[IP] Re: Comcast Cuts Off Heavy Internet Users

[David Farber <dfarber@cs.cmu.edu>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "RJR RJRiley.com" <RJR@RJRILEY.com>
Date: August 26, 2007 6:01:05 PM EDT
To: <dave@farber.net>
Subject: RE: [IP] Comcast Cuts Off Heavy Internet Users

Dave, for IP if you wish:

It seems to me that Comcast is using deceptive advertising and that  
their
conduct should be subject to review by agencies like the FTC and also  
could
be addressed with civil litigation.  Perhaps someone with legal training
should look into the legality of advertising unlimited use and then
arbitrarily cutting off service.

Ronald J. Riley,

President - www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.

 ====

Comcast Cuts Off Heavy Internet Users
Customers complain bandwidth limits are secret

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.Com

Comcast has warned broadband Internet customers across the country to  
curb
their downloading or wind up on the curb.

The company has a bandwidth limitation that, if broken, can result in a
12-month suspension of service. The problem, according to customer
complaints, is that the telecom giant refuses to reveal how much  
downloading
is too much.

The company, which a few years ago advertised the service as  
"unlimited" has
an "acceptable use policy" which enforces the invisible download limit.

The 23-part policy, states that it is a breach of contract to generate
"levels of traffic sufficient to impede others' ability to send or  
retrieve
information." But nowhere does it detail what levels of traffic will  
impede
others.




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