As an interesting contrast, I purchased one of the first prepaid 3G devices from Virgin Mobile USA. Unlike traditional 3G data service, you pay for data by the MB (or GB). There’s no cap. When you exhaust your GB, you buy another pack. This is perfect for me since I don’t use it often, but when I do, I use it heavily.

My goals for ISPs are:

1) Be upfront and honest about the bandwidth and the costs. Tell me what I’m getting and how much it’s going to cost. A “new customer” rate is great, but tell us the regular rate in clear print. (I know that rates may go up and plans may change, but at least tell us what the current rate is).
2) No hard caps. Period. Warn me if I’m getting close to some limit, and tell me what it will cost me to exceed it.
3) Let me run any service and upload/download any content up to my contracted bandwidth so long as I’m not exceeding my limits and so long as I’m not violating the law. (No copyrighted music/video, kiddie porn, etc.). Don’t penalize anyone because we’re not using your video service, your telephony service, etc.

Thanks.

We see that in Canada right now with Bell, for instance.

Our policy here is universal opposition to usage caps, but long time readers will know I have bigger fish to fry than Comcast. I also agree that we’re getting to the point where we need:

1) A public fiber network for every home, on which private providers can choose to offer service alongside a public municipal option if a community wants to offer one;

2) Robust regulation where monopoly/duopolies exist.

3) Some sort of carrot/stick approach to competition to provide some sort of benefit to operators that are willing to invade another’s territory.

I think a 250GB cap is a reasonable limit. We are heavy internet users at home – both my wife and I are full-time telecommuters. We use VPN, VNC. I download Linux ISOs and occasional HDTV content. We do some Skype video chat with distant relatives. I installed a router with Tomato firmware and discovered that our internet use is about 30-40 GB/month. I’m sure we’re above average but clearly we’re far below the 250GB limit.

But here is the problem. First, no ISP should say that they have a limit without a mechanism for monitoring it. Most routers don’t support bandwidth monitoring, and it’s beyond the skills of most residential users. The ISP must be monitoring our use, and they should not be allowed to create a cap without disclosing the use levels.

Second, hard caps are not the answer. I don’t have a problem with a 250GB limit, but publish a tariff for exceeding the limit. You don’t have a right to unlimited electricity, natural gas or water. But you also know that you will be billed for your use.

FInally, so long as we have (virtually) no competition, I think it’s time to treat ISPs as regulated utilities. Force them to publish a full rate schedule. Including tariffs for excessive use.

Am I missing something here? Sounds like a total load of BS.

You know, metering tools are really simple and Comcast saying they are “testing” theirs out is total BS also. Usenet premium server accounts have had metering tools for the longest time. It isn’t rocket science.

I wonder what people would think if a customer didn’t pay his electric or gas bill, got service shut off, but because it happened twice in six months, they could not have electricity or gas for one year as a punishment.

An interesting point to ponder, especially if you feel the Internet is becoming more of a “utility” and less of just a “convenience.”