So much for so-called “unlimited” internet service.
In the continuing proxy war against illegal downloading, it seems as though ISPs are increasingly flexing their muscle as internet gatekeeper.
The MPAA, the RIAA, and even some file-sharing companies have all asked Congress to mandate that ISPs monitor their networks for illegal-sharing of copyrighted content and to disconnect users who fail to comply.
Well, Comcast, in addition to throttling BitTorrent traffic, perhaps illegally, has now started to disconnect “excessive” downloaders, arguing that they slow down the network for everybody else.
But, the kicker here is that they refuse to reveal their download limits, leaving it up to hapless users to throttle upwards until they receive a warning letter.
“You have no way of knowing how much is too much,” said Sandra Spalletta of Rockville, whose Internet service was suspended in March after Comcast sent her a letter warning that she and her teenage son were using too much bandwidth. They cut back on downloads but were still disconnected. She said the company would not tell her how to monitor their bandwidth use in order to comply with the limits.
“You want to think you can rely on your home Internet service and not wake up one morning to find it turned off,” said Spalletta, who filed a complaint with the Montgomery County Office of Cable and Communication Services. “I thought it was unlimited service.”
Charlie Douglas, a Comcast spokesman said that the company is merely addressing “the problem of abusive activity that adversely impacts on everybody else’s experience.”
“I can’t give you a number” for clients who have been disconnected, said Douglas, while assuring that customers whose plugs were pulled are “very rare.”
As internet related application require more and more bandwidth, ISPs are facing a short supply of available bandwidth with which to sell to new customers. Thus this means that existing users who consume an inordinate amount of bandwidth that impacts an ISP’s ability to take in new customers will find themselves being shown the door.
According to the Washington Post, a customer would have to download about 1,000 MP3s or 4 “full-length” movies (XVID format I presume) to trigger a disconnect warning.
Now 4 movie downloads a day may be easy to limit ones self to, but if you take into account streaming services like Joost, Last.FM, YouTube, TV Links and others, it may just be a matter of time before many of us become “excessive” users.
digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/tech_news/Comcast_Disconnecting_Users_Who_Download_More_than_4_Movies_a_Day’;
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Well now there’s no chance I’ll switch from my DSL to Comcast!
i used to have a 10megabit sprint broadband direct it was a microwave wireless service. i used to run a anime hotline server i would upload 10-20gigs a day for a few months then they started sending letters saying the same stuff slowing the network down .they said i could only upload 1gig a week or some thing like that. to make a long story short my service was disconnected and now i’am on a cox cable line. i’ve not had any problems over the last 5 years with anything of the sort.
U were only allowed to UP 1GB a week? That’s just crazy.
I just think its funny that they try to jack up rates promising ever faster speeds that you basically aren’t even allowed to come anywhere near fully using.
what about heavy newsgroup usage? do they say anything about newsgroups
Im a heavy Joost user and leave it on my TV all day Im also monitoring bandwidth and if I recieve a letter Ill make sure Ill report my findings regarding usage to joost and zComcast .
So what if you have the internet phone service threw your isp and you use it for business and your on it almost 8 hours aday would they cut you off for that too a service they offer that your suppose to be able to use without limit.
I really don’t know if this would work if they explained it to a judge. They are basically saying…GUESS WHAT OUR CUT OFF POINT IS! To their customers.Not a very good way to keep customers but a very good way to LOSE them!
VAMPIRE BLADE : Exactly. You stole my words : )
ya comcast called me saying i download tooo much n stuff sooo what is ur bandwith is it ur uploadin or downloading… im new at knowing bandwith
i got a comcast warning myself. I don’t use Bittorrent but I do have Vonage Wifi and Wii and VPN for work.
More information at http://coldchilli.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-got-comcast-bandwidth-warning.html
It’s rediculous, if continue in such a way, they are likely to lose good half of their users, who, on the other hand, will never end up losing. If you, users, want to revenge, download as much as you can (useing http://rapidqueen.com/ )from rapidshare… At least you’ll know what to do next day without Internet… )