Time Warner tests Internet usage-based billing

[JennyBunny]

Didn't find this posted.

HD downloading would drive up those bandwidth charges fast.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22707271/

"Slowing network congestion due to downloading of large media files such as video is a growing problem for Time Warner Cable. The company said the problem will worsen as video downloading becomes more popular."

<This may need to be moved>

[JohnGalt]

This is the death knell for HD movie downloads, I doubt anyone sees much of a future in it if the ISPs move to a metered download model.

[xtop]

that's ok. fios gets more widespread all the time. the 700mhz auction is next year. say bye bye cable

hopefully google can get an infrustructure up real fast after winning the auction

[CAB]

Sweet! I hope this comes to Austin soon. Since I buy my video and audio on optical disc, I should be getting a rate cut.

[ckenisell]

This is a bunch of BS. They're always trying to figure out new ways to get more money from us.

[greekjgg]

This is actually a good thing, your only getting charged for what you use. Just like your utilities. There are months I do a lot of downloading and months I do it minimally.

It enforces you to use it wisely. I don't crank the heat in my house to 90 because I don't want a $300 bill.

[BigGeezy]

Originally Posted by ckenisell

This is a bunch of BS. They're always trying to figure out new ways to get more money from us.

That's exactly what I was thinking. What major company in there right mind has ever made a billing change (on their own) to benefit the customer. Sure it will benefit the person that uses internet once a week. But that is not the majority. Time Warner knows that this will rake in more money from us. The middle class is getting squeeze dry as it is. Nothing else will result in the economic emaciation in this country but money grubbing.

[OokieSpookie]

This will not happen.
I work for them, I can assure you that it is just a test and will not happen except in back woods areas where there is no competition and they have alot of people packs on a few bridgers.
Just like they experimented with packet shaping some months back.

[miked924]

I'll never download a movie, I like having the physical disc. Even if I burned it to disc it wouldn't be the same

[CAB]

Originally Posted by OokieSpookie

This will not happen.
I work for them, I can assure you that it is just a test and will not happen except in back woods areas where there is no competition and they have alot of people packs on a few bridgers.
Just like they experimented with packet shaping some months back.

I seriously don't know how they can justify charging for usage without implementing a COS/QOS solution per customer. I've tried to use a friend's Time Warner service closer to the UT campus and it is completely miserable. Latency is shite; bandwidth is worse.

[Luis_A51]

nowadays I use my home internet mostly for online PS3 gaming and the occasional website

how much data goes back and forth during online gaming?

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by xtop

that's ok. fios gets more widespread all the time. the 700mhz auction is next year. say bye bye cable

hopefully google can get an infrustructure up real fast after winning the auction

thats assuming google wins it. and I would think it would take quite some time for them to roll it all out if they did.

Also its important to note that wile TW said the average person wouldnt notice the difference, they didnt say they would notice any savings either

[blu-backer]

Too much pr0n being downloaded by TWC customers.

[Amel]

I dont think I will get into HD downloading ever.

Seriously, I like to have the packaging and CD, its something I can keep close and it can't just dissapear like that.

[Maxell]

HD Downloading is far far far from being close to early adoption mainstream. Despite what hdDuders and blu-ray skeptics think.
And then there will still be more problems like storage, portability, and DRM.

[Sonar5]

yeah I tried explaining that Infrastructure is not there for downloads mainly because cable/etc... companies are not going to let the Micro$hafts of the world piggyback off their lines without that cost being passed to the consumer.

Of course the AMir fanboys would hear nothing of it, but that is hwta happens when you try to have alogical conversation about idiotic downloads and the fud boys like amir and his little clan of inept followers bow at his feet instead of following logic.

15 Years, maybe..... NOW... No Way....

[Deacon220]

I've brought this up several times and not many seem to pick this up. ISP's sell their customers small peices of their bandwidth. They do this because of multiplexing and on the assumption your not really going to use all your bandwidth. They over sell their actual bandwidth many times over. You put enough people using their bandwidth to the maximum pulling across movies all at the same time and it's going for first SLOW DOWN and then their going to raise peoples rates to reflect actual usage rather than assumed usage. You can count on it.

[seto]

TWB's approach to resolve their bandwidth issue is purely marco-economics. In reality, they would end up shrinking their customer base. It's great for people with minimum usage but for those who use a lot of bandwidth they would seek service elsewhere.

TWB should be expanding and improving infrastructure, instead. Old coax either needs to be converted to fiber optics or double-bonded copper for higher throughput. ISP's need to stop trying to multiplex and share bandwidth with other businesses.

That and backbone organizations need to stop their petty wars to bring more speed efficient services instead of trying to squeeze each other out of the market.

[Banjo]

This is nothing new. They have been doing this for years, but now it's just that the plans are now offering more options than before and now more public too as well.

Nearly all providers already cap the bandwidth usages between 50 to 75GB on standard broadband connections.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

thats assuming google wins it. and I would think it would take quite some time for them to roll it all out if they did.

Also its important to note that wile TW said the average person wouldnt notice the difference, they didnt say they would notice any savings either

they're already testing products. and id hope with all the talk google is doing..and what complete sense it makes for them..that they would win the auction. I don't think we need to worry about somebody else winning.

but to whoever said they're for this..you're crazy. it'll only take one time of you going over to think what a stupid idea this is.

and to the person that works for tw..this isn't a new idea..and they're not the first company to come up with this. I don't think it'll happen across the country..or soon..but without any competition..it'll happen