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Comcast offers 50 Mbps Internet, but it won't come cheap

By Michael Hatamoto, BetaNews

April 3, 2008, 2:12 PM

Comcast will begin offering a new "extreme high-speed" Internet connection in the Minnesota Twin Cities region today, with nationwide rollout expected by 2010. The new Internet service will cost $150 per month and will offer 50 Mbps download and 5 Mbps in upload speeds.

The new high-speed Internet is part of Comcast's rollout of the DOCSIS 3.0 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) cable broadband standard, which was first introduced during the Consumers Electronics Show last January.

Analysts first believed the service would launch in areas where AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS have taken hold, but Comcast chose to deploy it in an area where consumers don't have extremely fast Internet connections. Like Comcast's new offering, Verizon FiOS connection can offer speeds up to 50 Mbps.

Theoretically, these extreme speeds will allow users to download 4GB high-definition movies in 10 minutes. However, the service provider would also need to be cable of delivering content at such speeds.

"This announcement marks the beginning of the evolution from broadband to wideband," Comcast High-Speed Internet Senior Vice President and General Manger Mitch Bowling said in a statement. "Wideband is the future and it's coming fast. We believe wideband will usher-in a new era of speed and Internet innovation for today's digital consumers."

The Philadelphia-based company's announcement comes almost a week after it agreed to work with BitTorrent on network management and architecture issues. Comcast throttled the Internet connections of some users who used up high amounts of bandwidth due to file sharing.

Comcast aims to have the new Internet speeds available to 20% of its subscribers by the end of the year. But it is unknown which markets will receive the 50 Mbps Internet service next.

Comcast wants to offer speeds up to 100 Mbps over the next two years with an overall goal of 160 Mbps or more after 2010. The cable operator's most popular Internet service offers 6 Mbps download and 384 kilobits upload speed, for $42.95 bundled with a TV package.

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By bsf

edited Apr 4, 2008 - 5:56 AM

I'm in Japan, and most internet connection here is 100Mbps, so I guess I can get a feel of the 50Mbps, but the thing is, ...

1. You really don't need that fast unless you download torrent.
2. You really don't want your torrent to go at like 8MB/sec because my machine got really slow (2.66Ghz Core2Duo/4GB RAM, not the best, but not too terrible)
3. After awhile of massive downloads, you sort of get bored.

The only good part I thought was to watch internet streaming TVs, such as Stage6, but now that that's gone too.. sites like Veoh, sigh no matter how fast YOUR internet is, they got pretty shabby bandwidth so, it's not going to help.

Btw, for the 100Mbps OC connection it costs anywhere between $45 ~ $70 or so per month.

And I didn't know that ISPs in the states block P2Ps... Here in Japan they tried, and got ruled in court that it is ILLEGAL to block p2p.

Score: 0

By improvelence

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 11:28 AM

Your average connection rate is not 100mbps. Just because you connect to your modem at that speed does not mean you connect to the internet at that speed. Why don't you do a bandwidth test so you can understand what I am saying.

http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Score: 0

By bsf

posted Apr 6, 2008 - 11:38 PM

I get 72mbps on Japan speedtest,
I only get around 12~35mbps or so for US speedtests.

Score: 0

By daq

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 1:17 PM

8 megabytes/s = 64 megabits/s. Do the math before you comment.

Score: 0

By tscar13

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 2:15 AM

I still want a refund. If they are going to charge 150 for a 50mg d/l then a 6 mg d/l should of cost $18 instead of around $60.

Score: 0

By daq

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 1:16 PM

Buying stuff in bulk is always cheaper.

Score: 0

By kalitron

edited Apr 4, 2008 - 12:15 AM

I am currently receiving 20MB download 2MB upload. I can tell you from personal experience it is useless to have that kind of speed if the sites you are connect aren’t allowing you to use all of bandwidth to maximize the download at that speed. Most sites are only allowing you to download at a rate or 6 to 10MB max. Unless you are downloading torrents. Comcast is putting a stop to that.

