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Comcast's usage meter is now available in 25 states
Comcast customers in at least 25 states have been notified that Comcast’s new usage measurement meter is now up and running. Comcast introduced a 250 GB monthly usage limit in August 2008 after the Federal Communications Commission stopped the company from throttling usage-intensive file-trading applications. Comcast has enforced the cap among those customers who regularly exceed it by wide margins, usually warning customers by phone or mail that they must reduce usage or face account suspension. The usage meter application allows the company to direct customers to the self-measurement tool the company hopes will reduce the need for warnings.
Customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin should have already or will receive e-mail from the company officially notifying them about the launch of the usage meter.
Since the meter was introduced, broadband usage and pricing has increased for many customers, but the usage cap has not. While generous by current standards, an inflexible usage limit will increasingly trap customers who use Comcast broadband service for high quality video streaming, file backups, or file trading activities which can consume considerable bandwidth.
Informally, Comcast has allowed some residential customers to purchase second accounts if they intend to blow past their usage allowance, because the company currently offers no official provisions for those who exceed the limit.
Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts received $23.7 million in 2008
So that means eight cents per month of your Comcast bill went to his salary. Your point?
I dunno about you but my broadband usage hasn’t skyrocketed over the past year. There are peaks in my usage to be sure, but you’d be surprised how many people come nowhere close to using 250GB, just like Comcast says. That said, I would be complaining about the cap more loudly if Comcast didn’t offer an alternative: business class internet. $60 for 12/2, $90 for 16/2, $100 for 22/5, $190 for 50/10. So you’re looking at a 0%-60% (yes, zero percent) premium over residential service, and no cap. Comcast does charge an installation fee for business class service if you… Read more »
It used to be that Comcast would refuse to install Business class Internet at a residential address. I’m pretty sure that’s still the case..
Also – can you mix Business class Internet with Residential phone and TV service? Neither of these are really suitable for home use in the business tier.
Michael.