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What do you think of the new 250GB/month Comcast cap?

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Total Votes: 14,979
89 Comments

  • LAY - 15 years ago

    OK, I didn't use 90gb before breakfast but apparently I had no problem using 250gb in a month because I got a call from the comcast bandwidth police telling me I went over and one more time and I would be without internet access for a year and asked what I was going to do without internet for a year. Hmm...ever hear of Verizon dumb@$$...or any other local provider...you aren't the only game in town and 250gb isn't unreasonable depending on your usage. I do some p2p stuff but I also run a forum of over 3200 members. Keeping that updated and communicating with the members plus general web usage...250 wasn't as hard as it sounds.

  • Rick - 15 years ago

    In 2006, the Comcast CEO stated that it was his job to extract as much money from the public as possible. I agree. That is his job----but dealing with an over zealous super ego is not why I use Comcast.

    250 GIG sounds like a lot of bandwidth until you realize that the animated ads provided by Doubleclick and Bluelithium are using up that bandwidth.

    We pay to see ads and now may pay for them again.

    For the super ego of business, screwing a person is not enough--they want you to come back and kiss their asses for having done it.

    What's it all about---people are tired of watching compressed content with half and half ads with some content. respectively !!

    Comcast wants to train us not to channel surf---change channels with digital and an ad is presented.

    Turn on the digital service and you must watch 12 minutes of ads before you can check the news or weather- No matter what miute of the hour you tune in.

    But, alas, I have learned to work around it. Did you know that it is possible to do a complete brake job on a 1995 Cadillac during the ads and never miss a bit of the original content?

    Fill the kitchen sink with water and never have it run over--just turn it off at the next advertisement.

    Vacuum every carpet in the house during a 2 hour movie?

    AND for good measure--I refuse to buy anything that is advertised on Television---most comprable brands are better and cost less.

    OF course I walk clockwise in a grocery store too.

    All we need to do is recognize the exploitation and counter it.

    People with litttle computer knowlege can use OPENdns and/or the HOSTS file on their home computer to block some of the "in your face" Internet advertising from Comcast. It is easy !!

  • James - 16 years ago

    It really amazed me at the amount of people that whine becasue they have a cap on their bandwidth. Comcast has the right to put a cap on bandwidth hogs, all the FCC can do is ask them to remove it, they cannot force them to Mike. I do not know where you got you r infor but it is incorrect, probably just a brush off by the FCC so you and other whiners would stop calling them.

  • mike` - 16 years ago

    I think the limit is bullshit. They don't have the right to do that unless its approved by the FCC. Which I contacted the FCC they said they denied that limit so now comcast is going to get a court date with the FCC saying that comcast will no longer be a service SAY GOODBYE TO THE JERK OFFS AT HAND :D

  • jason - 16 years ago

    I read this last week and already ordered VERIZON FIOS. I don't believe I use over 250 gig, but I am going to switch regardless. Your loss comcast. :)

  • Motty - 16 years ago

    What bothers me is that they say they will throttle bandwidth during peak hours...hmmmm...let's see, it's 3AM...and I'm being throttled...to quote the late, great George Carlin, "It's all bulls**t!"

  • Dave - 16 years ago

    With 2 kids in college, one in high school and me running 3 websites I chose Comcast for a reason. Anyway, I think the people that should weigh in here are businesses such as Amazon, Itunes, Mass Storage companies and all those major companies that rely on hits and sales. They will be the ones that will see the decline in traffic.

  • mark - 16 years ago

    can't you play the stock-market,
    invest in more capacity,
    maintain good pr with customers,
    charge a fee if too much,
    raise the limit[if you have to have one] to 1,000 gb/mo

    because usage will only get bigger with time, you should start gently and generously, and not appear to be unfair.

    what about online gaming, watching hd movie's, data back up etc. all will force a customer close to the limit of 250gb/mo

    get with it, we pay your bills and the few who are affecting your speed for others that pay for it right now is way too few to just nuts with a policy that is bad for pr and internet precedent.

  • Bill - 16 years ago

    I see quite a few people blasting the company for their attempt to provide quality service to the majority. As a Comcast customer, I want to see a good picture when I turn on the TV and hear the person on the other end of the phone as well as download the file I want in a reasonable amount of time.

    Unfortunately, the internet "pipe" coming down the street is not an unlimited size and I would bet that by the end of next year, when digital TV programming begins to escalate even more, Comcast will not be the only vendor implementing rates based on usage.

    If your internet needs are in the 250GB range... pay for the priviledge, change your style, or push back from your desk and get out and enjoy life. You can avoid paying Comcast by switching providers... but not for much loinger.

  • Jeff - 16 years ago

    Ron, with all that common sense you claim to possess you still can't figure out what the word "unlimited" means?

    It wouldn't matter if the limit was a TB of up/down a month, the point is that Comcast sold me on an unlimited internet package. Apparently, they were selling something that don't actually have the infrastructure to provide.

