, they would need to charge much less for the base rate so that they aren't gouging the people who use very little data.

[STC]

Maybe that's just sour grapes
A lot of cord cutters did so to save money. Well in reality things catch up to you and you'll find yourself paying in some way or another.

[barnabas1969]

Maybe the data caps will spawn a whole new industry of broadband providers who can compete with the cable companies? I can only hope.

[RyC]

Not when the cable companies own the last mile they won't. Just look at Canada (TekSavvy)

[barnabas1969]

Not when the cable companies own the last mile they won't. Just look at Canada (TekSavvy)

Think wireless and fiber.

[RyC]

Why wouldn't wireless be capped as much as it is now? FiOS expansion is done, and outside projects here and there, fiber is not going to become widespread anytime soon.

Nobody wants to spend the money on infrastructure.

[mcewinter]

^ We'd all pay a base rate for connectivity, just like we do now.
For heavier users to get charged more is good.

Why should I pay/suffer if my next door neighbor sucks all the lifeblood out of our local bandwidth? Charge them appropriately for it!
There isn't enough capacity in current infrastructure to cope if we all leeched immense amounts of data as some users do and there never will be, those users would always want more.

Metering is the only way to go IMO just like any other utility.

Who is having bandwidth issues? My connection doesn't suffer any speeds unless Comcast decides to throttle service. I think Comcast charging Netflix is complete BS, and guess what? Netflix just raised prices for new customers. Whatever inspired that? Comcast has the overhead and infrastructure.

With that said, I don't fully disagree that metered pricing would be ideal but the implementation will not benefit YOU.

[barnabas1969]

When I say wireless, I'm not talking about cellular data. There are plenty of other ways to transmit data wirelessly.

[RyC]

Like Clearwire and the sorts, I gotcha. Thats a possibility, but the cell companies are still gobbling all the spectrum. We'll see if that changes...

[barnabas1969]

In my area, there used to be a wireless ISP. You had to buy a special antenna and transceiver. The antenna was basically a flat dish which you had to point in the direction of their tower. I don't remember their name, and I have no idea if they're still around or not. It would be a nice alternative.

[STC]

^ We have them here (quite rural) for those homes without DSL or cable.

[RyC]

How fast is the connection?

[Crash2009]

Here is an interesting tidbit from.....https://www.sandvine.com/trends/global- ... phenomena/

North American subscribers who exhibit “cord cutting” behavior (top 15th percentile of video users) are dominating network usage
Consuming on average 212GB a month, more than seven times the 29GB of a typical subscriber
Viewing the equivalent of 100 hours of video each month
Accounting for the majority (54%) of total monthly network traffic

And a little more detail here.....http://www.internetphenomena.com/

The jist of it is, 15% of the users are taking 50% of the bandwidth. They should pay more.

[STC]

...With that said, I don't fully disagree that metered pricing would be ideal but the implementation will not benefit YOU.

I suffer a lot with contention.
I pay for a 15Mbit pipe and during peak hours I get +/-5Mbit.
It will certainly benefit ME