Comcast releases usage meter to aid customers with understanding their bandwidth cap
After a year of promises, Comcast is finally beginning tests on a tool that will help its subscribers see just how much bandwidth they are using.
Just over a year ago, Comcast imposed bandwith usage caps on its customers of 250GB a month with penalties for overages. The main problem is that hardly any user has any idea how much data exactly equals 250GBs, so Comcast said it would launch a metering program to see just how much data you had used. Well, according to an announcement from the company, the meter is finally ready … for testing.
According to ZDNET, the tool is currently only available in Portland, OR, but will eventually roll out to the rest of the country.
The new meter is refreshed approximately every three hours and will show you your usage over a three-month period so you can see trends of what you are using. The good news is that this monitors all traffic through the cable modem so this will track game consoles, VoIP calls, mobile device usage and more.
Of course, the best news would be if Comcast just got rid of the bandwidth caps…
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December 2nd, 2009
Oh you poor deprived waifs….
I dream of a day when my ISP actually offers the possibility of being able to down load 250Gb in one month. The reality in Australia is that almost internet user account has a download cap, the vast majority of those in the range of 5Gb – 10Gb. Very few people can afford an unlimited account, and even fewer have bandwidth that would make 250Gb per month actually achievable.
We seem to be able to get by on that – why can’t you?
December 2nd, 2009
That should read “…almost every internet user account…”
December 2nd, 2009
Bandwidth caps should be outlawed as it infringes on free commerce.
There are companies that sell and deliver video and audio content, and there are people who buy those services from these companies.
By restricting the internet (which “bandwidth caps do) it ultimately infringes on your right to buy such services and the companies right to sell services. Netflix, and I Tunes instantly come to mind.
It is much like going to the mall and only being able to shop at three stores and told to go home. Sucks doesn’t it?
Comcast making this tool available to their customers is not just a “customer relations” gesture on their part to help their customers.
But rather it is their way to “acclimate” their customers in getting less product and getting used to it.
Fact is there many ISP’s that do not impose bandwidth caps on their customers. Even many WISP’s in rural areas do not limit their customers.
Vote with your wallet and dump your ISP and go with another.
December 3rd, 2009
@ralph
Clearly you are talking about the situation in America – I was making a comparison with what we put up with in Australia.
Every ISP in Australia has download caps on all but their most expensive plans. There is no option whatsoever to “vote with your wallet”, because they all want big bucks in exchange for unlimited access.
I live in a rural area, where my highspeed affordable option is limited to one ISP – the one I am currently with. Dumping them for the only other ISP who offer similar highspeed, is futile because the opposition charge twice as much for the same quality of service.
The point I am trying to make is that all your whinging about Comcast will fall on deaf ears in most other parts of the world. Consider yourselves lucky that you can achieve 250Gb in a month, because no amount of money will get you that service in rural Australia.