Oregon ISP Now Forcing Cordcutters to Sign up For TV to Avoid Caps (dslreports.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Oregon ISP BendBroadband has revised its usage-based broadband policies to favor customers that subscribe to TV services as well. According to a blog post by the company, Bend is deploying a number of new speed upgrades, including new Ultra 50, Ultra 100 and Ultra 300 Mbps speed tiers. The company is telling users on its Bronze and Silver Internet plans that they should be eligible for a free upgrade later this month. But another post adds a different wrinkle: Bend says it's removing its current usage caps if you bundle TV and phone service. These caps have historically ranged from 150 to 500 GB. "Customers who subscribe to Bronze or above internet (including Silver, Gold and Platinum) and Essentials or above TV (including Preferred, Preferred Plus and The Works) are no longer limited on data usage and will no longer pay overage fees," says the company.The report cites similar practices by other ISPs, suggesting that it's quickly becoming an industry standard.

Comments

Irony

[stealth_finger]

The country with the actual claim to inventing the internet has one of the shittest internets. If any ISP around here even thought of having a cap on anything but the most basic of service they'd be laughed right out of business.

Re:Meh.

[NotDrWho]

Don't worry, you can just go to one of the other cablecos in your area for a better deal.

Competition FTW! ;-)

Re:No one is being forced to do anything.

[NotDrWho]

A company is offering a service.

Here, let me fix that for you:

A government-sanctioned monopoly is offering a service, with no other competitors allowed to offer you a competing service.

Re: Meh.

[jd2112]

I expect that soon cable companies will just increase the price of internet service by the amount a basic tv subscription costs and say that basic tv service is "free" with an internet plan.
Don't want tv? Fine, but it won't lower your bill.