Does anyone here have an Internet Cap? If so, what's the cap?

[mark_wpduet]

I was reading an article how Netflix Streaming users can actually go on to their account settings and choose a lower quality because some ISP's are implementing an internet monthly usage Cap. I checked mine and there is NO cap, but ultimately there is (in the TOS) but it's probably really high.

 

[lordkenmore]

My provider may or may not have a limit. They say they do on their website, and currently that limit is set to 100 GB/month, which is considerably more than I probably use in a year. (I don't do stuff with big downloads, streaming video past YouTube, or any of those other things that quickly eat up data). But they claimed to have limits when I got the service, but a customer service person told me those limits actually didn't exist in practice. I'm not sure who to believe, or what the current story is.

From my observation, it appears that data caps seem to be more of cable Internet issue than DSL--although this is one of those things that probably varies, depending on company.

Data caps also are common on cell phone based systems--and those can be quite limiting. I could probably get by with limited plans like that with great care. It would help having a device that has wi-fi that I could take places like the library when I need lots of data. (Downloading software, etc.)

 

[gansky1]

Just got an email from Cox Communications yesterday that talked about the limits on different plans, how to check your usage and the average size of movie downloads, high-def, standard-def, etc. I haven't been paying too close of attention to the changes of late so did some further looking when I got home. I have a 200 GB limit, or cap, each billing cycle. Last month, I used 21.9 GB of my "allowance", so far this month, I'm at 5.1 GB. The email explained that with my 200 GB plan, it is equivalent to roughly 110 standard-def movie downloads or about 66 high-def movies. This is probably more than adequate for our needs but it's still a bit unsettling to know there's a "limit" out there. Our wireless router is locked so there isn't much chance any neighbors could be leaching on our data limits, but check your routers!

I've only gone over the data plan on my iPhone once since I got it a year ago, that was when we were on vacation so I didn't think raising the limit was worth the extra money.

Ben has been forwarding some articles and news updates about net-neutrality and service caps, it will be very interesting to see how these change over time. The ISP's will certainly figure out ways for us to pay more and more. Here in Omaha, we have only one true broadband ISP available (that is not a phone line DSL) so we're a captive market. There are rumors that is changing, but I don't hold out much hope that any TV, Internet or telephone services are going to get cheaper with time.

 

[ronhic]

Folks...

Consider yourselves very lucky....the cast majority of plans in Australia have limits and some are very low/inexpensive through to high and expensive. As an indication, we have a limit of 200GB and pay $60 per month - a reasonably good deal given the high download speed we have.

 

[lordkenmore]

we're a captive market

I think the choices in WA are limited. Seattle might have real choices and real competition. But smaller cities, or in the middle of nowhere (where I live) are another story. Some places appear to have a choice of EITHER DSL OR cable with only one provider in each class to choose from. And sometimes not even that. I know someone has a choice of phone company DSL or phone company DSL. She hates CenturyLink so much that she's made several efforts to get cable, but every time, the cable companies indicate they can't serve her, or they'll require sky high install fees. Of course, these cable companies still have the resources to send ads each week to send ads every week. ("We serve your area! And look at our great offer!!!!!").

At one point, I might actually have had unusual choices for someone away from a city. Apparently there was a choice of two phone companies, and apparently both had DSL--or so I've been told. The place I'm living, in fact, was apparently originally wired with two phone lines, one from each company. But now one of the phone companies bought out/merged with the other, so there is--or probably soon will be--basically one DSL choice. Thank goodness cable (what I have) exists, too. I hate paying the surcharge for "Internet only"--but I've been quite happy with the service.

 

[vacbear58]

Here in the UK

I use Plusnet as my internet provider which costs £6.00 approx per month. That gives me a 10GB per month limit, but this only applies between 8.00am & Midnight, downloads outside this time do not count towards this. I dont stream film or TV (my old computer was too slow to do so) but do listen to a lot of radio over the next and a bit of Youtube. If I download from itunes I do so after midnight. I never seem to use more than about half my allowance.

Al

 

[petek]

I was under the impression that it had more to do with DSL than cable. There is only one cable provider in our area so if you want cable internet you're tied to them.
DSL is a different story. Under deregulation in both the US and Canada the phone companies who historically had a monopoly had to open up their services to competitors allowing them to use their "lines" and that includes internet providers. The phone co's "sell" bandwidth in bulk to these other companies who in turn were offering lower rates than the phone co's. Of course over the past couple of years people have been downloading greater and greater amounts and then Netflix entered the market and usage skyrocketed and available bandwith is getting more precious so it's only natural that they are going to try charging more for it by putting caps in place and making you upgrade to a higher tier etc or charge you a fortune if you exceed your monthly plan.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Why

I wonder .....Is it more of a cable issue than DSL for caps? I think AT&T is capping their DSL. I have DSL (6mbps) connection and that may not seem fast, but anything I try to do: streaming HD, or surfing, seems to work great. I could get DSL 12mbps, but 6 seems to work great for me. I think the cable company here has 50 mpbs and I read once where someone that had cable here (Insight Communications) got a letter saying that they had detected excessive usage on their account and that the "magic" trigger for receiving that letter is to use 5 gig's of data per day for 30 consecutive days. Not sure if that's true, but that's 150 gigs a month. Even still, That would be like four SD movies per day on netflix AND watching a lot of youtube vids to achieve 5 gigs per day. I even called Windstream to ask them if they knew how much data I use (out of curiosity) and they said they don't know because there is no cap.

