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AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

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Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#61

Post by snagage »

loewenskind wrote: post #41
TeHCrAzY wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't have to work that way. Internode, an ISP in Australia (for consumer connections) will monitor your usage, send you notices on how close to the cap you are, and then shape you back to slightly faster than dial-up speeds. YOu then have the option of checking your email (slowly) and maybe chatting, or purchasing a datablock and becoming unshaped within the hour. (I semi-regularly purchase blocks during months…

Is their line running at near capacity at all times? If not it seems not only not fair, but silly to have their network lines sitting mostly idle for the last week of every month.

Rules and pricing needs to be simple and consistent. Even if it was possible to implement QoS to broadband, it would be awfully confusing for both the consumer and the telco. Why should someone in a busy area be capped when they reach the limit, while someone somewhere else can keep going? It might make sense from a technical perspective, but not at a consumer level.

If the telcos are not price gouging, there shouldn't be a problem with data caps. Stop being a cheapskate!

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#62

Post by jqueryin »

I found the following portion to hit home the hardest in regards to the new data usage cap:

Doesn’t that just grind cloud-mobile, gaming-mobile, video-mobile, and some-really-cool-but-currently-unknown-mobile development to a halt?

This seems all too true as we know just how fast the mobile industry grows each year. OnLive cloud computed gaming is supposed to be live within two weeks. I can only imagine that within a given period of time they'll be porting it over to iPhones and iPads. AT&T seems to be stifling innovation with these caps.

As the speed at which we access data increases, so do the bandwidth requirements for retrieving more data at a faster rate. We're talking higher video resolutions, higher sound quality, and more content immersion. Rather than paving the way and pioneering a new wave of applications, AT&T has bastardized their network with low data caps that will leave us developers pining for more within the next two years.

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#63

Post by loewenskind »

batiudrami wrote: post #54
loewenskind wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Even if such a fuel tank existed, would it be unreasonable for BP to charge by the litre of fuel removed? But effectively no fuel was removed. Look in the tank, it's full right? What you would charge for is accessing the tank at all because unless it is sitting at 0 constantly (complete continuous usage) there is effectively no difference between someone who took 1 gallon and someone who took 1,000 gallons. EDIT: Yo…

The way this is combated by Australian ISPs is to offer 'off peak quota' - a kind of bonus for when bandwidth utilisation is low, as well as having people's quotas reset at different times of month. This isn't a great solution, and would not work for phones as the off peak quota is used for things such as torrenting, when people aren't at their computers. The problem with shaping traffic is that it means companies si…

Shaping is only part of the solution. Normal utilization will consist of spikes. Shaping is just to smooth those spikes out as much as possible. When there is no utilization then you can use up the whole pipe if you like. If utilization is consistently passed some threshold then providers should absolutely increase their infra.

That said, the Australian solution sounds quite good as far as metering goes.

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#65

Post by loewenskind »

snagage wrote: post #61
loewenskind wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is their line running at near capacity at all times? If not it seems not only not fair, but silly to have their network lines sitting mostly idle for the last week of every month.

Rules and pricing needs to be simple and consistent. Even if it was possible to implement QoS to broadband, it would be awfully confusing for both the consumer and the telco. Why should someone in a busy area be capped when they reach the limit, while someone somewhere else can keep going? It might make sense from a technical perspective, but not at a consumer level. If the telcos are not price gouging, there shouldn…

Your point seems to contradict itself.

>Even if it was possible to implement QoS to broadband

It most certainly is possible.

>Why should someone in a busy area be capped when they reach the limit

What limit? I'm arguing that there shouldn't be a limit. You just provide a guaranteed minimum bandwidth. When the line is under-utilized the connected clients can use as much as they can. When utilization goes up traffic is shaped down as far as needed to handle it.

With data caps then people in your less busy areas will find themselves completely offline toward the end of the month while the line sits idle. Why?

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#66

Post by nailer »

pavs wrote: post #59
tensafefrogs wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you are missing the key point: Apple wants people to use their fancy devices more , not less. You spend this money on this awesome device that does awesome things, Apple makes money when you use it (via iAds, via google searches, via many things) and AT&T is saying to their customers "don't use your device too much!" I'm betting Steve is totally pissed off at AT&T right now.

> I'm betting Steve is totally pissed off at AT&T right now. You think Steve just found out about it now? You think AT&T didn't consult with him?

Personally, I think Steve probably knew a while back, was pissed off then, and is still pissed off.

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#67

Post by aneth »

Personally, I'm pretty happy with AT&T's changes. When I'm not using the service, out of the country, etc., I pay less. The overage charges are reasonable. Get real.

Only the self proclaimed "data hogs" are complaining.

Now, if they would only let me unlock my damn phone as a paying customer of 5+ years....

Re: AT&T Learns Exactly the Wrong Lesson About Data Usage

#68

Post by sounddust »

tensafefrogs wrote: post #26
ryanwaggoner wrote: post #22

I am a data pig. I average between 1.5 and 2 gigabytes a month over the last 6 months. AT&T hates me, apparently, though they are happy to take my money. I'm not sure how that helps the point the author is trying to make, as he/she will actually be paying less now than they were before, even as a self-proclaimed "data hog". A few more random points that I thought were misguided: 1. Not everyone should be attached to…

I think you are missing the key point: Apple wants people to use their fancy devices more , not less. You spend this money on this awesome device that does awesome things, Apple makes money when you use it (via iAds, via google searches, via many things) and AT&T is saying to their customers "don't use your device too much!" I'm betting Steve is totally pissed off at AT&T right now.

So we should force iPhone users to pay for unlimited bandwidth so that we can try to force them to "do more awesome things" with their phone?

What this argument is not taking into consideration is that some people don't use their device as much as others, and they do so by choice. Plenty of people will take a $10 discount to cut their phone usage a bit, and be happy that someone offered them the choice. Personally, I'm a data-crazed maniac who uses my iPhone constantly (and uses around 900MB/month) but that doesn't mean everyone is (or wants to be).

I'd also argue that there are only a few applications that consume large amounts of bandwidth, such as streaming/downloading audio and video. You can still take full advantage of your phone (with the exception of those two things) and not use much bandwidth.

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