Internet metered billing.

[Steve]

The other day, I had a talk with a friend who got laid off from his job in the communications industry and I asked him. Why is the communications industry laying off people? We are a more networked society than ever before, how can this be.

And he told me two things. Two much black fiber and not enough investment money. Black fiber was described to me as fiber optic cable bandwidth that was not being used.

I think it's great we have so much internet bandwidth capacity because it's going to spurn innovation on how to use it!

Then I see an article yesterday talking about internet companies testing out the idea of internet meter billing where they charge you based on your internet usage. I almost came unglued. Here we are in the pits of an economic depression and these idiots want to start charging based on internet usage?

I'd expect the government to screw things up by taxing us on such usage but to see the communications industry do it when there is this abundance of black fiber? WOW! Insane!

So today I see this article and I have to admit, I am happy to see I wasn't the only one who had a huge problem with it.

What's your take?

Time Warner shelves plan to cap Internet use (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30252543/) - Time Warner Cable Inc. is shelving its plan to bill customers based on how much Internet traffic they generate, following mounting public and political outcry.

Time Warner Cable's capitulation doesn't bode well for the future of metered billing of the Internet, in which people who use more bandwidth pay more.

http://www.atelcomm.com/images/fiber_optics.jpg

[swstout]

The government already tried and failed to put a charge emails. On the other hand the current administration has to find ways to try to cover its run away spending.

I think after yesterdays 7,000,000 turnout, they are second guessing tax hikes. Yesterdays message to Congress was 'Shape Up or We Will Ship You Out'. The 2010 and 2012 elections are destined to produce MAJOR changer in Washington.

Steve

[VPS Lawn Care]

Steve, AOL when they started used to charge based on how much time you spent on the internet, and that did not work, they had to switch to unlimited access plans to stay in buisness. Once they dominated the internet world, and now they are no more then a dot in the world wide web.

[Steve]

Steve, AOL when they started used to charge based on how much time you spent on the internet, and that did not work, they had to switch to unlimited access plans to stay in buisness. Once they dominated the internet world, and now they are no more then a dot in the world wide web.

Great point and how fascinating that is! It's amazing how they became irrelevant. Who would have ever thought that could happen. AOL WAS the internet at one point.