My observations with Comcast seem to be that they are more concerned with users that hog all the up bandwidth. Likely they same reason they started "throttling" or injecting bad packets to users who use P2P cuz it utilizes heavy up bandwidth. When Comcast found out I was using my garage machine as a file server they threatened to close my account if I didn't stop hosting (my own) files. Its in the TOS. Anyone using an ISP with a symmetrical plan? Do they restrict what you can and cant do on the up side?
Comcast does (ie, has admitted to or has been proven to) "filter" some traffic, by means of delaying packets and shaping traffic to cause some P2P protocols to be less effective. Financal data streaming is a drop in the bucket compared to someone downloading DVDs every day, and wouldn't be confused with P2P anyways. I doubt they singled you out due to traffic use. Most likely, they're taking their dear sweet time moving all the new customers from the acquisition to new plans. Comcast doesn't have the best record when it comes to customer service.
More potential fun for Comcast users: Comcast Considering 250GB Cap, Overage Fees http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Considering-250GB-Cap-Overage-Fees-94185
They can't be serious. With all sorts of mediums moving to digital distribution, including legitimate HD video streaming and downloading, these type of caps would do more damage than good to their bottom line. Some people would hit this cap every month. I know I would. And im not the only "power" user in my house, there are three others that live with me. Ugh... why are we moving backwards.
While I am against this, to be fair, 250gb a month is a lot of transfer. That's 8.2gb a day, every day, for a month. There's very few legit ways to use that much bandwidth for a month. edit: To elaborate, a common HD "hour" (40 minutes without commercials) TV show is 350mb. That would equate to downloading 23 of these shows a day, every day. Streaming video, such as Youtube and Hulu, uses even less.
try to download tick data for every stock by EOD and you will hit this cap pretty quickly. not to mention streaming data for 300-500 tickers... i agree-US moving backwards,when it comes to communications. i still remeber the times,when internet was free for all and there is no caps and everyone is happy.
Saw a couple things here that should be pointed out. Comcast has recently (last couple months) announced that they are now going to partner with P2P companies to provide better service for those customers using it for legit purposes. http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Scraps-P2P-Bill-Of-Rights-Idea-94181?nocomment=1 and secondly, I get more than 250gb/mo from my webhost that I pay 10$/mo. I don't use it. but it just proves that bandwidth is cheap. Considering I pay my internet company (not comcast) 40$/mo and cant even legally host my website on my home connection, is total crap. ISPs are taking proactive action against problems that don't exist in an effort to either A) reduce thier bottom line and make more money for thier share holders or B) cover thier ass by inventing this problem rather than actually troubleshooting the real problems with thier network (which would probably involve considerable amounts of money and thus revolving back to A).
8.2GB a day is a JOKE. I would be freaking out by lunch time. So, OK. 8.2GB a day might be a lot to most people today, and there in lies the problem. Comcast is trying to get rid of the power users (people like me) who are eating up most of their SHARED bandwidth to provide a better experience for the rest of the people on a shared subnet. But as time goes on, there is no doubt in my mind that we can look back on this thread and say "ha! remember when we thought 250GB was a lot?" Bandwidth is synonymous with other computing benchmarks like clock speed and data storage. Think about it. It was only in the dial-up days we were measuring bandwidth in BAUD! Now everything comes down the IP pipe; voice, TV, data... And they want to put a cap on this? This is critical infrastructure.
I get what you're saying. From what I gathered, they were only trying to affect 0.1% of their users (who probably account for several percent, or more, of the total usage). If they keep it at 250gb and never move it up, as streaming HD becomes more popular, they'll be affecting a lot more than 0.1%. In that case, I'd start looking for a new ISP. Don't get me wrong, I hate that they are limiting use like this, but I do understand their business decision. Lose your most expensive customers while making the other 99.9% happier. Good points.
Screw the bandwidth "hogs". If they want that kind of service, then COMCAST has every right to change what they are offering. If the kid or guy that spends his entire month in front of the computer downloading music and video isn't happy, then leave. It's a consumer's choice. And pretty darn simple!