With the number of online games, videos and music growing at an exponential rate, it has created a problem for those that use Internet services excessively.
So far Comcast (CMCSA) is the only company warning customers about excessive use and dropping them if they don't cut back to certain levels. The problem is Comcast isn't releasing what the parameters of the bandwidth limits are.
While declining to specify what bandwidth limits are, Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas said a disconnect warning comes when a customer downloads "the equivalent of 1,000 songs or four full-length movies every day.
If Comcast or other broadband providers were to disclose specific limits, people would then go to the very end of the capacity before stopping their usage, possibly slowing networks down to a crawl.
The reason why cable networks are a problem is there can be up to several hundred subscribers on an Internet connection, so one person abusing the system could ruin the experience for the rest. When you consider the growing options for broadband that are becoming available, companies will have to protect the majority of their customers from those that use too much bandwidth.
This isn't a problem with DSL because phones are individually run to each home, so no one person can impact anothers' online experience.
Analysts think this will become an increasing problem and there may be caps instituted across a number of companies to combat the experience other users may suffer from.
Large Internet service providers like Verizon, AT&T and Timer Warner Cable say they reserve the right to manage their networks, adding that at this time they haven't cut service from their subscribers. That may only be because they don't have the neighborhood scale Comcast has.
Some of those using the Internet excessively are of course complaining, and saying the mantra that there are a growing number of competitors they can switch to. But that's the purpose behind cutting the service by Comcast. They're saying that's exactly what they want these people to do. Let their competitors get the bandwidth hogs.
What the heavy users don't understand is this is a customer problem, and the heavy user is the source. The potential hundreds of other users on a service will call up Comcast to complain about the slow connection they're receiving. Comcast knows the reason is the heavy users. So do you think they'll lose potentially dozens of consumers so a heavy user can do their thing? I don't think so.
Another problem some users have is they don't understand using a wireless router that is unsecured can result in people living around you to connect through them. This could result in extraordinary bandwidth usage as well.
This is going to be a growing problem in the future. Cox Communications, which provides broadband to Maryland and Northern Virginia says the broadband demand on its network has doubled yearly for each of the last six years. Twice it has had to increase its speeds over the last year and a half.
The way they've responded to it is to offer tiered service plans for those who are heavier users. That's a good way to take care of the problem. Rather than cut heavier users off, just increase their prices. That will either discipline them to cut back or allow them to go ahead with their current usage if they're willing to pay for it.
Comment Preview