COVID19 and staying home
With people being encouraged to telework, schools being closed, etc how about removing bandwidth usage limits?
Forum Discussion
I've worked for an ISP before and while what you say is technically correct it isn't correct in the way you are applying it. Bandwidth is finite depending on what it's being sent to. If they are still using COAX which uses copper as the conduit their bandwidth is decently low. If they are using a fiber network (which I'm pretty sure they go fiber until coax to the home) there really isn't much of a data cap as you are using light to transmit the data. The only bottle neck is the "last mile" which I explained above. Also keep in mind old cable (AKA coax) is only able to use manage about 100mbps. That's a tenth of fiber lines.
My previous comments were based upon my understanding that Internet bandwidth has limitations and all users on a given line share the bandwidth, each using their own portion at any one time. Therefore, it seems logically that if too many people are using that bandwidth at the same time, some users won’t have sufficient bandwidth for their needs. (I’ve read posts in this forum about users who feel their Internet issues are due to an over saturated node). Based upon this premise, my previous post concern was that if all Cox Internet customers are free to use all the bandwidth they want, it might cause over saturation that could compromise Internet use for people forced to work from home during the crisis.
However, if there can be no bandwidth saturation caused by high usage, except for the “last mile” where fiber hasn't been installed yet (see below) , then Cox could waive data cap charges and expedite fiber conversion and new node installations where saturation exists. But, Cox’s pledge didn’t say anything waiving data caps.
According to this website, "AT&T said it would suspend broadband data caps". Also, "Part of the Keep Americans Connected Pledge is also urging other companies to follow AT&T in suspending data caps...".
According to an email I received from Cox today:
“In a legacy hybrid-fiber infrastructure, the line is fiber up to the “last mile.” However, new technology has been deployed in new-builds and our own network upgrades over the past several years. Infrastructure upgrades continue in all Cox markets, including construction to install new fiber optic cable in the neighborhoods we serve, updating nodes and pedestals, installing new nodes in highly saturated areas. New technology being explored by all MSOs includes distributed access architecture and converged interconnected networks”.
Cox doesn’t have fiber up to each home yet, but they’re working on it.
