Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 03:32 PM

The following is my opinion alone, although deeply researched. : )

Time Warner is implementing a trial on varied pricing for Road Runner by the gb. No more unlimited is what they want. Don't be fooled by their statements that they "don't want the minority to affect the majority." This is an attempt to force us to view all streaming content through their cable system. Viewing streaming content with their Tiered Plans would be extremely costly for most.

They claim they need to charge more to invest in their infrastructure. Ok, fair enough. Then apply the same policies to VOIP-more $ for more Long Distance. Give me choice on what Digital Channels I can have. Don't make me have 200 channels. The majority of which I never watch. More Channels, more $. Don't make excuses for your lack of foresight, and appeasement of shareholders.

Organize. One trial is right here in Rochester, NY. Call your State and Federal representatives. Email Time Warner, and let them know how you feel.

Remember, this is not about light users paying less. It is to eventually force all streaming through the cable provider and eliminate our ability to stream to our T-VO and avoid the commercials.

Fight!!!!!

Chuckit · Apr 16, 2009, 03:45 PM

I think this will prove to be very beneficial in the long run — to AT+T U-verse.

ghporter · Apr 16, 2009, 04:35 PM

Don't bet too much on AT&T being cool about this-they've been talking about "tiered" service like this for a long time.

If the threshold for higher pricing is high enough, it won't affect most users. The stated reason for implementing this is typically "because 20% of our users use 80% of the bandwidth," and that's probably true, but that threshold needs to be set to identify the over-using 20%, not me or Chuckit or the rest of us who download a Linux ISO now and then-or even watch a TV show on Hulu occasionally. My hunch is that the threshold that any large ISP sets will be low enough to impact ANY high download-rate customer, and that's BAD.

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I think this will prove to be very beneficial in the long run — to AT+T U-verse.

Absolutely. However, will we Tether? I'd love to see the $ on that plan. What about the people like myself who receive a
-100 on Edge at their home? I'm not interested in Tethering.

This is a Time Warner "Bailout," Fight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Don't bet too much on AT&T being cool about this-they've been talking about "tiered" service like this for a long time.

If the threshold for higher pricing is high enough, it won't affect most users. The stated reason for implementing this is typically "because 20% of our users use 80% of the bandwidth," and that's probably true, but that threshold needs to be set to identify the over-using 20%, not me or Chuckit or the rest of us who download a Linux ISO now and then-or even watch a TV show on Hulu occasionally. My hunch is that the threshold that any large ISP sets will be low enough to impact ANY high download-rate customer, and that's BAD.

IMO, much of the at&t "tiered" talk is going on as we type. It will be Apple's call what happens after 2010. IMO this time next year we may be wishing the contract was till 2012.

First the Music Industry, now the Cable industry. The Cable fight will be much tougher. People MUST SPEAK UP!!!!

olePigeon · Apr 16, 2009, 05:25 PM

Where's my 45 Mbit line for $40/month that was promised to me through the 1996 Telecommunications Act? You know, the $200 billion we gave to Pacific Bell, AT&T, Comcast, etc. that was supposed to deliver that infrastructure back in 2000?

In typical fashion, the phone and cable companies thought that normal twisted copper lines are good enough. They took the $200 billion and ran, giggling hysterically all the way to the bank.

13 years later and my options are $60/month for 6Mbit/512Kbit line that's slower than dial-up in the evening and on the weekends, or $40/month for 512Kbit/256Kbit DSL line because I live too far from the CO.

Bunch of

ing crooks.

OldManMac · 07:23 PM

This is what happens when you have large corporations, who essentially have a monopoly on service in an area, deciding what's "competitive."

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by OldManMac

This is what happens when you have large corporations, who essentially have a monopoly on service in an area, deciding what's "competitive."

Which is exactly why anyone with Time Warner anywhere in the country better wake up and scream at their representatives.

Chuckit · Apr 16, 2009, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by glideslope

Absolutely. However, will we Tether? I'd love to see the $ on that plan. What about the people like myself who receive a
-100 on Edge at their home? I'm not interested in Tethering.

This is a Time Warner "Bailout," Fight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm talking about AT&T's home Internet plans, not tethering a phone. $60/mo for an 18 Mbps connection, explicitly said to be ideal for "watching TV" and "downloading movies," which is supposedly what Time-Warner is throwing a hissy fit over.

boy8cookie · Apr 16, 2009, 08:57 PM

Time Warner Cable*

Chuckit · Apr 16, 2009, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by boy8cookie

Time Warner Cable*

What's the relevance?

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

What's the relevance?

Easy. Mom and Dad kicked the 35yr old out of the house. Now we pick up the cost of living increase. It's a nice way of saying "you are no longer an asset."

glideslope · Apr 16, 2009, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I'm talking about AT&T's home Internet plans, not tethering a phone. $60/mo for an 18 Mbps connection, explicitly said to be ideal for "watching TV" and "downloading movies," which is supposedly what Time-Warner is throwing a hissy fit over.

Apologies. Am not familiar with that up here.

Aeolius · Apr 19, 2009, 05:45 PM

On Thursday, Time-Warner said it was postponing implementation of its consumption-based billing plan.

ghporter · Apr 19, 2009, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Aeolius

On Thursday, Time-Warner said it was postponing implementation of its consumption-based billing plan.

Apparently they got an earful from not only customers/consumers but from congressmen as well.

This should push their "we're only going to test this in a few areas" concept off the table too; they had planned to test in four cities, two of them being Austin and San Antonio TX, with the others being Rochester NY and Greensboro, NC. I don't see how they chose these cities; Rochester and Greensboro are far enough apart and in significantly different markets to make sense, but why TWO Texas cities only 90 miles apart? Why not one of 'em and San Francisco or Portland OR? It's just wacky.

Either way, we all win on this because the concept itself has taken some serious body blows. NY Senator Schumer (who seems to have some serious weight to throw around) was very skeptical about the whole idea, and especially about using Rochester as a "guinea pig." Read more here.

glideslope · Apr 20, 2009, 08:10 PM

Sen. Schumer has Copious Amounts of weight to throw around. 95% of the time as an advocate for us.
Kudos to all who spoke up. Especially the detailed Class Action possibilities due to Time Warners other practices. We can accomplish many things as a collective body.

glideslope · Apr 24, 2009, 08:44 PM

The following is this writers opinion only. Although researched.

Be very careful as Time Warner rolls out their "Usage Meter" to install on our machines. The intended purpose is to "help us understand our usage."

I smell a Bot. Make sure Time Warner is not gathering your information to use against you when this comes up again. It will come up again. This time they won't need Test Regions." They will simply say "this area" and "that area." Pay up.

Keep on this. All the cable companies are going to try and do this. Write to Sen. Schumer. Write, write,write....