  • Steph - 16 years ago

    I have the so-called "triple play", the prices are crazy!!!! We that have been loyal customers for years don't get any special deals or free items, we don't even get a free weekend of HBO anymore!!! But I see Comcast advertise get a free Wii or a free TV for subscribing, this is BULLSH**!!! While the rest of us are paying like $170.00 a month. Then when you have a Tech. problem or billing problem you get jerked around!!! I'm glad I made the decision to get rid of digital voice, and the digital boxes. Now if I can just find a reliable internet service and decent tv service, I'd tell Comcast to SHOVE IT!!!!!!!

  • Jake - 16 years ago

    Whew, almost switched too. Glad for the advice. CYA Comcast.

  • dv - 16 years ago

    Are they even considering traffic and file transfers caused by VPN usage? I have downloads as well as work and as well as kids research and data transfers and what else they might do online. uploading pictures and getting songs and what not. This is ridiculus, I already started searching for a new ISP.

  • JoBob - 16 years ago

    Before Insight took over the local cable company, some of the local Dial-Up ISP's had Internet Caps of 250gbs a month but they (Dial-Up ISP's) charged exuberant amouts of money for their services and they would shut you off without notice. If you had important information that needed to be cared for, the ISP's didn't care.

    Insightbb took over the local cable company and treated their consumers with RESPECT as long as you paid your bill on time or close to it. I've only had Broadband Internet for about 3 and a half years and I've gotten treated well by Insightbb the whole time but now Comcast took over Insightbb and they want to put a " LEASH " on us all!

    I'll stay online with Comcast for a little while but as soon as they "limit my usage," I'll go back to Dial-Up Internet which is so archaic and stone age but it'll have to do unless I can cut back myself which will keep me online with Broadband but I have a question for Comcast.......... if you're going to STOP unlimited service and put a cap or leash on the broadband internet, are you going to LOWER the price of the Broadband Internet to at least HALP the price of $44.95 a month? That would ONLY be fair if you're lowering your service from UNLIMITED to 250gbs. How about $19.95? I bet a bunch of people would stay with you even after your new " LEASH LAW " on October 1, 2008. How about that? That would be all worth it to so many people you're about to screw over with your NEW plan.

    Well, good luck with your future program and we'll be watching how things work out. Bye.

    JoBob Miller

  • SA - 16 years ago

    Is a very stupid move, must be they lost the lawsuit against www.savetheinternet.com , so they come back to punish all of us. Dont worry Comcrap, I am going to tell all my buddies to find a better ISP if you cannot handle that.

  • V.C. - 16 years ago

    Makes me glad I'm not a Comcast Customer. If I were, I'd be looking for another service right now.

  • Pepsi - 16 years ago

    Oh, sh*t! Thank god Comcast doesn't make cars. It wouldn't have a gas meter on it. If you actually advertised "Sorry, our cars do not come with gas meters", then it's up to the consumer to purchase. I don't give if there's a limit, it probably only effects 2% of your users, but ADVERTISE what you sell with ACCURACY por favor. (Isn't fraudulent advertising against the lay?)Although, Mr. Comcast probably scammed enough customers to have quite a bit of money. They are a intelligent, money-crazed corporations. Most likely they calculated out how much users they will lose and bandwidth ratio and found some magic number anyway.

  • Neecheez - 16 years ago

    The bandwidth is there... if no one else in my "neighborhood" is using it, why let it go to waste? It is self-adjusting anyway...as more peope sign on, speed for any individual will decrease. And I pray every day for Verizon FIOS to reach my 'hood (not much chance...I'm in CA and they're working east-to-west!) BTW, didn't all the telcoms and cable companies get huge subsidies in the 80's or 90's to lay in FIOS networks? When will we all be connected to this paid-for-in-advance network?? ("your tax dollars at work for...???") Of course, Comcast has a "business service", which probably isn't "capped", but,as I'm not a "business" I don't see why I should be forced into that more expensive service when, without these "caps", I could get what I'm supposed to be getting now..."unlimited Internet access"! I wonder what will happen to sites like "Second Life"??

  • Jack - 16 years ago

    I would take an educated guess that most who disagree with this new policy is either in their teens or early 20's. Big game players, movie pirates, music pirates and software pirates. Just a guess mind you. Those who use online backup services need to understand that though off-site backups may be desirable online services leave much to be desired in their own security. Perhaps Comcast can provide a different broadband service for such heavy users only. At an appropriate cost, of course.

  • Karen - 16 years ago

    I am a heavy user of Comcast services for the past ten years. I just called to ask for a history of my bandwidth usage, and was told that information is proprietary, I cannot request it. The only thing they will tell me is that my account has never been flagged for excessive usage. I am worried as I telecommute on a VPN and have three young adults who live here, play WOW online and download a lot of streaming video, use Iphone's, etc. They have frequent visits from friends who come here to play WOW with them for hours on end.... Verizon Fios is looking great!

