Charter set to strictly enforce broadband data caps
updated 07:00 pm EST, Thu November 11, 2010
Company considering dynamic throttling
Charter Communications is reportedly planning to strictly enforce data caps for broadband customers, sources have told DSL Reports. Despite executives' promises that data caps would only be enforced in extreme situations, unnamed support representatives suggest the company will give two warnings before suspending service for up to six months unless customers switch to a business-level agreement.
The caps are said to be set at 100GB/month for basic service, 250GB/month for Plus and Max customers, and 500GB/month for Ultra subscribers. In an official statement, the company claims it is working on a tool that will allow customers to self-monitor their bandwidth usage, but further details have yet to be announced.
Alongside the cap enforcement, the company also plans to introduce a "congestion management" system, similar to that of Comcast and Clearwire, with protocol-agnostic throttling during peak usage times. The throttling system will not distinguish between different activities such as torrent downloads or web browsing, while speed limits will only be imposed during the "relatively rare" times of congestion.
Charter is said to be set to begin enforcing its new policies on November 16.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2010
Hmmm, typical
"Alongside the cap enforcement, the company also plans to introduce a "congestion management" system, similar to that of Comcast and Clearwire, with protocol-agnostic throttling during peak usage times. The throttling system will not distinguish between different activities such as torrent downloads or web browsing, while speed limits will only be imposed during the "relatively rare" times of congestion."
Or... they could just increase the bandwidth available using all the backup fibre they have in reserve.
Gasp. Oh wait, they can't gouge us through the nose if they actually let everyone know their artificial limits on bandwidth are just that... artificial. Price fixing is illegal isn't it?