Score: 0

By greensabath

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 10:16 PM

Lol. If HD Movies are 4GB, why do we need blu-ray again, can't they just put these 4GB HD Movies on regular dvds. Last time I checked, DVD's hold 9GB. Oh wait, I forgot that these are Comcast's "HD" media. We already know they compressed the crap of the movies.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited Apr 3, 2008 - 7:45 PM

Let's see, Comcast is highly compressing video to to the point of denigration, and now they propose a $150 a month for Internet access.

It will be fun to watch them spend money to advertise that...

Pass.

Score: 0

By midfingr

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:38 PM

T.o.S.? To what extent? Do they mean to say they can tell the difference between a Linux ISO and a Office ISO? Really? If those, that's illegal as it's your privacy rights that are being violated. Most of the western world has laws that pertain to terms of service. In which it states that the terms must not be grossly in favor of the seller.

That being said, Comcast will need to provide evidence that one such individual has downloaded 'bits' from several thousand other machines so the data makes sense to the computer and then on to the individual. How would one go about proving this?

Basically, throttling is on encrypted ports. It doesn't discriminate between legal and non-legal. Has anyone ever noticed how slow a bank, paypal, or any encrypted connection is? If so, then you've been throttled-- illegally I might add.

Okay, so the U.S. has a population of ~ 300 million people. The U.K., ~ 60 million. Do you know how many service providers there in the U.K.? Easily more than 60 Internet Services, most of which are broadband or soon to be. On average a 24MB connection is ~ $36.00 (USD), with a 500GB cap.

What's my point? Basically North American is falling behind Europe in technology. Mainly because of these a-holes nickel and dimming people, over subscribing and putting the cost on to the consumer. So, yes, $150 is a rip off and with port shaping, plus all the other b.s. to go with it (i.e. bad customer service), why even pretend to offer such a service?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 7, 2008 - 9:03 AM

You're missing the real reason they're throttling, and why "what" they are downloading is far less involved than "who much".

They're throttling BT protocols if the account is a frequent OTL (over the limit) offender (The limit currently being unknown to all but Comcast, unfortunately).

While one may logically assume a frequent OTL offender (Who downloads 18 Linux ISO's a month?), what the person is downloading, and it's legality, don't really enter into it. They just use copyright infringement as another excuse to try and rationalize it to the customers.

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 11:18 PM

People that can't figure out how to click on a reply button probably aren't intelligent enough to make a reasonable argument...so I didn't bother reading your post...just like I don't want to bother trying to find the post you're trying to reply to to make sense of what you said, if I had read your post. :)

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 4:30 AM

Yeah one thing I have noticed here is the lack of ability to read that button recently :(
Is it really that much of a brain strain? :(

Score: 0

By midfingr

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 11:31 PM

Since I'm in a foul mood. Did you ever go fishing? Well, let me tell you. There are good baiters, there are bad baiters, you sir (or madam) are a Master baiter.

Score: 0

By marrix

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 12:54 PM

I;m in an even more foul mood, if you can't find the godd***ed button, this means the "adult restrictions" are working!

Score: 0

By wabisabi

edited Apr 3, 2008 - 4:29 PM

That's all fine and good but I doubt anyone will see those speeds unless Comcast decides to allow the traffic. My streaming movies from Netflix are not what they used to be. I am able to download 100+ mb files from Microsoft all day at 600kbs+ but try and stream some video from a potential competitor of Comcast and that speed goes away. I'm on MPLS Wifi next week and I’ll be saying goodbye to Comcast. By the way, MPLS Wifi is 3mbps/3mbps for ~$20 per month with one year prepay. I am not too concerned about the reduced speed as the reduction only effects the marketed speed difference and not actual results.

Score: 0

By forgie

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:02 PM

So where are the packages that will directly compete with FIOS? I for one would be happy with 15mbps/2mbps for $53 or less. Not about to spend over $100 for a home network connection.