  • Garett - 16 years ago

    Glad I just moved. This is something that would kill me but now I won't worry about it. Comcast is crap anyways.

  • John - 16 years ago

    I am not a Comcast customer. I do not love the big cable / media companies.
    FWIW I am a Linux user. However, I think that hell would freeze over and the
    Toronto Maple Leafs would win the Stanley Cup before I would ever hit that CAP in a month.

    Problem is, this could be a thin edge of a wedge, be it in fact or perception. How soon will the cap come down to smaller numbers where it is hurting the under 10 GB/ month user?

    If a service is offering Cable, Internet and Phone service on their system, I find it odd that they complain about high bandwith users, while at the same time they are plugging up the same pipe with more and more channels and services.

    But I still agree that high volume users should pay more.

  • Bolling - 16 years ago

    Welcome to the third world folks! A wealthy corporation again reveals the "power of the markets" ... Who cares if the US falls behind the rest of the world as long as corporate profits are acheivable with as little investment in infratructure as possible. It give a new meaning to "serfing the inernet"!

  • Scoey - 16 years ago

    I recommend to everyone reading this that they contact their city council and have them start a committee to look into what San Francisco, Palo Alto, and several other cities in the U.S. have done toward providing fiber optic internet service to every home in their city and wi-fi in every neighborhood. Cities with forward-thinking leaders will find themselves on a fast track to high income levels, better schools, and an overall higher standard of living if they free themselves from the mafia-like tactics of Comcast and the telecom companies. These idiots mentioned above, who think that we should be grateful that Comcast doesn't sleep with our wives or take our first born children as part of their new TOS are missing the boat, and they deserve to drown for it. People who have a problem with others using the internet to it's fullest potential should just go back to dial-up. They don't understand the technology. They don't have the imagination to see the potential uses for broadband, and they frankly need to learn how to be more subtle when sitting in their Comcast corporate offices pretending to be average citizens expressing thoughtful opinions. NONE of their so-called arguments hold any water. Unlimited means unlimited means unlimited. PERIOD.

    If you can't find a better internet service than the new and un-improved Comcast internet, then I sincerely recommend that you switch the Dish Network, Direct TV, or any other TV option than Comcast for your television service or just start stealing cable, since they're stealing our money by capping our so-called unlimited service. Of course, Ron is too busy dating supermodels and throwing lavish parties to even need cable or satellite TV, isn't that right, Ron buddy?

  • Scoey - 16 years ago

    >and that this makes you better than those of us in the 21st century who know how to get our money's worth from the internet is laughable. You just go on visiting the text-only sites and downloading only what you think your master says is enough for YOU. Let the rest of us continue to have a firm grasp on the English language, knowing that "Unlimited" means never having to say you're sorry for going all they way up to that limit each and every minute of the day, if we want to. I don't pay for YOU to get service. I pay for ME to get service. If I demand to get the full value for the service that I am paying for and you don't, that doesn't make me a bandwidth HOG, it makes you a SUCKER. Comcast should be investing in more infrastructure and improving their services instead of counting on us to be p-whipped morons like Ron. Does your mommy still cut your meat for you and tell you when to go to bed? The corporations are not our governesses. They are supposed to be our SERVANTS. You're a brainwashed fool.

    Vintage- "Well if you all would quit doing illegal downloads"

  • Scoey - 16 years ago

    So, it looks like in this comment thread we have a few Comcast PR plants:

    Ron "Waaa"

  • Fred - 16 years ago

    there is a tool that will help monitor and warn you if you approach their limit. DU Meter $25 -- http://dumeter.com/

    I've been using it since 2002 and have usage reports going back that far. I'm using DLS 1.5 Mb Down/256 kb up. October 2007 my use was very high -
    October 2007[UP] 29,136,320 KB[Down] 270,793,473 KB [Total] 299,929,793 KB

    The company offers a 30 day free trial.

    I do not have any financial stake or interest in the company.

  • DrJohn - 16 years ago

    I think the limit is basically reasonable, especially considering that over cable network, the bandwidth is shared and network hogs slow down everything for the rest of us. HOWEVER, I think Comcast should feel compelled to offer a bandwidth usage tool/service so users could monitor where they stand vis-a-vis the limits. Also, being cut off for a year seems to be a bit drastic for offenders. A more realistic solution would be to charge higher rates for those exceeding the limits, and perhaps impose shorter-term "blackouts" to call attention to the offense.

  • Jesse Knight - 16 years ago

    Glad I don't have ComCast.

    If they want to put a cap on the usage, how about a QOS guarantee and penalties when they don't deliver.

  • Dan - 16 years ago

    I've had basic Comcast cable TV for 23 years and internet service since they took over from At Home.com. For years I would lose internet service anywhere from hours to days at a time but had to put up with it.

