NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Comcast Bans Seattle Man From Internet for His Cloudy Ways
Comcast Bans Seattle Man From Internet for His Cloudy Ways
http://j.mp/nY4yVw (Wired)
"Vrignaud, it seems, committed the foul of using more than 250 GB of
data on Comcast two months in a row, triggering the company's overage
policy that results in a year-long ban from using its services."
- - -
The irony is that the dominant ISPs want to act as if they are
utilities, but refuse to accept any of the even minimal regulatory
constraints that come with providing crucial infrastructure access
services, including for people accessing telephone services over
the Net.
Comcast has never demonstrated that users exceeding an absolute 250GB
limit, unrelated to specific locations and time-of-day usage factors,
actually cause a negative impact on neighbors. There is every
evidence that the number is essentially arbitrary. And what does
"negative impact" even mean? I'm lucky to see half the speed I'm
supposed to be getting on my cable connection, at any time of the day
or night. Local techs tell me this is due to Time Warner Cable
oversubscribing local nodes, knowing that subscribers don't have
realistic alternatives that will provide other than even slower
speeds.
Presumably Comcast just chose a number sufficiently high to avoid
pulling "average" users into their blockade system. That still
doesn't make such a number logical, sensible, or appropriate.
--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator