Time Warner Cable scraps broadband capping plan in Rochester, NY
By Donald Melanson 
posted Apr 16th 2009 3:22PM
posted Apr 16th 2009 3:22PM
It's already delayed its controversial broadband capping plan in a number of markets, and it looks like Time Warner Cable has now gone one big step further in Rochester, New York (one of the initial test markets), where it has reportedly scrapped the new tiered pricing plan altogether. As you no doubt recall, the plan was more or less modeled on cellphone pricing plans, and had intended to cap customers' data usage at a certain level and charge upwards of $1 per GB for any overages (eventually maxing out at $150 per month). That, naturally, didn't go over so well with folks, and even New York Senator Charles Schumer eventually got in on the act and complained directly to Time Warner Cable. Of course, this still doesn't officially mark the end of the pricing plan in other markets, but it certainly seems to be getting increasingly difficult for Time Warner Cable to move ahead with it.[Thanks, Phil]
Update: As a few of you have helpfully pointed out in comments, Time Warner Cable has now put out a statement of its own that confirms in not-at-all Orwellian terms that it is shelving all of its consumption-based billing trials "while the customer education process continues." The company also says that it'll soon be making bandwidth measurement tools available to customers, which it hopes will "aid in the dialog going forward."
Actually it's been scrapped in all markets.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Backs-Off-Metered-Billing-101948
This is what happens when good people stand up for something that's right. We need more consumers, taxpayers and voters making a stand with their complaints, wallets and voting cards. We can't allow corporations and government to walk all over us!!!
The really funny thing is that I am 100% convinced that TWC unintentionally scuttled themselves! The problem was that the caps were completely and ridiculously low. I mean, a 5G cap??? One HD download and boom, you're over.
Mark my words, this "market test" will come back at us... only with much more generous caps until extra pricing kicks in.
Can it get Scrapped in Greensboro, NC as well??
nevermind just seen it on the News & record website....
At least Comcast put a very reasonable cap on their plans. 250GB is absolutely huge for today, and will be in the near future for a monthly download limit.
But to have your maximum plan at 40GB? Downright criminal. And to have a plan at 1GB for "light" users. God forbid you want to dabble in a few podcasts or iTunes with that one. So glad I dropped TW for Cincinnati Bell fiber a few months ago.
Too little too late, dickheads (Time Warner.)
Just switched to FiOS & couldn't be happier.
I always knew FiOS would be an improvement, but inertia won out until recently... easier to just stay the course. But then recent outages, also what seemed like caps/throttling, and rumors like the pay-as-you-go experiment made me decide to switch.
If they can't manage their network and build-out properly, that's their own damn problem.
If they want to offer me 20M/5M for $29/month, lifetime, fine I'll come back, otherwise, HIT THE BRICKS, PAL!!!!