    Lately they have moved some of our favorite TV shows out of basic service and now they want to cap the "Unlimited" internet service. Do they really think I will be waiting to come back if I'm suspended for a year? I think not, Verizon FIOS is now offered in my location. Thank God!

  • Jim - 16 years ago

    I am waiting on FIOS in my area. Does anyone know if they plan to limit usage?

  • Jim W. - 16 years ago

    I have a Comcast bundle, (Phone, Internet, Cable TV), which continually goes up in price, when the cap is employed, it's a good bet that all of my services will be switched over to AT&T. If they're going to limit my usage, I see no reason to keep them any longer.

  • Iggoo - 16 years ago

    Three questions come to mind

    1.) Will they refund the cash we pay for UNLIMITED access now that it is no better than a pay per download site. And if we bust our ceiling and get disconnected all together, do they refund us. Bet not!!

    2.) How will this move effect on line commerce? I download movies and T.V. from Amazon’s UNBOX. Typically one movie will put me well over the threshold. So, How will this move effect on line commerce?

    3.) what about the gamers that Comcast and Cox are continuously courting? They advertise fascinating speed with additional BURST speed and ON-LINE ACCELERATOR designed specifically for gamers. What a crock-o-crap

  • Mark - 16 years ago

    Think about it. As time goes along you could easily exceed the cap, for those people who are contractors that work out of their home, you could easily pass the cap. With RFQ being emailed out and the amount of information that is transported on the network it is easy. Just wait, this is just short of what they do in europe. They have not really upgraded their network in the past 6 - 7 years and the talent they once had is now gone due to high salaries, they have put people in charge that really dont know data and forecasting models. They wish to get as much profit as possible.. its bottom line guys.. the bean counters are loose with no idea about the business. I left them a couple of years ago due to lack of knowledge in trouble shooting issues I was having.
    This is the sign of the time to come. You might want to consider looking at wireless since they might be in your area and using 3G to transport your data.
    at least its a flat rate and they (wireless companies) are upgrading their networks like crazy for the increase in capasity. good luck to us all

  • JS - 16 years ago

    This is why I drop Comcast and switch to Verizon DSL 2 years ago. Shortly after that, Verizon introduce FiOS to my neighborhood. Cable can not handle the bandwidth that is needed for broadband internet and HD TV. And to top it off, I haven't had any problems with my FiOS service like I had with cable. Thank you Verizon.

  • Steve - 16 years ago

    Comcast recently took over our previous cable provider which was Insight. They just recently moved the National Geographic channel to a different tier which costs more. Now they want to cap my internet. I don't visualize that it will affect me or my wife, but I think they had better realize that they are not the only game in town. I went with them because they had higher speed than my previous carrier, but it doesn't mean that I am bound to them.

  • Lloyd Goldberg - 16 years ago

    1. If this happens, DSL is the unfortunate alternative to Comcast.
    2. Why is this not a normal service @ 250GB and then charge for various levels of data?
    3. Not much dfferent than your natural gas company limiting the amount you can use or the electric company limiting your use of electricity or water company putting a limit on the water you may use. We pay by how much gas, electric and water we consume. Why not a normal the same for Data? At least a family with teenagers downloading music and playing video and IM and VOIP can consume according to their requirements?
    3. I do hope your limit doen't spread.
    Awful, awful, awful. That's what a lack of competition will do. It's gone to your head.

  • Sherwood - 16 years ago

    Dump the bastards-bring them to their knees. We should make this ploy known throughout the public and get everyone to boycott and cancel their subscriptions. Those under contract have every right to cancel immediately as Comcast is changing the terms. If this gets started it could spread to other vendors, so we need to nip it in the bud.

  • Tom De Man - 16 years ago

    We've had this for years in Belgium on the cable internet connection. There's a limit of 12 GB a month for about $50 and then you get smallband, your speed is limited to that of an analog modem. If you want more, you can pay for it ($1 per GB extra). Besides the price which is pretty high, the system is reasonable: you get what you pay for.

  • tarnue Ballah - 16 years ago

    this is crazy. if i was any of ya i go with Verizon fios. it's way faster than comcast, and you get the fios TV, internet, and phone service. they also use fiber optic which is faster than comcast. and there's is no digging. i just got the fios plan, and it's amazing. you get wireless modem and you can even manage you own network. if i was any of you guys i will just pick verizon which is now better.

  • Vintage - 16 years ago

    Well if you all would quit doing illegal downloads then maybe they would have to cap their service due to you hogging all their bandwidth. If you all leave it might just be a plus to all those average users who had to face throttled band width until the FCC stepped in.

    Comcast had to do something. Get over it.