Score: 0

By Stingray57

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 3:17 PM

Bah Humbug!
That's nuts. I'm paying for the fastest Comcast Service they currently provide and I'm still at the mercy or the server who's feeding me.

I download files all the time and I rarely get over 100kbs. It's almost like high speed is not high speed anymore and no one cares.

Comcast is a shared connection anyway, so your never gonna see that speed anyways.

My two scents.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:22 PM

Comcast is a shared connection anyway, so your never gonna see that speed anyways.

I get ~1MB/sec reliably from them on my 10Mb/sec connection, which surprised the hell out of me considering I should really only be averaging ~800Kb/sec on that tier.

My neighborhood must all be using DSL. :)

Score: 0

By Toolie's Muse

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 12:57 PM

Toolie,
Once again, not only poor syntax. Your construct needs remedial work.
Is this laziness buddy?

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:16 PM

I download files all the time and I rarely get over 100kbs. It's almost like high speed is not high speed anymore and no one cares.

Or 100KBps, you mean (since download speeds are usually measured in bytes not bits)? That'd be 800 kbps.

kilobit vs. Kilobyte.

Score: 0

By davecramer74

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 3:06 PM

id add it if i could, 5mbit uploads is quite tastey.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 2:54 PM

Already here.

Thinking about it. Seriously.

Should be interesting.

Score: 0

By Toolie's Muse

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 1:00 PM

Toolie,
"Thinking about it. Seriously."
"Should be interesting".
Yet another of your wonderful insights!

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 2:35 PM

"$150 per month"

Nice speeds, but thats a really nice price they got for that service. Since they throttle the people who have the nerve to use that speed, I expect this also to be treated the same.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 2:59 PM

Depends on your use. If it violates the ToS, you'll be throttled.

That said, the Linux ISO from the .edu mirror should take less than 10 minutes to download, as opposed to 30.

Concerning price, this is the initial rollout. It's quite common, even in the markets that sell actual "products", to charge a premium to early adopters. This helps fund the marketing and further build-out to reach more markets/customers.

I don't use P2P. I don't expect to need to download *more* (And I haven't hit their elusive "cap" yet), but I sure would like to download the amounts I currently do a hell of a lot faster.

Will definitely be considering this.

Score: 0

By Toolie's Muse

edited Apr 4, 2008 - 1:14 PM

Toolie,
That said! My question? What the h@ll would ya be doin knowin 'bout this s***e?
Ya reading posts on other boards', 'n makin' constructs of which you know liddle!
Price? Ya goose! Gimme a pp 'an I'll sequester another point in one Manhattn.
Fool!!!

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 3:45 PM

"Depends on your use. If it violates the ToS, you'll be throttled."

Not nessesarily, like Metshrine says bellow it can also be after a certain amount. They would have to inspect your traffic to establish if you are violating your ToS, not very likely, and probably against your privacy rights.

Since the server sending the file determines the speed it sends it, you are always going to get whatever they are able to send regardless of the connection you have. This is where P2P comes in, these types of connections allows ridiculous amounts of data to be received, far in excess for what the average website might be able to achieve.

The people this appeals to most would be the people who would get throttled.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:18 PM

As I understand it, if you go over a certain amount, you won't be throttled, you'll be disconnected.

Hence why I included:

I don't expect to need to download *more* (And I haven't hit their elusive "cap" yet),

:)

Since the server sending the file determines the speed it sends it, you are always going to get whatever they are able to send regardless of the connection you have. This is where P2P comes in, these types of connections allows ridiculous amounts of data to be received, far in excess for what the average website might be able to achieve.

If you are downloading a 4GB file, you will not receive more than 4GB +/- a few %. The data cap doesn't really apply unless you plan on downloading *more*, not just faster.

We don't even really know if they plan on keeping the data cap, as they've recently stated multiple times they are in the process of changing how they manage their traffic.

