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If that's all it takes why am I still paying $60/mo for 1 mb down...?

Mb or MB?

That's pretty sad when in the Commune of Quebec in the Soviet Republic of Kanada you can get 60Mb down / 10Mb up for $80 a month. (And according to speedtest.net, they're lowballing it, it's actually 62Mb.)

In Socialist Heaven Finland, I get 100Mb down / 10 Mb up for 30eur/month, which amounts to around 40 usd, and I get more or less what you'd expect from it with the protocol overhead... and below 10ms latency. I just wish they offered symmetric 100Mb/s.

If that's all it takes why am I still paying $60/mo for 1 mb down...?

Mb or MB?

That's pretty sad when in the Commune of Quebec in the Soviet Republic of Kanada you can get 60Mb down / 10Mb up for $80 a month. (And according to speedtest.net, they're lowballing it, it's actually 62Mb.)

Depends on where you live

"New monthly data transfer capacity of 15 GB for uploads and downloads combined"

http://www.videotron.com/residential/internet/residential-internet/internet/basic-speed-internet

Common slashdot.... this news is complete nonsense.... check real prices here :

http://www.videotron.com/service/internet-services/internet-access/high-speed-internet

56$ per month for a very standard 8mpbs (without bundle) and 50gb cap. Add taxes and you're at 65$ per month

You can get way better than that in the US

I beg to differ.

Typical entry-level plan in Canda:
http://www.videotron.com/service/internet-services/internet-access/basic-internet
Cost: 29.95 CAD/month (29.97 USD/month)
Speed: 3 Mbps down, 800 Kbps up.
Cap: 5 gigabytes per month combined download+upload cap.

Best available plan in Estonia:
http://www.eq.ee/page.asp?p=45
Cost: 17,19 euros/month (22.60 USD/month)
Speed: From 16 to 64 Mbps down, 8 Mbps up.
Cap: None.

Not that far from the truth...

Cable in Quebec
http://www.videotron.com/service/internet-services/internet-access/ultimate-120

150-160$/month with only 170GB download/30GB up.

At least the upload speed's nice.

standard service is still around 50$, 8Mb down/1Mb up, with a ridiculous 50GB limit. And with only 2 ISPs, it's not going to change that much (almost all the other ISPs are resellers, and are subject to the same limits, thanks to CRTC)

And since they also own TV stations and are tv providers, that's not about to change, especially with Netflix and such

Videotron offers 50mbps service: http://www.videotron.com/service/services-internet/acces-internet/tgv-50

Unfortunately, they offer it with a 125gb cap.

What I am more interested in is exactly why they (or any other ISP) would take this position? The only real gain for an ISP would be the ability to kick bandwidth hogs, which is a win for them for obvious reasons.

The better question is why. Videotron has a 50 Mbps residential connection for $80/month. I believe that is the fastest residential internet connection in all of Canada:

http://www.videotron.com/services/en/internet/internet-tgv50/presentation.jsp

Videotron even mentions how fast it is for downloading movies & songs.

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing...

$1/gigabyte is just too prohibitive in a market where netflix and others are offering pseudo-HDTV movie downloads to anyone with a game console, the time is coming.

What the hell are you complaining about? Up here in Canada, we get our high-speed cable internet at $60 a month, it's capped at 20Gb a month, and exceeding usage is billed at $7.95 per gigabyte. Ref.: http://www.videotron.com/services/en/internet/caracteristiques-ihv.jsp

I would gladly pay for high-speed at $1/Gb.

Depending on where you are there are alternatives, such a cable internet. There are issues there too, such as the maximum amount of data you are allowed to download. Videotron, for example limits to 20GB download and 10GB upload on most packages - you have to look at the small print to find this out.

You just can't stop complaining, can you? How big does the print have to be for you to be happy? They state very clearly, and with the same font size as the rest of the page, what the download caps are. Heck, on their All our Internet offers at a glance document (PDF warning), not only are the download caps stated in regular sized font, they're in bold.

Depending on where you are there are alternatives, such a cable internet. There are issues there too, such as the maximum amount of data you are allowed to download. Videotron, for example limits to 20GB download and 10GB upload on most packages - you have to look at the small print to find this out.

You just can't stop complaining, can you? How big does the print have to be for you to be happy? They state very clearly, and with the same font size as the rest of the page, what the download caps are. Heck, on their All our Internet offers at a glance document (PDF warning), not only are the download caps stated in regular sized font, they're in bold.

Depending on where you are there are alternatives, such a cable internet. There are issues there too, such as the maximum amount of data you are allowed to download. Videotron, for example limits to 20GB download and 10GB upload on most packages - you have to look at the small print to find this out.

One thing is worth noting is that nowhere in the conditions applied by Bell is there anything indicating throttling. If it is there I can't find it.

Ok, but not everyone will necesserely want to keep a physical copy of the game after they played it. Look at the video games rentals. People are renting games for a very cheap fee and finishing them. They don't care about playing them again later. All that money goes to the video store and not to the developpers.

Also, there are a couple of movies that can be rented online or on your tv. (ex: http://www.videotron.com/services/en/television/vod-guide-vsd.jsp) You can watch it for x amount of time and then it's over. Since it is a digital product, it doesn't get a shorter lifespan. Is filesharing really that different? You get to keep the product if you want but aside of that, the downloader likely would not even have bought the game in the first place.

What good is 50Mbps... If you are unable to P2P?

I know we're talking about Comcast here, but at that price, the service better be damn good and they better not block P2P. 50Mbps for $150 a month is typical american rippoff from an ISP. Up north, Videotron offers 50Mbps (althouh only 1Mbps up) for $80.

$150/month is a ripoff. Move to Canada

50 mbps / $79.95

You'll actuall get that speed - they've been rolling out fibre like crazy to support video-on-demand. They can actually give you a 100mbps connection, but they're just playing the "wait until the competition almost catches up, then leapfrog them again ..."

Nothing exciting.
The 50Mbps broadband is already available in Quebec (Canada) for $79(CDN) since January. The upstream is limited to 1Mbps though.
A 30Mbps is also offered.

http://www.videotron.com/services/en/internet/internet-tgv50/presentation.jsp

This question is not nearly as theoretical as the question suggests: there are many countries where various forms of metered or tiered access are the norm. You just have to look at what these countries offer (and how consumers react) to get an idea of what works and what doesn't.

Here's an example: Videotron cable internet (Montreal, Canada)*. They have packages that run from $30/month to $80/month, depending what you want. They all have usage limits (2 GB/month to 100 GB/month), and charge a fee per additional GB beyond this basic usage.**

Does it "work"? Of course. Customers buy the package they want. If they are routinely going over their monthly limit, they either cut back on usage or upgrade their package. Yes, it is slightly more complicated for the customer than just having a single "unlimited!" package, but then again it's also more honest. In fact the unlimited packages have hidden terms and limits, which makes them more complicated... or at least more annoying.

I'm a heavy internet user (as most Slashdotters probably are). I don't mind paying a premium to get the speeds and usage limits I need: as long as that service level is actually delivered! This isn't rocket science: just provide a variety of packages and let the customers pick. Importantly, price the packages so that you won't go out of business if a sizeable percent of your customers actually use the service you sold them.

[*] Note that I was a Videotron customer when I lived in Montreal. I'm not endorsing their service; merely using them as an example.
[**] Note also that if you really want unlimited usage, you can upgrade to business class service. Again, you pay a premium if you want that level of service, which is fine.

This question is not nearly as theoretical as the question suggests: there are many countries where various forms of metered or tiered access are the norm. You just have to look at what these countries offer (and how consumers react) to get an idea of what works and what doesn't.

Here's an example: Videotron cable internet (Montreal, Canada)*. They have packages that run from $30/month to $80/month, depending what you want. They all have usage limits (2 GB/month to 100 GB/month), and charge a fee per additional GB beyond this basic usage.**

Does it "work"? Of course. Customers buy the package they want. If they are routinely going over their monthly limit, they either cut back on usage or upgrade their package. Yes, it is slightly more complicated for the customer than just having a single "unlimited!" package, but then again it's also more honest. In fact the unlimited packages have hidden terms and limits, which makes them more complicated... or at least more annoying.

I'm a heavy internet user (as most Slashdotters probably are). I don't mind paying a premium to get the speeds and usage limits I need: as long as that service level is actually delivered! This isn't rocket science: just provide a variety of packages and let the customers pick. Importantly, price the packages so that you won't go out of business if a sizeable percent of your customers actually use the service you sold them.

[*] Note that I was a Videotron customer when I lived in Montreal. I'm not endorsing their service; merely using them as an example.
[**] Note also that if you really want unlimited usage, you can upgrade to business class service. Again, you pay a premium if you want that level of service, which is fine.

Remind me again who needs a connection that can only work at 100% capacity for a little more than 2 hours per month ? Only to be charged 50c/s afterward (no limit !!!)

High time ISPs charge consumers by MBytes of data transmitted.

High time ISPs charge consumers by MBytes of data transmitted.

What do you guys have "at home"? I'm on 20mbit down / 512kbps up.

The days of promising unlimited bandwidth are over, they all have very clear caps now. If these are actually enforced consistantly is another matter, but the point is on paper they all have these different levels for transfer limits and speeds.

They can still advertise "unlimited bandwitdh", but you're really paying for it now. Videotron offers an "Unlimited" plan, and they charge you $75 a month for it. At that price, they better not throttle anything.

I don't know, per se, but if you're in Quebec, I'd suggest ditching Vonage and going with Videotron's phone-over-cable. It's so much cheaper than Vonage or Bell that it's laughable anyone goes with either of those options. Seriously. My apartment is filled with a bunch of students who phone home fairly often and the phone portion of our "multi-media" bill is never more than about $21. Add on to that that it's not eating up your internet bandwidth and that it gets you a discount on delicious digital cable and, well, there's nothing that can argue against it.

It even works in a blackout.

I wonder if Rogers and Shaw have anything like this......

I am also a videotron subscriber. You only have to pay 7.95$/GB if you are an Extreme High speed internet plus subscriber. (which is 20Mbps) or High Speed (7mbps) and download 20GB. If you have just regular Extreme high Speed (which is 10Mbps), then there is no limit, and that is clearly posted here http://www.videotron.com/services/en/internet/comp arer-xtmplus.jsp On the compare tab. Buyer beware! And yes I have gone over 20GB per month, and all I get is a notice that I went over 20GB per month (I think it was 35GB), no charges or fees.

The trouble is that "broadband" is a completely vague term. I seem to recall anything under 256kbps was labelled as "midband" here in the UK for a while until it died simply because no ISPs provided it when broadband became widespread.

Using any kind of pseudo-superlative to describe a current technology is a bad idea since it will be obsolete in a couple of years. Up here in Québec, "broadband" cable internet has been available for many years now through Videotron. When it all started, they labeled their 7Mbps "high-speed". Then they offered a 10Mbps alternative, so 7Mbps is "high-speed", while 10Mbps is "extreme high-speed". Then they offered a 20Mbps alternative, so 7Mbps remained "high-speed", 10Mbps is "extreme high-speed", and we now have 20Mbps as "extreme plus high-speed"...

I can't wait in a couple of years when I get to subscribe to their "super-duper-ultra-extreme-plus-high-speed" internet service.

900 KB/s? Damn! I'm jealous of you. How is it that I'm paying $65/month for a (supposedly) 10 Mbps, "extreme high speed" cable connection, and I never get more than 150 KB/sec? On anything? I must be getting the screw job.

And btw, 10Mbps for $50 a month flat does look like a land of milk and honey to some of us

and relying on glasses causes people to go blind.
For further explaination, see image here: http://www.alexander-tech.com/Pix/evolution.jpg or http://pages.videotron.com/vincevu/icons/evolution .jpg

Videotron has this now (of course, a certain minimum of the chosen channels have to be Canadian):

You can customize your package by picking and choosing from a wide range of specialty channels, including channels dedicated entirely to movies, sports, international programs and music. And if you change your mind, you can change your channel lineup as you please

http://www.videotron.com/services/en/television/5_ 2_1_1.jsp

Is there nowhere in the US that has this yet?

There are a base set of channels for $10/month, then you can pick 20 more for $20, or 30 more for $30 (or something to that effect). You can change channels any time you want, either through the cable box or through their website, as long as the channel you no longer wish to pay for has been subscribed to for at least one month.

It's a nice little deal. Hell, they offer this with 'high speed internet' and phone service over the cable network (it's VoIP) for $70/month.

damnit, it's there again... here: http://www.videotron.com/services/en/service_clien tele/8_7.jsp

Also note that they have Bandwidth Limits in their their Internet Access Plans!

"Monthly use of 20 GB download and 10 GB upload**
**$7.95 per additional gigabyte, up to a maximum of $30 per month."

I am not sure there actually is another cable service provider in Canada

Among others, there is Videotron in Quebec, and Rogers Cable - and be glad you don't have to deal with them.

Videtron is Québec's largest cable TV provider. My digital TV subscription, Illico, provides à la carte service.

They have a weird sens of "choice", by offering their à la carte service with a base selection of channels, wich you can't choose, or 20 or so stations, half of wich I never watch (Inuit TV and Parliamentary channels... uh-hu...).

Then, you have the 20- or 30- channel "à la carte" packages, for 20$ or 30$ extra (CDN). There, it's pretty much what you want, except CRTC (Canada's TV regulatory panel) enforces a Canadian vs Foreign (aka, US) content ration.

There, there are some channels that only come un small bunches, like the "US" package, wich wraps ABC, NBC, CBS and a couple other ones into 1 "convenient" package. Well, maybe I don't want multiple channels of the same network uh?

Same thing for some canadian content. To get Canal Z (a Tech TV + Space Channel -like french channel, excellent for it's Revenge des Nerz news/tech/nerd show) only comes bundles with 3 crapy ones I never watch.

So, choice is possible. Within constraints.

Tivo is not available here, but it seems more and more of the Digital Cable/Satellite providers are offering combo decoder-PVR boxes.

Good thing about this is they already know what channels you get, deal with all your listings. No calls, no updating, no programming.

I'm in Montreal, with Videotron, and they offer such a box for $650, plus $140 programming credit, that means a cheaper cable bill for eight months. So it costs $509, but there is no competition really, as this is the only Cable service in my area, other than the 5820 offered by Bell Canada, but it's a satellite box, and not allowed in my apartment building. The boxes for Videotron are manufactured by Scientific Atlanta, which has more info on them here.

I do believe other cable co's in Canada offer these, Quick searching turns up one at Rogersas well

Tivo is not available here, but it seems more and more of the Digital Cable/Satellite providers are offering combo decoder-PVR boxes.

Good thing about this is they already know what channels you get, deal with all your listings. No calls, no updating, no programming.

I'm in Montreal, with Videotron, and they offer such a box for $650, plus $140 programming credit, that means a cheaper cable bill for eight months. So it costs $509, but there is no competition really, as this is the only Cable service in my area, other than the 5820 offered by Bell Canada, but it's a satellite box, and not allowed in my apartment building. The boxes for Videotron are manufactured by Scientific Atlanta, which has more info on them here.

I do believe other cable co's in Canada offer these, Quick searching turns up one at Rogersas well

It's already here.
They always seem to be quite ahead in the game.

Stupid companies are everwhere, that I have to hand to you. Thing is, the service can be really great in some other countries, like in Canada. Over here, you can get a unlimited uncapped Internet cable access at 60CAN$ a month with Videotron. Maybe you should consider moving here. ;)

My cable provider is launching/has launched Video on Demand (VOD).

Videotron

S