  • Ron - 16 years ago

    Sorry not a Comcast employee... just someone with some common sense. I don't know what fantasy world some of you are living in but a reality check may be in order. However, if I were a in upper management at Comcast and looked at all of the whiners who are looking at jumping ship because they can't download in one month what most people download in 5 years or more... you know what my response would be??? WHOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!! "Now I can provide adequate services to 95% of my customer base without having these guys trying to dowload the entire contents of the internet every month... maybe I can even skip the next price increase because the load on our networks will drop significantly" I'm sure that some of you are the ones that go to the buffett and are pissed off because you can't get a dozen carry-out boxes to take home with you. People that have unreasonable expectations (like being able to download more than 250GB in a month) that make companies like Comcast and others have to take steps like this. I will say that they should have a service level called "Bandwidth Hog" or "I Have No Outside Life" where they charge you about $150/mo and let you download until your eyes bleed. Just my opinion but I am right and I know it.

  • GeorgeK - 16 years ago

    I don't think this will bother me but I feel Comcast should provide software for me to keep track of my usage. I also feel that their customers should have been notified prior to the public release of the plan. In the event that someone gets that first warning from Comcast I suppose you just have to take Comcasts word for it.... now that's what sucks.. If I was notified that I exceeded the allowable GBs I would not hesitate to kiss Comcast off. There are many other services available... Comcast is going to be hurt by this and I don't think they realize. it.

  • bubba - 16 years ago

    Comcast is losing out from FIOS. It's thier ploy to get you to get a second account so they can make up for the losses. I was about to order comcast for my house I just bought, looks like I'm goin DSL and Dish Network.

  • Tim Davis - 16 years ago

    BULLSHIT. I will look at DSL

  • Dana - 16 years ago

    I'll tell you this much, I'll be downloading as much as possible until they term my service. I think I'll just setup a manager to download and iso of fedora repeated, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. F' Comcast.

    Something else to consider, this presents a new possible attack. Crack someone's WEP and just download crap to eat up their monthly allowance of bandwidth.

  • Paul from Paulo - 16 years ago

    Martin and Jeff hit the nail on the head.

    Sorry Ron and Casey, but your justifications and blame game have no place in this discussion. The matter is that the service is offered as unlimited, and yet they are limiting access.

    You can not argue that simple fact away by trying to blame people who actually take advantage of the resources presented to them.

  • Dilbert - 16 years ago

    Unlimited Internet access enabled things like advertising and other "heavy" objects and graphics on web pages and in email (it is tolerated since we aren't paying for it). When people were paying for metered Internet (i.e. early dial-up pay by time or by bit), all this extra overhead was not tolerated.

    Putting a cap on "unlimited" use is basically charging by the bit again. When this happens, people will start to be concerned with every bit that comes "over the wire" via their web browser or via email. We will quickly go back to the days were unwanted advertising, web page graphics, and other unwanted bits that consume our "alloted" bandwidth will not be tolerated.

  • doug stearns aka filosurpher - 16 years ago

    It completely overwhelms me that the few have inconvenienced the many so greatly that it has to come to this. It's a damn sorry state of affairs but the children will have to be spanked and kept under a few hundred movies, etc. per month.

    The whiners will plead for purity but they whiners have fouled everyone's nest. Even IF it hurt me seriously I'd applaud it. Let the whiners wriggle in internet hell for a while. And ordinary people who do important things in life can get about business.

  • Kelly - 16 years ago

    Comcast, already well known for being one of the nation's worth ISPs, will ensure that they maintain their title with a move like this.

    The first time I get a call, which will be around the middle of October, I'll be telling a Comcast rep where they can shove this Motorola modem and going with another ISP.

  • LL - 16 years ago

    If I had Comcast I'd start looking now. Personally I understand that bandwidth cost money and the more you use the less someone else has to use since no matter how you look at it, it is shared badnwidth. I think a better solution is to tier the service. The more bandwidth you want the more you pay for the service. This would be fairer than capping everyones account (ex. you just surf then you pay for a 256 pipe, if you LOVE doing the downloading thing then you pay more for the 1024 pipe or wait for the load to come down a 256 pipe)

  • Jeff - 16 years ago

    Obvioulsy Ron is a comcast employee, which would explain why he does not understand what the term "unlimited" means.

    When a company offers unlimited internet access, there should not be any bandwidth limits. How such a notion is beyond the grasp of companies like Comcast and their apologist minions like Ron is anyone's guess.

  • Dan Hill - 16 years ago

    It doesn't bother me because I do not and never plan to use Comcast's crummy service. I already have more bandwidth than they offer at a lower cost. Why would I want to downgrade?

