Comcast Rolls Out $70-Per-Month Gigabit Internet Service In Chicago (pcmag.com)

An anonymous reader writes from a report via PC Magazine: Comcast is now offering Chicagoans gigabit internet speeds. PC Magazine reports: "Launched on Wednesday, the program uses DOCSIS 3.1 technology to deliver speeds up to 1Gbps over existing network infrastructure. DOCSIS 3.1 runs through standard cable connections already in place at your home or office. So Xfinity and Comcast Business Internet customers can simply sign up for a plan and plug in a new modem; no fiber installation required. The service, according to Comcast, allows you to download a 5GB HD movie in 40 seconds, a 60MB TV episode in four seconds, a 150MB music album in two seconds, or a 15GB video game in two minutes. Initial users have the choice of a promotional contract price of $70 per month for 36 months, or $139.95 per month (plus tax and fees) with no contract."

Comments

New math? Or net neutrality?

[fustakrakich]

*60MB in four seconds, a 150MB in two seconds*

60 MB T.V. Encoding?

[SeaFox]

I don't think I'd want to watch a video with such atrocious bitrates, even if it was SD.

Only in Google Fiber Cities + Chicago

[Anonymous Coward]

The summary should note that the $70 deal is only good in cities where there is Google Fiber. http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/08/comcasts-70-gigabit-offer-is-only-good-in-cities-with-google-fiber/

Re:Only in Google Fiber Cities + Chicago

[Travis Mansbridge]

And the fact that it's just a promotion doesn't make this "$70/mo gigabit" like Google Fiber, this is $140/mo gigabit. They can start people at whatever price they want to get them in the door.

Re:"allows you to download a 5GB HD movie in 40 se

[blankinthefill]

Heck, for Gigabit, I think even a 1TB is low. I know it is for my family... there's 5 of us in the house, usually watching different things at the same time, and the only thing keeping us from watching multiple 4k streams at the same time is our bandwidth. Assuming each of us watched 2 hours a night and did nothing else, we would be through the cap in about half a month.

Re:Really?

[PolygamousRanchKid]

Fuck you Comcast! Comcast and the rest of the cable companies are the modern day digital equivalent versions of the highwayman robbery!

I don't live in the US anymore, but from the comments I read here, I get the feeling that folks in the US have absolutely no trust in their ISPs. And this lack of trust is duly deserved, as the ISPs develop dubious offers full of gotchas and catches:

"It's totally unlimited at speed X! Except when it's not unlimited and speed X is the theoretical maximum."

A good business relationship requires trust between buyer and seller. If the buyer does not trust the seller, he will go elsewhere. The trouble with ISPs in the US, it seems that the choice is extremely limited. And they are all bad as the rest. It's like a "bazaar of crooks".

So how to fix this? I would nice to see bunch of smaller ISPs, who really cared about their customers. As opposed to a few gargantuan ISPs who obviously don't need to care about their customers.