Either way, the main point was that neither the data cap nor the throttling of P2P will affect most people in the least, which is why you don't hear about this kind of thing on the news, only in tech forums. ;)

Score: 0

By Toolie's Muse

edited Apr 4, 2008 - 1:47 PM

Foolie,
Let's get this straight, so all the contributers' to this board are enlightened.
"As I understand it, if you go over a certain amount, you won't be throttled, you'll be disconnected."
The problem here Toolie, is your entre (that's french, fw).
There is an oxymoron here, in that the intro is quite contrary to Toolie's usual demeanor "As I understand", You disappointed me!
Foolie, I thought you are omniscient (Google it stupid)
Whilst scribing this meagre critique I am listening to "Just the two of us", hence I'm a tad mellow.
And,no this is not Zaine, I'm marginally more tolerant of than him, than you!
Bro' I've slapped ya round a few times on this fine board, yet in your sheepishness, have never responded to a smack down. The question must be asked, are you a COWARD?
Bend over Bush Boy?, been checkin ya out bro!
Gottcha #!
'n ya gotta admit that's a wonderful thing, those snaps of you looking like the "Hedgehog", in a smut moooviiee!!!
Priceless!!!

Score: 0

By Galway

edited Apr 3, 2008 - 4:54 PM

"As I understand it, if you go over a certain amount, you won't be throttled, you'll be disconnected."

I can say that's incorrect. What would be correct would be to say if you go over a threshold you will be throttled, and if you are deemed to be a constant abuser would be eventually disconnected having breached the fair usage policy.

"If you are downloading a 4GB file, you will not receive more than 4GB +/- a few %."

HuH ?

"The data cap doesn't really apply unless you plan on downloading *more*, not just faster. "

Huh ??

"We don't even really know if they plan on keeping the data cap, as they've recently stated multiple times they are in the process of changing how they manage their traffic."

(?) They are mostly only just admitting to throttling traffic. If they are currently changing how they manage their traffic, this being an open unmanaged connection, then this would assume moving to doing something as opposed to nothing .. right ?

"Either way, the main point was that neither the data cap nor the throttling of P2P will affect most people in the least, which is why you don't hear about this kind of thing on the news, only in tech forums. ;)"

So who's creating, as announced in most recent statistic's, that more than half of internet traffic is P2P ?. More interestingly, is this half of traffic coming from high speed internet access accounts.

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 11:25 PM

"So who's creating, as announced in most recent statistic's, that more than half of internet traffic is P2P ?. More interestingly, is this half of traffic coming from high speed internet access accounts."

Well...if 1% of users use 50% of the bandwidth (as is he case almost everywhere in general), then PC_Tool is right...this won't affect MOST users...it would just affect the most heavy users...which is exactly the argument cable companies have used for years in regards to throttling.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 5:18 PM

I can say that's incorrect. What would be correct would be to say if you go over a threshold you will be throttled, and if you are deemed to be a constant abuser would be eventually disconnected having breached the fair usage policy.

As I said, I have encountered neither, so I will bow to your say-so if you have experience with being throttled/disconnected.

"If you are downloading a 4GB file, you will not receive more than 4GB +/- a few %."

HuH ?

A direct response to:

Since the server sending the file determines the speed it sends it, you are always going to get whatever they are able to send regardless of the connection you have. This is where P2P comes in, these types of connections allows ridiculous amounts of data to be received, far in excess for what the average website might be able to achieve.

Which I assume referred to their data cap (If you exceed this total amount of data downloaded, we'll cap your service). When you mentioned "ridiculous amounts of data to be received" it sounded to me like you were implying that after a P2P download is complete, they keep sending you data, which is true, to a certain extent, but it is at .05Kb speeds ("packet received"/"packet sent" messages and such).

"The data cap doesn't really apply unless you plan on downloading *more*, not just faster. "

Huh ??

Again, referring to the the total amount of data you can download before they impose their undocumented cap. Again, under the impression you were referring to that with the "ridiculous amounts of data received" comment, just adding that if you currently get away with downloading 50GB a month, and don't plan on downloading more, this plan isn't going to get you disconnected, it will simply allow you to download that 50Gb faster.