  • Shaun - 16 years ago

    First off I am amazed that no one has sued Comcast into the ground for a number of things. I can tell you for certain that Comcast has, does, and will continue to bribe small towns to prevent the implementations of FiOS and ATT Fiber in order to prevent competition. It has happened twice already in the town I live in. But, being truly soulless and rich they always find a way to make it look inocuous enough. Then they run completely misleading and false advertising regarding fiber optic service, be it Verizon FiOS or ATT Fiber. Yes Comcast has laid more miles of fiber optic cable than anyone in the world, however unless that cable runs right to your computer, tv, and phone you derive absolutely no benefit from it because when it comes down to it all you are still connecting through the wonderfully outdated world of copper and coaxial. And, while I do understand that it is about 10% - 20% of users creating this problem the rest fo the customers must suffer. They advertise "blazing fast" and "unlimited" internet and yet they have always capped there service secretly and borderline illegally, but again those with gold make the rules, and they continue to get away with it. And, like most people what infuriates me is that a) there is no meter for me to use and I doubt there will be any kind of a usage statement on my bill vis-a-vis Verizon Wireless, ATT Wireless, etc. to tell any of use just how much we are using. ALso, why should I have to download a third party program to determine my web usage. I doubt Comcast is going to compensate me for lost time, data, stress, and money if I download one that has malware encoded into it. As soon as Verizon get sthe 3 mbps DSL or FiOS out here thats where I'm going.

  • jag - 16 years ago

    This is the final straw. Comcast's services suck. The cable TV content consists of
    maybe 5 channels worth watching and a bazillion channels of pure crap.
    The internet service is mediocre at best and Comcast is STILL throttling users on a regular basis. I'm done with this garbage.

  • Rochelle Reagan - 16 years ago

    Talk about a bait and switch!! I work from my home and have NO idea how much I download. As has been said before, as the industry progresses, files and programs become larger - and a lot of people like the option of internet backup...Comcast will...what? Try to take control of that themselves, or? This looks like a foot in the door for continued and greater abuses over time. If they start this garbage - again, WITHOUT notifying customers (!!???) my relationship with them will be OVER. This sort of thing makes me not trust them at any level.

  • Mally - 16 years ago

    I say this is par for the course with Comcast. Since Day 1, I have NEVER gotten the speeds they advertise and that I am paying too much for in the first place. They say it is my equipment (their modem!) or some other such baloney. And they are not providing any meter to help us gauge our usage? Is that even Legal?? And what about notice to the consumer? I had to read about this on the Internet! This is their reaction to the FCC regulation, and it certainly will not go over well with the majority of Comcast users. Heck, most people don't know a gig from a meg and are going to panic.

    As soon as FIOS is available in my area, I am going to change to Verizon. Comcast, you will be losing customers sooner or later. You have done it now.

  • Lars - 16 years ago

    I'm not so worried about today, as I don't get anywhere near 250GB. But I remember a time when downloading even 1GB was beyond people's comprehension.

    Who knows, maybe someday 250GB in a month won't really be that much. Especially when you consider the increase in things like rich web content, streaming radio and TV, VoIP, cloud computing, and backup services.

  • Maryann - 16 years ago

    They say ... "customers taking advantage of streaming HD video and online backup services." What's up with that. Aren't we paying for the service? Saw this coming months ago with another company that was doing a "trial run." Trust me, they will start charging when you hit the cap and you won't know what hit you! Stupid, Greedy, Corporate Company.

  • ccalm - 16 years ago

    i have t modile hot spot at home it use my wi fi all day when I am home. What the hell am I going to do with 250gb a month. I fix a lot of older computer for older people. I have to look for driver for them and download a lot of them. Sometimes I go on a 1000 pages a day looking for drivers.

  • jeff - 16 years ago

    250 may be a lot now, but the future it will be like the shrinking value of the dollar. just to surf a bit will be using bandwidth almost everything is video, news, youtube, movie trailers, my kids research homework, download all kinds of report type stuff, prints them too, ink prices are another peeve.. play online games, so do I when I get the chance, download trial software , anti-virus updates on different computers etc.. IF I get a call, it'll be g-bye. I've already started transferring all current e-mails to go elsewhere. .. are they deducting the e-mail spam we didn't want?.. all the ads, pop-ups etc.. we don't want? it may be little to some, but in my house 3-4 kids it adds up. if they eliminated all the advertising, well that would be fair. once they get their limit then what's next charge per gig?

  • Bruce Hahn - 16 years ago

    The plus is that this is a first step towards tiered pricing, which is good for most consumers (except for the small consumer subset that are very heavy bandwidth users and believe that the majority of other consumers should be required to subsidize their heavy use). Tiered pricing of such things as cell phone plans gives consumers the choice of paying only for a plan that suits their needs. The same applies to cable tv subscription options, which increased competition will some day hopefully lead to pay per channel.
    As more broadband providers become available to more consumers competition will lead to more choices. It is in the interest of consumers that they be able choose not just between each providers all-you-can-eat plan, but also between different levels of service at different price points.
    The minuses are that multiple carriers of broadband currently aren't available everywhere, and the new Comcast pricing model kicks heavy use subscribers who may have no other broadband alternative off the network. Many of those heavy users are home-based business and/or teleworkers who really do need the extra bandwidth. In those cases Comcast should be required to offer reasonable additional incremental pricing for excess consumption, just as cell phone companies charge for going over your maximum allowed monthly minutes. Out of respect for its customers and for good customer relations it would also be a good idea for Comcast to provide them usage meters so they can keep track of their consumption rather than require each one to do that individually.
    When we get to that wonderful point in our future when every broadband data services consumer has 3 or 4 providers to choose from competition between alternative service/pricing models will be a great benefit to consumers. Until then the FCC needs to monitor new business models to make sure that they do not have the effect of denying needed broadband services to American consumers.
    American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance

  • Bob - 16 years ago

    Comcast is primarily an entertainment vendor, not a telecommunications company. The cororate ethos is one of providing a non-essential service. Remember the commercial that had the two guys on the pole connecting and disconnecting the cable for a neighborhood? One sick puppy.

  • Manwalklikebear - 16 years ago

    Comcast is one the worst companies out there. Their advertising is totally subversive and horribly mis-informative. I hope someone files a law suit against them for false advertising.

  • Bea Essen - 16 years ago

    Penaly for Overusage...??? No "web-site (or) meter", to see where the "overusage" line exist...?

    If an "instant" penalty is about to be imposed, then at least give me a meter! How do I know how much is left in the tank???...!!!

  • Mr. Christian - 16 years ago

    F__ 'em. I'll just sign up with someone else.

  • Martin Spurgeon - 16 years ago

    I signed up for unlimited usage on Comcast's High Speed Internet and that is what I expect. If they want to do this, then they should only target the users just starting and inform them before they purchase. For me personally, I think this sucks big time. If there bandwidth can't handle all the new customers, then stop taking on new customers until they can handle it. I'm going to start looking for another internet service. Comcast may be fast, but if I bought a Ferrari and was told I can only drive it 250 miles in a month.....I would tell them to go and F*^%# off. And I have no problem telling Comcast to do the same.

  • pbg - 16 years ago

    If the 'it costs too much' argument had ny validity, Comcast would simply have introduced a new premium service that offers more than 250GB a month.
    Why haven't they?
    It's either as Larry Byrum said, that screwing the customer is easier than upgrading their equipment--or something more sinister--like a trial ballon for the end of Net Neutrality.
    Ah well, at least I have something to yell at the Comcast telemarketers now.

  • Untoldpain - 16 years ago

    I'm going to drop Comcast myself. I have 3 computers, VOIP phone, Xbox360, Playstation3, going all at once in this household. How am I to watch the bandwidth on the consoles and phone? I can really see my kids slowing down...not.

  • Dave Newman - 16 years ago

    I don't think the issue is with the cap itself. I think the issue is with Comcast's bait and switch for those users who subscribed and paid for unlimited service. This is just plain bad business but abut the norm for Comcast in my experience. What I do love about this decision is the number of less informed users who will cancel their subscription simply out of fear of being capped - hurting no one but Comcast.

    They are rarely the only game in town and I imagine they will see a large loss of internet users as a result of this ham-fisted ploy. They should have been investing our exorbitant monthly payments in improving their infrastructure rather than spending it on ineffective marketing and researching idiotic ways to rip off their customers.

  • casey - 16 years ago

    Point well put Ron. It sucks that a cap is needed for all users when a small number of people consume the most bandwidth, but honestly it wont effect the majority of the public who uses the service. The people it will effect are the ones to blame for the situation, Not comcast or any other provider, who may soon follow suit. So for you whiners, back your bags, scope other the alternatives and after you see the grass isn't greener on the other side, im sure the cable company will welcome you back with open arms.

  • Al - 16 years ago

    We pay premium rates for Comcast for unlimited internet service - now it is limited. The only problem is that my other choice is DSL, and that is even worse. I would love to find an alternative that is just as fast or faster for the same price and I would switch. In the past few years, my service has been spotty, and customer service is even worse. How about upgrading their network to handle the increased traffic instead of limiting it? We work from home alot via a Citrix or remote Desktop connection, and I know that it will be an issue. In addition, we have VOIP services which adds to the data packet transfer. This is just terrible Comcast. I will no longer be referring your services to my clients.

  • Annoyed - 16 years ago

    I am dropping Comcast on Oct 1 that includes phone I had the 3 in 1 deal contract ends in Sept "slow & capped" not for me

  • Ron - 16 years ago

    WWWAAAAAAAA!!!!! Biggest bunch of crybabies EVER!!! A 250GB limit is enormous! Almost 10GB a day and you think you're getting ripped off? Talk about unreasonable expectations! It's a fact... 10% of users account for over 60% of all used bandwidth.

    Games don't use much bandwidth at all, VOIP will use a little more but not that much more, checking e-mail and viewing webpages (even those with a lot of content) don't use that much bandwidth. So... that leaves most of you that are just downloading games and movies from the internet (probably illegally) and you're crying about having limits?

