New Comcast Data Cap

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Thu May 17, 2012 5:52 pm

Now its up to 300 GB, and after you hit it instead of being disconnected they simply charge you for what you go use over the cap. Not sure the price on that.

I didn't like the sound of a change in the cap and the additional cost at first, I thought they would lower the limit, but raising it from an already high amount of 250 GB to 300 GB is quite nice.

I've never come close to hitting 250 GB even.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Thu May 17, 2012 6:10 pm

Stop giving Time Warner ideas!

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri May 18, 2012 1:50 pm

Yeah I think this is a worth topic to post....

I don't like it all the way at least.. I'm on the Blast package - that package should have between 500-600GB/month vs Basic or premium or any other lower packages which can hang around that 250/300 area. I've gotten close to 250 a few times but not gone over..not worried either. I've asked them 3 times to put the meter on my account and they've yet to get it on there so ohh well their fault if I do go over and you can bet I've retained the reference numbers of each call and chat transcripts just to make sure I have the upper hand.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri May 18, 2012 1:56 pm

Good for home users ..esp those with kids that push things a bit.

Here's my firewalls report of yesterday volume of data...yup, 80 gigs in a 24 hour period. "Bandwidth Control analyzed 79869.27 MB". And that's average each day! So do the math...for a whole month! 2 and a half terrabytes? Yup!
Gotta love business packages...why worry about caps! :P

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri May 18, 2012 2:12 pm

Sava700 wrote:Yeah I think this is a worth topic to post....

I don't like it all the way at least.. I'm on the Blast package - that package should have between 500-600GB/month vs Basic or premium or any other lower packages which can hang around that 250/300 area. I've gotten close to 250 a few times but not gone over..not worried either. I've asked them 3 times to put the meter on my account and they've yet to get it on there so ohh well their fault if I do go over and you can bet I've retained the reference numbers of each call and chat transcripts just to make sure I have the upper hand.

Cox does something like that, except they limit lower speed users to 30-50 GB a month.

hayc59 · Post by **hayc59** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:31 am

Where do you look to see where you are at on download
caps? their main site..ect.ect..

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:24 am

hayc59 wrote:Where do you look to see where you are at on download
caps? their main site..ect.ect..

I check on my router, but on the comcast.net site when you log in there should be a meter in the settings somewhere.

hayc59 · Post by **hayc59** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:50 am

Thanks YardofStuf
I guess I am doing just fine

especially with all the music I grab

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Sat May 19, 2012 12:42 pm

Hey Hi

There should be no caps “period”. The main underlying reason for ISP’s to initialing caps on bandwidth is that there do not want to spend the extra $$$$money$$$$ on upgrading the networks. That is basically the only reason. The common tactic that ISP’s use to stop upgrading their own networks is to basically blame users that use P2P programs in regards massive downloading and also stream movies on a regular basis.

Some users actually go along with these caps as they think putting bandwidth caps will curb the other users from “hogging” the bandwidth on their local node and the network will be "better" for everyone. However.. this is also wrong. New users come online “every day”, and the way of handling the overloaded network, is for the ISP companies “not” to spend more money on their own networks / equipment.. Oh Yes! That is 100% correct.. They will just increase the bandwidth caps .

And what happens when even “more” new users come onboard? WELL… then we’ll see some of those great “tier” plans come into play! The ISP companies will talk like this: “So we will take these users first.. Jack up there price per month.. yes.. that will will do, and then increase the caps AGAIN.. And then if they want this much of bandwidth, we will charge them even more! Doing this price and bandwidth cap increase will keep the majority of users at this bandwidth caps / tier.. this way we won’t have to upgrade our overloaded networks for the increase user demand.”

It does not matter how you try to sugar coat it over, any time you mention bandwidth caps, tier plans, ect.. it is only for the good of the ISP company, NOT YOU.. THE END USER.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sat May 19, 2012 12:48 pm

I don't fully buy your theory shinobi, because it doesnt factor in how the ISP purchases its bandwidth. All major ISPs have caps now, and even for cell plans unlimited data is dying. As long as Comcast's cap remains fair I'm ok with it.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:59 pm

I think I'm ok with a 300 or even the old 250gb cap also.it seems no big deal for me,I never stream movies,and I don't download much music,maybe a song or two a month on itunes.
so IMO none of this will effect me at all.
I have the triple play and besides,my company pays for my voice and internet anyway.I just put 2/3 of the bill on my expense report and I pay the last 1/3 for my cable tv,and it works out way cheaper for me.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:57 pm

Thankfully, I don't have any caps. (Yet)

Leatherneck · Post by **Leatherneck** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:36 pm

22GB is about the most I've used in a few months. Summer months about 10. 300GB seems generous for home users.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:22 pm

blebs wrote:Thankfully, I don't have the craps again. (Yet)

fixed

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Sat May 19, 2012 7:19 pm

Dan wrote:fixed

Taco bell. When you positively, absolutely, have to get it done over night!

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:28 pm

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405227,00.asp

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:46 pm

Shinobi wrote:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405227,00.asp

that should be illegal

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:54 pm

Something is missing in this discussion...where is Sava?

morbidpete · Post by **morbidpete** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:48 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Good for home users ..esp those with kids that push things a bit.

