We’ve all had conflicts with Comcast, particularly when we’re talking to tech support or billing. But how would you feel if Comcast denied you high speed Internet service becasue you were using too much of its “unlimited Internet?” 

The Washington Post tells the story of Sandra Spalletta of Rockville, citing the use of excessive bandwidth as an “Internet sin.” Like many others in the past, Sandra received the disconnection letter, stating her household, consisting of Sandra and her son, were using too much bandwidth.

We’ve all had our days of downloading large media files and software, but when our “unlimited Internet” becomes limited, who’s to say how much bandwidth is too much? Surely not Comcast, as its terms of service and abuse policy refuses to express exactly how much bandwidth warrants termination.

Comcast outlines in its Agreement For Residential Services the right to determine on an ongoing basis the amount of bandwidth to be utilized and delivered in conjunction with high speed Internet.

The Comcast Abuse Policy determines as a form of abuse:

Use of the Comcast network infrastructure in a manner that (i) exceeds the then current bandwidth, data storage or other limitations on the Comcast High-Speed Internet service or (ii) puts an excessive burden on the limitations of the network. Examples include: Using the Comcast network to run a Web-hosting server or any other commercial enterprise.

Interestingly, it seems Comcast doesn’t even know its own bandwidth limitations. Exceeding “the then current bandwidth” could be any number of Gigabytes (GB) transferred in a given month or period of time.

As quoted in the Comcast Terms Of Service (TOS):

Comcast may provide versions of the Service with different speeds and bandwidth usage limitations, among other characteristics, subject to applicable Service plans.

You shall ensure that your bandwidth consumption using the Service does not exceed the limitations that are now in effect or may be established in the future.

 And the solution to high bandwidth usage isn’t pretty either.

In such cases, Comcast may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your Service account or request that you subscribe to a version of the Service with higher bandwidth usage limitations if you wish to continue to use the Service at higher bandwidth consumption levels.

Now, one could argue that “unlimited Internet,” as it’s advertised, means simply that; but if the unemployed man next door is eating up the neighborhood’s bandwidth, your $45+ “unlimited Internet” access will quickly become limited.

Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas, speaking to The Washington Post, declined to reveal any specific download limitations, but said a customer would have to download the equivalent of 1,000 songs or four full-length movies, daily, to trigger a disconnection warning.

Songs and movies vary in length, quality, and compression; but one could probably assume Comcast’s riddle to mean “in the neighborhood of 5 GB per day.” This is a reasonable amount of bandwidth, but we’ve seen that these figures vary by location and service, based on the discretion of Comcast.

The fact is, high speed Internet providers base their business on the sole theory that not all users will be online and eating up bandwidth at the same time; they’re selling bandwidth they don’t have, and nothing more.

It’s hard to turn down another paying customer because of a potential network traffic jam; in the event of a few bandwidth hogs, it’s very reasonable for a company to drop customers, as Comcast has done to Sandra Spalletta and her teenage son.

Sandra Spalletta has filed a complaint with the Montgomery County Office of Cable and Communication Services, claiming she ”thought it was unlimited service.”

Related:

Entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 3:01 pm under Internet, Opinion.

Read more entries by George Gardner.
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