    At the least they should offer you bandwidth hogs a package that is proportional to your useage. How about a $99/mo unlimited pkg and you can download all of the screener copies of "Spiderman 3" that you want and let the rest of the world pay $19.95 for basic useage.

    Oh and those of you whining about not being provided with bandwidth monitor can save it... if you're downloading anywhere close to 250GB a month you surely know where to download monitoring software from.

    Boohoo! And if you don't think DSL and the others won't be following suite soon, you're kidding yourselves.

  • TN - 16 years ago

    That is ridiculous! I wonder if Comcast is going to reduce there monthly fee as a result of the cap; highly doubt it... I was thinking about renewing my service with Comcast - having second thoughts... If the 250Mb/month plan cost $19.99/month, sign me up!!!

  • Doug - 16 years ago

    I am not pleased with your decision to put a cap on my "unlimited" bandwidth usage. For starters I have no idea how much I use. Where is my meter? I want a statement month by month telling me how much me and my family of 4 have been using. We have VOIP, game online, surf and occasionally stream a movie. How much am I using? I will certainly be looking into other options for internet and my cable.

  • BG - 16 years ago

    Oh yeah, What about VOIP I????????? I use vonage what does that do to my band width? Come on COMCAST, You should give your customers an idea of how much they consuming now. I still feel the same way about the turtles.

  • BG - 16 years ago

    Thanks Comcast. I hope your two talking turtles get smushed. What about online gaming? how much does that use? How about telling us how much we use now?

  • JW - 16 years ago

    I enjoy lots of movies, I watch quite a few hours worth of programing online, I download TONS of movies from amazon/netflix/movielink, etc... and I'm not going to put up with this.

    As of today, paying $160 per month for digital cable and internet is cancelled. We've switched to ATT fiber, can't wait. They laughed when I told them of the cap on my cable and said they had fielded dozens of calls with the same message. GOODBYE COMCAST. Hope they enjoy their new base of 2-3MB grandmothers and very casual users who could probably get by with dial-up anyway.

    Peace Out,

    JW

  • AnotherDisgustedCustomer - 16 years ago

    I'm tired of the deceit and corporate, money-oriented business operations. Switching to SBC, I've heard good things about them.

  • eric - 16 years ago

    even though I personally dont use that much. I dont like having such a limit placed on me. so byb bye comcrap.

  • Roger Silver - 16 years ago

    The only reason I have Comcast internet is because BellSouth/ATT doesn't offer DSL above 1.5Mbps in my area. (I perfer a dedicated internet connection over a shared network any day.) This news is making me rethink my future internet and multimedia plans. I was planning on puchasing the Netflix player by Roku, but now I think it would be a waste of money. What is Comcast planning next? Perhaps limiting the amount of time I can watch HBO or Showtime? Or maybe they will limit the amount of calls I can make or recieve with their Digital Voice Phone service. Comcast should either offer unlimited services in general or just concentrate on what they sort of do best, provide cable television.

  • Beto - 16 years ago

    I ditched Comcast 2 months ago.... not a good value at all. They should stop trying to con potential new users with all that advertisement. They should save the advertisement $$$ and just offer folks a good price and value for their services.

  • BK - 16 years ago

    This is the last straw - I'll be ditching Comcast as soon as I can get FIOS.

  • WolfeBay - 16 years ago

    On a second note, forgot to mention it before, I don't think I've ever seen a bandwidth meter tool that says "Hey, you used this much this month... good going!" I've seen bandwidth meters that instead say "Hey, you have a connection that goes this fast at this moment." That's all I've ever seen for bandwidth meters. How is some one else's third party meter supposed to log into your Comcast account and check your bandwidth usage??? ISN'T THE ISP SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE IT'S CUSTOMER THIS INFORMATION???? Isn't that THE ISP'S JOB?

  • WolfeBay - 16 years ago

    Yeah, the limit is kinda high, but if I were a customer paying for that net service, and I maxed out and I got that kind of call with that kind of penalty, Comcast would lose a customer right then and there.

  • Greg - 16 years ago

    I just started with Comcast cable, and if I have a problem using the internet, then I will have to go to another provider. I don't believe I use that much, I have a life besides sitting on the computer all day and night. I don't play online games. If bandwith is such a problem, then why are they advertising so much. It must not have been a problem before they started getting into telephone service, which I don't have with them.

  • Larry Byrum - 16 years ago

    This is another attempt of limiting service so they do not have to upgrade their equipment. If I get even a call, I'm gone. I have other choices, even if I go back to DSL. Their speeds are increasing fast. I have only stayed because I got it with cable when I moved here. I now have Direct TV and if I get limited, I will have another ISP

  • DJ - 16 years ago

    Unlimited? NOT. No tool to measure? GOTCHA! Turned off for a year?!

    Hey if you want to charge more to accommodate the power user, do so, don't lie. These idiots don't understand the internet or the users... say goodbye to your internet-savy customer base, Comcast.

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