Being and avid computer user and having a presence in a few “online communities” I knew that data limits/ metered internet was coming. There have been data limits in other countries like Canada for several years and other than Sprint most people deal with data limits from their cellular provider. In the last few months, the main DSL/cable internet providers have changed their policies to limit the traffic of home users with very little noise being made.
CenturyLink‘s download guidelines are designed to support today’s download usage patterns. Our updated plans include the following download usage limits:
- 1.5Mbps plans – 150 Gigabytes
- Plans greater than 1.5Mbps – 250 Gigabytes
IMPORTANT UPDATE (May 17, 2012): Effective immediately, we’ve decided to change our Acceptable Use Policy and replace our current 250 GB monthly data usage threshold with a more flexible one.
See they look pretty similar… Oh wait! Comcast is switching to a more flexible policy? More flexible? Kinda. They are testing two options that will boost their data cap from 250 GB to 300 GB with a $10 charge per additional 50 GB thereafter.
As for most people these limits probably are not an issue provided “typical” users use less than 50 GB a month. I don’t think that these limits are of any major concern unless you are downloading massive amounts of files (most likely illegally) or operating a home server and streaming large amounts of data (also probably against your providers rules). As for now in the “Data Limit” arena it looks like Comcast is the winner for having a slightly higher cap before you need to deal with your provider.
Have you ever received a call, email or been throttled to slower speeds from your internet service provider for using too much data? Do you find it bothersome that metering of internet data usage is starting to take place?
I have Charter business class. No transfer caps. Yay.
The question I have is this – does your internet have any caps, Mr. Twoboot?
Not to my website, my personal home internet does though. I can’t justify the added home cost of Bill’s Charter Business Class, when you can get 3rd part hosting from godaddy or someplace else for 4 dollars a month.
Then someone else holds your data for you. Unacceptable. In addition because of the scripts I run I need shell access and high power CPU and database access. I’d have to do colo or pay for a dedicated box. Those are more in the $70 to $100/month.
And my business class connection is 30/10 and I pay $76/month.
Charter isn’t available at my location and any business account with either Comcast or CenturyLink would breaking the hundred dollar mark for the 40/5 I am getting for less than half of that (with some restrictions). Of course for some people getting the most bang for the buck doesn’t work if you are looking for certain features and trying to make right by your ISP.
The biggest plus is that I have a SLA. If I’m out it needs to be back up in four hours or I start getting BIG money back.
So yeah it costs more and the speeds may be slower but the benefits are worth it to me.