 

[lordkenmore]

I may be wrong about thinking cable is worse for caps. As I think of it, my impression is formed more on my local level.

And something else that occurs to me--I may well be out of date. From what I see, it appears things are what I remember, but I haven't gone searching the fine print in terms and conditions for nearly 2 years. My current service is serving me well. Going DSL might reduce the price slightly, but I'd take a huge speed loss doing so.

DSL provided by another company using local phone company wiring does exist. Again, based on my local observations, and ones made a few years ago, it was more expensive than just doing the phone company. In fact, I remember taking a look at one such offer...and after hearing the sales pitch (and hearing how much more expensive the service was) I thought: "You have to be kidding me!"

 

[DADoES]

 
Cable.

Lowest tier plan. $39.13 including all fees & taxes.

30GB/month. Or maybe 25GB, not exactly sure.

Additional bandwidth can be purchased, IIRC $10 per unit (25 or 30 GB).

 

[passatdoc]

Cox Communications had a monopoly on high speed internet on my street for years. About four years ago, ATT upgraded its network in my area and began to offer DSL, so now there is a choice. I have the medium Cox plan, not the highest speed option. I was never aware of monthly data caps, and my monthly bill---with the necessary PIN to log on and check it out--is at the office, so I will look at it later today. Thanks for bringing this up, I had no idea. Normally I just download software and PDF files. I stream Netflix and YouTube but never try to save any streaming files on hard drive.

My ATT mobile data is capped at 200 MB for $15/month. If I exceed 200 MB, it would be another $15 for each additional 200 MB or fraction thereof. With non-Wifi smartphones in the past, I never went over 80 MB/month. Now with a WiFi phone, my typical usage is 25-40 MB/month.

 

[swestoyz]

Bandwidth capping is a smoke and mirror to cover up the bigger issue, as capping and bandwidth restricting is the instrument that potentially can cause freedom of speech to be cut off at the legs of those who are not lining the pockets of the big companies who own/control most of the broadband lines in the US.

Net Neutrality is an issue, much like the idea of banning books in public schools and the burning of literature by regimes who see the message as not aligning with their own.

The link below is to an editorial published to YouTube back in December when the FCC Net Neutrality regulation changes was pending, presenting the issue from the perspective of the message and the messenger, not about those who control the medium.

Not a surprise also, when the pending changes went through, very little media attention was given to this issue. This will continue to be a problem with the MSM.

BTW - to keep in line with the discussion, I believe Mediacom has a 250GB cap on my connection, however, they currently do not provide a self-serve gauge to see how much you've used.

Ben[this post was last edited: 9/14/2011-11:06]

 

[mark_wpduet]

US and Japan broadband speed and cap comparison

Japan's edge is competition

http://www.newamerica.net/files/Bandwidth%20Caps%20for%20High-Speed%20Internet%20in%20the%20U.S.%20and%20Japan.pdf

 

[westie2]

I have the business internet through COX to have the higher speed and I do lots of work from home. But the COX service has really gotten bad lately with drop outs on HD tv, regular tf and on the internet with bad drop outs. This is since everything for us was moved from Witchita, KS to Omaha. It was even better when in Ft. Smith, AR. Our cable has been Warner, Then TCA and now COX. Our city is considering putting in a city run cable system as so many complaints about COX. Will wait and see.

With the drop outs Ihave I call every time and log the time it takes for the reconnect as witht he business internet they say no drop outs.

Our router is locked out like Gansky's.

 

[jaxsunst]

I have the top ATT DSL for my area, and to my knowledge I have no caps. I've had an iphone long enough that I still have the unlimited. I would hate to see a cap placed on my usage, I stream Netflix almost constantly and considered cancelling my Comcast cable in favor it.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Here in Italy ADSL services usually have no cap at all, as an example here at my place there are 4 people always downloading/streaming films over the internet plus bittorrent, and the connection is never limited.

The advertised speed is 8 mb/s in download and 1 mb/s in upload and I can obtain a constant speed, even on saturday afternoons or monday at launch of 750 KB/s in download and 80 KB/s upload, that would be 6 mb/s and 640kb/s (excluding connection and protocol overhead), I really can't say anything bad about it! This for only 41€/month otherwise for 10 euros more you can have 24mb/s and 2mb/s but I really don't need that speed

Usually only mobile internet operators have downloading limits. From as low as 100 MB/day or 1GB/month depending on plan up to tens of GB.

 

[mark_wpduet]

That's pretty good! Do you have a LOT of ISP's to choose from in your part of Italy? For example, in my town, there are only two: One for Cable and one for ADSL2, there may be a few others that contract using those lines. Not sure.

 

[passatdoc]

Just checked with my Cox rep on the phone. Data is NOT limited on their residential plans. If they notice someone downloading enormous files, they may call to warn them to reduce their usage or ask them to change to a business/commercial plan. I logged on to Cox and was not able to find info on my data usage whatsoever.

I pay $43/month and have their "Preferred" service. This is the second of four tiers (I am second from lowest). I achieve 24-28 Mbs down and 1.75 up. The highest tier "Extreme" promises speeds of 60+ Mbs down, but costs $70/month.

 

[docker]

You guys are so lucky...

SA is known to have the most expensive Broadband & Cell rates in the world. Electricity will probably also become just as expensive, as Eskom was granted a 26% increase per year for 3 years.
By comparison, I pay ZAR179 (USD25.58, Euro17.9) per month for a 1Gb cap at 384kb/s download speed. For July, August & September, we were given a 5Gb cap for the same price. 3G offers 500Mb for ZAR159.