They are mostly only just admitting to throttling traffic. If they are currently changing how they manage their traffic, this being an open unmanaged connection, then this would assume moving to doing something as opposed to nothing .. right ?

Of course. But I have no idea what that might be. Do you?

. More interestingly, is this half of traffic coming from high speed internet access accounts.

I suspect you'll have to look at those stats for that, but again, how relevant is it if their management practices are changing? We have no way of knowing what, if anything, they will throttle, filter....or reset.

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 6:35 PM

"Which I assume referred to their data cap (If you exceed this total amount of data downloaded, we'll cap your service). When you mentioned "ridiculous amounts of data to be received" it sounded to me like you were implying that after a P2P download is complete, they keep sending you data,..."

No ... what I was saying in easy laid out terms is that 50 people send you a 50KBps file via P2P is faster than 1 Website sending you it at 200, 400, 600 or even 800 KBps.

Most of the throttling mentioned is on a daily basis, not on an end of the month basis where they inflict the throttling after the maximum threshold is achieved.

If you Download a 4GB file, as you mentioned, you could be throttled on a per connection basis or a total bandwidth basis. With Torrents, only the total bandwidth throttling would effect performance. You could have 50 connected peers for that file, and if each is sending 20KBps, it would be arriving at 1MBps.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 4, 2008 - 7:01 PM

No ... what I was saying in easy laid out terms is that 50 people send you a 50KBps file via P2P is faster than 1 Website sending you it at 200, 400, 600 or even 800 KBps.

The few times I've used BT (ISO's, demos, WarCraft, etc) I have never come close to maxing a connection. Anecdotal, sure, but you;'d think the WoW and Linux ISO torrents would be pretty quick, wouldn't you (Especially considering those are the two most often suggested "legal" uses of BT?)

If you Download a 4GB file, as you mentioned, you could be throttled on a per connection basis or a total bandwidth basis. With Torrents, only the total bandwidth throttling would effect performance. You could have 50 connected peers for that file, and if each is sending 20KBps, it would be arriving at 1MBps.

If you Download a 4GB file, as you mentioned, you could be throttled on a per connection basis or a total bandwidth basis. With Torrents, only the total bandwidth throttling would effect performance. You could have 50 connected peers for that file, and if each is sending 20KBps, it would be arriving at 1MBps.

Sure, but you're breaking ToS (Running a server), and thus inviting the throttling.

I don't know what web servers you download from, but the one's I hit (FileHippo, FileForum, my USENET provider, etc) all reliably give me my max speeds when using a proper download manager (Even DTA).

Score: 0

By sjc001

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:09 PM

tool will always side with the corporate over real people. That's just the type of scum he is.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 4:19 PM

Hello, sjc001. Still following me around?

How cute...

Score: 0

By tscar13

edited Apr 3, 2008 - 4:36 PM

Gee PC, I didn't know you had a fan club or should I say stalker. Since we tend to agree, I would say to your stalker that I'll going over there next so see if you can keep up.:)

I will say, based on their pricing, that a 6 mg d/l should only cost $18 plus fees.
sjc? I'm leaving and going over there so time to make your move.

Score: 0

By Metshrine

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 3:02 PM

Actually, I have the 16MBps service and comcast throttles it after the first 20MB of a file download. Per the website, after the first 20MB it is throttled to a "Pre-determined provisioned speed". This service is probably the same thing.

Score: 0

By skimore

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 2:29 PM

AWESOME.. But sorry comcast will still be blocking p2p and any other high bandwidth service or app. Also if they "think" you are doing something not legal they will turn you in..

also this MIGHT happen by 2010.. FiOS is doing 20M X20M today!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 3, 2008 - 2:54 PM

also this MIGHT happen by 2010

I can have my service upgraded to this *today*.

Not 2010...

Score: 0

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