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Hogleg 44 · **AT&T looking at charging heavy Internet users extra -** 06-15-2008, 03:04 PM

AT&T looking at charging heavy Internet users extra.....

http://www.star-telegram.com/465/story/696217.html

johnastovall · 06-15-2008, 04:01 PM

Well there goes the porn viewers...

ST77 · 06-15-2008, 04:07 PM

I have no issues with this as the vast majority of people who are hitting high bandwidth usage are pirating movies, music and software, very few are legitimately using high bandwidth.

Dobick · 06-15-2008, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ST77

I have no issues with this as the vast majority of people who are hitting high bandwidth usage are pirating movies, music and software, very few are legitimately using high bandwidth.

I know that I am legitimately using high amounts of bandwidth...

Between upping photos to my websites, and online/offsite backups, as well as streaming content from places like youtube, and radio stations, etc, to say nothing of any online games that I play from week to week... Am I a typical user? In and among this community I think that I am.

To me, this is a step in the wrong direction.

I hope that in all locations that this pricing structure is implemented, that there is a huge migration away from the provider to alternate sources.

ST77 · 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dobick

I know that I am legitimately using high amounts of bandwidth...

Between upping photos to my websites, and online/offsite backups, as well as streaming content from places like youtube, and radio stations, etc, to say nothing of any online games that I play from week to week... Am I a typical user? In and among this community I think that I am.

To me, this is a step in the wrong direction.

I hope that in all locations that this pricing structure is implemented, that there is a huge migration away from the provider to alternate sources.

Your usage isnt that high, I have friends that D/L 2-3 TB a week in movies music and software I think those are the people they are looking at charging. More so than us normal users, I dont game online any longer but I do stream radio, yourtube and uploaded files.

Dobick · 06-15-2008, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ST77

Your usage isnt that high, I have friends that D/L 2-3 TB a week in movies music and software I think those are the people they are looking at charging. More so than us normal users, I dont game online any longer but I do stream radio, yourtube and uploaded files.

That was kinda my point -- my usage isn't that high, but according to the figures that I read on the Beaumont plan (It was posted on DailyTech a week or so ago), I would exceed their cap, and be subject to extra usage fees.

LoungeLizard · 06-15-2008, 05:16 PM

Great newspaper there. Can't even spell "advertise" correctly in its menu!

Howard Barlow · 06-15-2008, 05:19 PM

Time Warner has been running a pilot project on that here in Beaumont. So far, it only applies to new subscribers.

Jenny Z · 06-15-2008, 05:21 PM

Worst idea ever.

(Ok, not ever, but recently)

epoh · 06-15-2008, 07:02 PM

As far as I'm concerned, I already pay for my bandwidth. And this being DSL, this makes no sense, other than trying to find a way to charge customers more. DSL isn't shared bandwidth, what you pay for is yours. Why they would charge people even more for using what's already allocated to them is beyond me!

ndsimm · 07:24 PM

So let me get this straight....They charge me different prices for the amount I can download already (my max download is 10MB) and now they want to put limits on it or charge me even more?????

They do make a great point about places like NetFlix (and Blockbuster) that just started delivering movies by download.....so where does that leave them??

nancyc · 06-15-2008, 07:29 PM

We use VoIP (Vonage), watch movies online in Netflix, we do online backups, we also watch TV episodes in their websites (ABC, NBC, all those... that is the reason we ended our subscription with DishNetwork and decided to watch everything online), do I qualify like a heavy Internet user? These companies say we are.
I think that the reason of this measure is keep their current cable and phone customers, instead and having using only Internet.... who knows what may happen, but I don't want to pay more for Internet!

Crashoran · 06-15-2008, 07:39 PM

Just wait until 2012 when internet will become subscription based like television.

toverman · 06-15-2008, 09:54 PM

This is just a blip in the road. As energy prices soar, companies, cities and other communities will have no choice but to offer free Internet access via wide area networks. The number of telecommuters will increase by leaps and bounds, and for commerce to continue freely it's going to happen.

Building that network with full coverage (at least in metro areas) will cost so much to front that it may take years. But it will be coming.

Or not. Just my 2 quick cents before the meter starts really ticking!