Here's my firewalls report of yesterday volume of data...yup, 80 gigs in a 24 hour period. "Bandwidth Control analyzed 79869.27 MB". And that's average each day! So do the math...for a whole month! 2 and a half terrabytes? Yup!
Gotta love business packages...why worry about caps! :P

Thats a ton! Untangle sent me my monthly report a few days ago. 828 gigs in the month of may. And I thought i was high, You blow me out of the water! Business account at my house also!

Leatherneck · Post by **Leatherneck** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:13 am

Shinobi wrote:Hey Hi

There should be no caps “period”. The main underlying reason for ISP’s to initialing caps on bandwidth is that there do not want to spend the extra $$$$money$$$$ on upgrading the networks. That is basically the only reason.

No offense Shinobi but that is inaccurate. I work in the very industry of planning, designing, implementing a good portion of the hardware and software that provides service. We are moving at a pace like I have never seen and we spend a lot of money on the latest, greatest CISCO, ARRIS, FULITSU switches, routers, transport, fiber and management gear. We spent millions on Fujitsu 10Gb transport gear just a couple years a go and are now scrapping that gear in favor of CISCO's new 100Gb transport gear. Constantly expanding that pipe to not only keep up but plan ahead. We are also constantly balancing our High speed data equipment to ensure no one node is overloaded. We've also just spent 1.5 million just upgrading our DC plant to give us enough power to be practically 100% DC for reliability and it also gives us a few days to run completely on batteries with our inverter/rectifier setup. $275k on upgraded AC to keep it all cool as well. That is just the data side. Now that we are all digital we have spent a fortune on new equipment to ensure reliability. Video on demand equipment has all been upgraded to the latest CISCO offerings as well. It all adds up to millions for just one small headend. Master headends like Area 4 in South Chicago spend a staggering amount and our big daddy in Denver is unreal. Add to that 24/7 support from our own guys as well as specialized services from Vendors with multi-million dollar support contracts and it all adds up.

HSD is money especially with so many businesses getting on board with Data and phone. We spare no expense on any aspect of it and we are not going to be caught lagging.

morbidpete · Post by **morbidpete** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:06 am

@leatherneck,
I would love to see pics of this stuff just out of curiosity depending on your company's polices of course :-)

Leatherneck · Post by **Leatherneck** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:22 pm

morbidpete wrote:@leatherneck,
I would love to see pics of this stuff just out of curiosity depending on your company's polices of course :-)

Sorry for the extremely crappy cell phone pics..

New CISCO M6 100Gb routers - starting with 2 and adding as needed...

2 of the 6 existing CISCO 7609 Routers - Handles huge traffic routing - everything redundant

Fujitsu 10Gb transport soon to go bye bye..

A few of the 8 ARRIS C4 CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System)

The first step of combining services together to eventually go out to each node on a single piece of glass..

Some of the forward optical transmitters to each node

Some optical return traffic from the nodes in the field

A portion of our DC plant. Each 300lb battery is 2.27 volts and is combined to make the needed -48v power

750kw Cat genny $186k

My little workspace!

There is a lot more equipment - Encryption gear, 2-3 dozen switches, VOD servers, a few sat receivers left, modulators for pilot channels, much more combining, amplifiers, Comcast business routers and equipment, Digital box controllers, local origination equipment, etc...

Post by **Philip** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:26 am

Thanks for sharing Leatherneck !

morbidpete · Post by **morbidpete** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:57 am

Thanks for the pics! Awesome stuff! Those routers are huge!!!!!! impressive equipment. What happens to the old equipment? resell or destroy? Again. just curious!

Leatherneck · Post by **Leatherneck** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 1:02 pm

morbidpete wrote:Thanks for the pics! Awesome stuff! Those routers are huge!!!!!! impressive equipment. What happens to the old equipment? resell or destroy? Again. just curious!

Some older equipment may go to a lower priority facility, sent back to vendor for credit and in some cases scrapped. Everything Comcast does is big and has a twin for redundancy. In the 6 years we have been Comcast I bet they have spent over 12 million in upgrades just in my shop. My whole point was that Comcast spares no expense on equipment when it comes to transport, backbone, routing, bandwidth, redundancy, origination, fiber, power, cooling, software, etc... There is no such things as compromise in the headends.

Where they do skimp is on making me drive a 1999 F150 4x4 with rust and 168k miles! I don't like it, but I understand. When we were Insight you could get a new shiny truck but were stuck with shallow pockets and yesterday's technology. Which would a customer give a crap about?

In the end Comcast is a public company and will do whatever it takes to make shareholders happy. If I didn't make such a good living I'd probably bitch about them too, but being an insider sheds a little light on the big picture.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:30 pm

Shinobi wrote:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405227,00.asp

New to Verizon's plate will be an (absurdly fast) 300/65 Mbps service that's expected to cost a mere $204.99 per month with a two-year service agreement.

[Big Grin] I can see where this is going...(Straight into my office!)

My current plan isn't bad and seems to get better...

For example, Verizon's current 25/25 Mbps tier is getting a bump in download speeds – doubling to 50 Mbps – without any kind of price adjustment for the $75 monthly service whatsoever.

Of course, it is business so it cost a bit more than stated here at a little more than a buck per month, no limits though...

Nice pics, Leatherneck! Thanks for sharing!