ISPs could start charging more for...

[Achaias]

Just read this on CNN and thought it was worth sharing. Most people shouldn't worry about ISPs charging more for over use of bandwidth but I imagine there are those out there that this could seriuosly affect.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/02/11/netvideo.ap/index.html

Breaking the code of silence, Time Warner Cable announced January 16 that it would explicitly cap the monthly downloads available to new customers in Beaumont, Texas, as a test. Subscribers who go over their allotment will pay extra, much like a cell-phone subscriber who uses too many minutes in a month.

This all reminds me of having to pay for dial-up by the hour back in the day...

If AT&T does implement such a filter, it would cross another important line for an ISP: looking at the content its customers transmit. While some ISPs reserve the right to examine the content, the only publicly acknowledged use of that technology is to fulfill a wiretap order. To use the mail analogy, AT&T's filter would be akin to opening letters to make sure they contain no photocopies of books.

That statement stuck with me and I got a feeling of big brother is watching. Personally I wouldn't want ISPs having access to bank records that could be stolen, but I'm not for piracy either so I guess it goes both ways. I guess you have to give up some freedom to gain others...

 

[jdolla]

Ugh... Just what the customer wants... less features! Please cost more, that way we get the best of both worlds!