🚀 go-pugleaf

[POSTED TO ba.internet]
abuse@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) wrote:

>In article <MPG.114ca9502d8f0ea9896c5@news3.newscene.com>,
>hurnik@albany.net (Kevin Hurni) wrote:
>
>> Ha!  You should see what our local Road Runner "Acceptable User Policy" 
>> is trying to pull off.  Probably not as bad as TCI, but it looks as if 
>> the cable modem "industry" is starting to become Big Brother.
>
>I have been talking to some heavy-duty players in the provider world and
>it is generally agreed that in the dedicated-connection arena, we are
>headed for data-quantity pricing. With high-speed connections becoming the
>norm, the "natural bandwidth limitations" are disappearing, and providers
>are going to have to ultimately ration the amount of data that passes
>through their limited facilities.
>
>One would be to simply restrict flow, but that would result in much of the
>chatter we see here about "slow connections" on high-speed lines. Another,
>waiting in the wings, is the "per-megabyte" charge for in-bound,
>out-bound, or both. Rather than have the provider become Big Brother and
>dictate the types of equipment and services allowed on customers' sites,
>they would simply have the users pay for data excesses. If someone began
>streaming audio or video from a server, he would start paying for the
>privilege.
>
>Let the pooh-poohing begin, but mark my words, it is coming.

If downstream metering is tried, I predict an enormous backlash against
bloated websites.  People aren't going to be thrilled at the notion of
paying to download ads and fancy graphics.  As a result, I doubt that any
such metering will stick.  Regardless, I personally don't see any real
issue, since sophisticated ISP's should be able to solve most bandwidth
problems by caching on their own networks.  The obvious consequence is that
it will become even harder for smaller ISP's to stay in business.

I do agree that upstream metering will become more common -- it's already a
fact of life at most web hosting services.  But that's an issue on the
server, not the client, side.

p.s.  The song being sung by the "heavy-duty players in the provider world"
in really no different today from last year, the year before, etc., and in
my opinion is mostly wishful thinking and/or trial balloons.

-- 
Best regards,
John  mailto:Usenet@NavasGrp.Dublin.CA.US  http://www.aimnet.com/~jnavas/
FIGHT EXCESSIVE DOMAIN NAME FEES: <http://www.aimnet.com/~jnavas/namefee.html>