SubscribeNow that we’ve reached the two week anniversary of Frontier’s inclusion of a 5GB clause in their Acceptable Use Policy first going up on their website, it’s probably useful to provide the latest information in a summary format. Additionally, we’re now reaching a point where new information about Frontier’s consideration of the cap is slowing down as the company ponders where things go from here. So here is the latest summary of where things stand:
1) Frontier has published on their website two references to usage information. Their marketing indicates that 5GB of usage is provided as part of their DSL account. The company has now also publicly stated that until they state otherwise, they are not going to charge overages or terminate accounts for exceeding that usage. When we get news of a date if/when that changes, we’ll let you know.
2) Their marketing material online indicates customers with “price protection agreements” will not be subject to any usage caps for the duration of their contract. Assuming that language is inserted into their actual contract for customers, that could be the one good thing to come out of this. (Hint to Frontier’s marketing gurus – if you offer a cap-free plan in return for a service agreement, we’ll sing its praises and I’d personally recommend it.)
After all, the goal of this site is to advocate for a cap-free Internet experience, and we’ll praise any company offering one.
3) The company continues to take input from customers on the matter, and we encourage people to share their views with Frontier regarding usage caps in general. I personally hope they will drop the entire idea altogether and ride the marketing potential their service would have should the cable industry adopt caps or limits. If you are not comfortable with where things stand on this issue, you have the right to take your business elsewhere.
We’ll be continuing to follow this issue as developments warrant. Frontier is not the only company out there contemplating capping their customers, so Stop the Cap! must also delve into what the cable industry is up to, and there is plenty to report there.
Was talking to a friend this morning who would easily exceed the 5GB cap due to his on the web higher education workload.
The Frontier customer reps told him the cap would not be invoked until July of 2009. He asked about upgrading from residential to business class service. They told him that residential customers would not qualify for business class service, you had to be a REAL business. Sounds like they are desperate to shoot themselves in the foot.
And to add another twist to this whole bizarre experience with Frontier, I’ve had two different call center supervisors tell me over the last two days that I was exempt from the cap because I have business class DSL service (9mb) installed…..
I’ve reached the conclusion that the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing at Frontier right now……. and that they will tell you whatever they think you want to hear to stop you from pushing the opt out button…..
One thing’s questioning there Steve Stone, I don’t know why Frontier would not sell a resident Business class service, as after all the customer IS willing to give up the money to Frontier for DSL service. Many if not all cases of business class DSL ususally result in the price being slightly over double the actual cost of the Residential plan, sometimes triple or more.
Unless Frontier has again changed things, they have been pushing me a residential customer towards business class service since this last spring.
I am not an extreme user but do consume 10 to 30 gigs a month on average.