Comments on: The Day Before the Storm http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/ Promoting Better Broadband, Fighting Data Caps, Usage-Based Billing, & Other Internet Overcharging Schemes Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:45:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1-alpha-15359 By: Phillip Dampier http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-5204 Phillip Dampier Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:28:11 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2747#comment-5204 If you could drop me an e-mail to phil at stopthecap.com or use the contact form and let me know as much detail about your conversation as possible, along with at least your first name, I'd appreciate it so I can document this further and publish it. If possible, include: 1) the name of the person you spoke with, if possible. 2) the number you called to reach customer service. 3) if your neighbor had any special reason for knowing the date for usage tracking; 4) as much detail as you can recall about what you asked the TWC rep, and how she replied. If anyone else in Austin can also try calling TWC and informing me about what you hear, that would be great. If you could drop me an e-mail to phil at stopthecap.com or use the contact form and let me know as much detail about your conversation as possible, along with at least your first name, I’d appreciate it so I can document this further and publish it.

If possible, include:

1) the name of the person you spoke with, if possible.
2) the number you called to reach customer service.
3) if your neighbor had any special reason for knowing the date for usage tracking;
4) as much detail as you can recall about what you asked the TWC rep, and how she replied.

If anyone else in Austin can also try calling TWC and informing me about what you hear, that would be great.

]]> By: outcast2k http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-5198 outcast2k Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:47:26 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2747#comment-5198 here in austin TWC is still planning to implement caps. heard thru neighbors that TWC had an october date to begin tracking usage. so checked in w/ customer support to confirm where i was in my 2 year contract and asked her to confirm if there were any such plans. she immediately stated that TWC would indeed be validating their new usage tracking "servers" and that going well, the usage cap pricing would be put in place (even to existing customers in the 2 year price lock contract). asked about that, she referenced the terms of use changes which permits TWC to make this modification to the "price lock" guarentee. *blah* here in austin TWC is still planning to implement caps. heard thru neighbors that TWC had an october date to begin tracking usage. so checked in w/ customer support to confirm where i was in my 2 year contract and asked her to confirm if there were any such plans. she immediately stated that TWC would indeed be validating their new usage tracking “servers” and that going well, the usage cap pricing would be put in place (even to existing customers in the 2 year price lock contract). asked about that, she referenced the terms of use changes which permits TWC to make this modification to the “price lock” guarentee.

*blah*

]]> By: mfd141's status on Friday, 05-Jun-09 17:01:14 UTC - Identi.ca http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-4506 mfd141's status on Friday, 05-Jun-09 17:01:14 UTC - Identi.ca Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:01:19 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2747#comment-4506 [...] The Day Before the Storm http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/ [...] [...] The Day Before the Storm http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/ [...]

]]> By: lh http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-4360 lh Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:36:52 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2747#comment-4360 I would also add a RSS feed and have it check this site for you (what I do). This site has RSS setup for you use it. This saves you time from having to 'check the site'. It also will save BW on this site. Also TELL others. I have already come across 3-4 people in this area (NC) who did not even know this was going on. Lets just say they were NOT happy. I tell others and tell them to tell others. Do not let up on TW. The points they start talking about are exactly what Lou says. Also if you are capable setup your own 'gas guage'. If we are going to get this shoved down our throats we need a way to keep them honest. Perhaps we should setup an area here on how to do this. There are a few options out there. I even setup my own web/dns caching server this last week. If every byte counts then this is needed. We also need to prep for if we do not get what we want... Slight aside for this site. I like the new layout except for one thing. The 4 large pictures right at the top of the screen. It means the news is not at the top of the screen. The important thing for this site. Just for an experiment could you move them down the right/left hand side? Or make them smaller? Just a suggestion ignore me if it doesnt make sense. I would also add a RSS feed and have it check this site for you (what I do). This site has RSS setup for you use it. This saves you time from having to ‘check the site’. It also will save BW on this site.

Also TELL others. I have already come across 3-4 people in this area (NC) who did not even know this was going on. Lets just say they were NOT happy. I tell others and tell them to tell others. Do not let up on TW. The points they start talking about are exactly what Lou says.

Also if you are capable setup your own ‘gas guage’. If we are going to get this shoved down our throats we need a way to keep them honest. Perhaps we should setup an area here on how to do this. There are a few options out there. I even setup my own web/dns caching server this last week. If every byte counts then this is needed. We also need to prep for if we do not get what we want…

Slight aside for this site. I like the new layout except for one thing. The 4 large pictures right at the top of the screen. It means the news is not at the top of the screen. The important thing for this site. Just for an experiment could you move them down the right/left hand side? Or make them smaller? Just a suggestion ignore me if it doesnt make sense.

]]> By: Lou http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/31/the-day-before-the-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-4344 Lou Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:19:08 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2747#comment-4344 Good advice, and I would like to add a suggestion about what we say when communicating to others about this situation: Don't overlook the non-monetary costs. I'm convinced that for the average overworked, stressed out household, the hassle of tracking their 'net usage, even with a handy dandy gas gauge from TW, EVERY MONTH is a much bigger deal than being charged an extra $10 or $20/month. Parents will suddenly have yet another activity of their kids to "police", and they'll have to be very careful about their own use, all in an environment where they (presumably) know their cap but have no clue, except through experimentation, what various sites or online activities cost in bytes transferred. Which sites automatically play a video clip when you browse them? Which are Flash-heavy? How many bytes/month do they spend in exchanging photos with distant relatives? How "expensive" is a Skype call? The list goes on and on. And, as I've pointed out before, this is assuming that TW is 100% accurate in their billing. I had a major hassle with Earthlink (TW owned?) when they tried to charge me a $119 overage on a $20/month site hosting fee. The problem was, even by their own monitoring software I had not gone over my monthly transfer limit. It still took a long and very annoying call to a CS rep to get it straightened out. I would be stunned if TW doesn't do something similar with broadband billing. Will they provide historical data so you can challenge your bill? Or will they reset it on the first of every month, leaving you no evidence to point to? Again, the potential hassle factor of this change to tiered pricing is high, much higher than many people may realize, and certainly much higher than TW is admitting. Good advice, and I would like to add a suggestion about what we say when communicating to others about this situation: Don’t overlook the non-monetary costs.

I’m convinced that for the average overworked, stressed out household, the hassle of tracking their ‘net usage, even with a handy dandy gas gauge from TW, EVERY MONTH is a much bigger deal than being charged an extra $10 or $20/month. Parents will suddenly have yet another activity of their kids to “police”, and they’ll have to be very careful about their own use, all in an environment where they (presumably) know their cap but have no clue, except through experimentation, what various sites or online activities cost in bytes transferred. Which sites automatically play a video clip when you browse them? Which are Flash-heavy? How many bytes/month do they spend in exchanging photos with distant relatives? How “expensive” is a Skype call? The list goes on and on.

And, as I’ve pointed out before, this is assuming that TW is 100% accurate in their billing. I had a major hassle with Earthlink (TW owned?) when they tried to charge me a $119 overage on a $20/month site hosting fee. The problem was, even by their own monitoring software I had not gone over my monthly transfer limit. It still took a long and very annoying call to a CS rep to get it straightened out. I would be stunned if TW doesn’t do something similar with broadband billing. Will they provide historical data so you can challenge your bill? Or will they reset it on the first of every month, leaving you no evidence to point to? Again, the potential hassle factor of this change to tiered pricing is high, much higher than many people may realize, and certainly much higher than TW is admitting.

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