SubscribeWHEC-TV tried to explain what a gigabyte is to the average consumer, using small squares that remind me of those AT&T “milky minutes.” Only Time Warner gigabyte allowances never roll over. In fact, the only thing Time Warner wants to roll over is YOU.
Reporter Ray Levato gives it his best shot, and does generally well with his analogies (although everyone has different numbers about what equals a gigabyte), but things rapidly derail when he tries to explain Time Warner isn’t a monopoly in Rochester.
People in our area can get their Internet service from companies like Frontier, Comcast and Clearwire.
Comcast? Don’t think so. Not in metropolitan Rochester. There might be a scattering of Comcast systems in some of the rural communities far away from the city, but you can be assured Time Warner doesn’t compete in those areas. Frontier and Clearwire are options, but not for everyone. Frontier DSL has limited availability in many rural communities outside of the city and adjacent suburbs, and Clearwire service is extremely limited outside of the city itself and a few nearby towns. There are numerous Time Warner customers who have just three other options: outrageously priced satellite Internet, dial-up, or go without.
The report seems to suggest that consumers’ hatred of this plan is somehow now alleviated by Time Warner’s second plan, which I’ve yet to hear anyone suggest is an improvement worth discussing. The train comes completely off the tracks by the time Time Warner’s guy shows up. I am certain he has heard from customers. But I am also certain the overwhelming majority of them want to leave things just the way they are, profitable for Time Warner, rationally priced and worry-free for customers. Then, short shrift is given to Rochester’s deaf community: “not a problem,” according to this report anyway. That’s not what my e-mail inbox says.
By the way, since I couldn’t find their promised list of alternative providers on their website, here’s ours.
This was a tougher call, because some facts were wrong, and nobody seemed willing to challenge anyone else’s assertions, but it gave equal time to ordinary consumers who hate caps, a reporter willing to try and explain what the heck a ‘gigabyte’ is to the average person who has no idea, and Time Warner’s position on the matter. A good newscast report will let the viewer decide. I suspect most already have, but you still have to give them the chance.
Other stories of interest:
- Internet provider’s usage cap raises questions
- Rochester Television Stations Break News About Road Runner Usage Caps
- Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Blisters Time Warner Over Internet Caps
- Sound Bytes: Local Computer Experts Skeptical About Usage Caps (WHAM-Rochester)
- The Daily Star (Oneonta, NY): Frontier To Limit Internet Usage
Hey Phil: What do we know about this visit if it is true, and how can we make sure Senator Schumer knows about our point of view?
from: http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Time-Warner-Meeting-Called-Over-Controversial/Nc7oBC3WHUKNKcvY1UfOQA.cspx?p=Comments
User “MUSHERR” 5:14 p.m.: Sen. Charles Schumer will be in Rochester on Wednesday and Thursday this week. He said that the Wednesday afternoon that the visit is in regards to TWC’s plan, and what’s being done to stop it. Rochester will not be a guinea pig hes said.
I hope this is good news for all of us:
from: http://rochesterhomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=84811
Sen. Schumer to Get Involved in Bandwidth Battle?
Reported by: WROC-TV
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 @03:06pm EST
New York’s senior senator tells News 8 that he doesn’t want Rochester used as a guinea pig for Time Warner Cable’s new tiered bandwidth system.
Sen. Charles Schumer will be in Rochester on Thursday afternoon. He said Wednesday afternoon that the visit is in regards to TWC’s plan, and what’s being done to stop it.
Rochester has been designated as one of two test markets for the tiered billing system. That plan has been revised by TWC since it was introduced at the beginning of April, among a chorus of customer complaints.
TWC says the “consumption-based billing” is necessary to address soaring Internet use, which the cable and Internet provider says could cause “brownouts” down the road.
The most basic tier of the plan would provider 1 gigabyte per month of Net access for $15, with an extra $2 tacked on for every additional gigabyte. There will be higher-capacity plans ranging from $29 to $75 monthly. Additional usage will be billed at $1 per gigabyte, with overage fees capped at $75 per month. Under the plan, the highest possible Internet bill would be $150 per month.
the said comcast is a option but its not.
I was just talking to someone from comcast after this newscast- they do not offer services here at all that they said. Where I live – it is only time warner ( or earthlink ). Dsl is not an option. Dial up has no local #s.
I think I am going to send a polite but “here are the errors in your broadcast” email to whec. I am tired of these news broadcasts saying time warner is not a monopoly and people have options.
If people had options- there wouldn’t be complaints like there are and time warner wouldn’t be raising their prices to $150 a month.
Good to see that it seems like the issue of capping / metering / Internet data limitations and restrictions is getting some senatorial attention via Mr. Schumer.
In spite of the all the “teapartying” going on today, Internet capping deserves its own “party” against monopolistic practices.
vcheng -
http://www.congress.org is supposed to send e-mails to all the representation served by your district (reps, senator, and office of the Prez. I believe).
Just input your ZIP code.
Thank you JM for that link.
If it is a closed meeting and im sure it will be perhaps its time to get on the keyboard and write Sen. Charles Schumer’s office requesting a town hall type meeting in rochester. He could make the trip anytime he is free. Having just read and watched the videos on the front page explaining a Gig just fell short and lacked the effects of others things people use computers for. A single movie model 1 movie 5 Gig or 10 movies is 50 Gig is simple math so I do NOT think many regular people and some goverment people are getting the message or fully understand a Gig and just what all of this means to us and them. I allready wrote my letter what is your excuse? When writing a letter be a pro and no smack talk typing. Save that for Yahoo. Phil is right the message is not getting out to many people that have not been around a computer very long. Even in the whitehouse and congress many needed to be taught how to do an email…. they did not know how so you can not expect them to understand the Gig.
I think the “toll road, paying for each mile driven” (1 GB 1 mile) analogy as mentioned by someone in the news report might get more “mileage”, no pun intended.
“Time Warner won’t give a number, but says the vast majority of it’s customers will not see and increase in their bill.”
Right I guess I’ll just take their word for it and drop all this hub-a-ballu then…. not gonna happen….
I find it interesting that both Time Warner and Frontier claim that their average user uses so few GB per month. Have these numbers ever been verified by an independent source? If not, why should I believe either of the above’s claims?
Folks, as I alluded to earlier this evening, Sen. Schumer’s office has been in close contact with us today and they are FULLY engaged on this issue and Senator Schumer is standing with consumers opposed to these caps.