The following letter was sent to the CEOs of our nation's largest ISPs (AT&T, AT&T Mobility, Comcast, Cox, Sprint, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and Verizon Wireless), asking some simple questions about data caps.
RE: The Impact of Data Caps on the Future Viability of Broadband
Dear CEO,
I am writing to ask for
your assistance in helping the public to understand the role that data caps
play in the continuing growth of the internet. As you are aware, every day larger parts of our economy,
society, and government are moving online. This movement is fuelled in part by an understanding that
the infrastructure of the internet can support wide-ranging innovation and big
new ideas.
However, data caps
threaten to undermine that environment of innovation. They turn connectivity into a zero sum game where every new
application or activity must come at the cost of an existing one. Caps can freeze innovation in place,
discouraging the development of beneficial – even if data intensive –
technologies.
Business, government,
and the public are devoting significant resources to make the internet a place
where innovation and creativity continue to expand. They are assuming that the capacity to transmit information
online will keep pace with innovative imagination. If the networks
cannot keep up, we need to know that now.
As you well know,
distribution of commercial video is just one reason the internet has
experienced such enormous growth.
Governments from small municipalities to the United States Congress are
moving to stream their proceedings online. Presidential debates are also available over the
internet. Religious services reach
parishioners unable to leave their homes through streaming video. Educational institutions at all levels
are moving instruction online to reach even more students. Families divided by geography come
together through online video chats.
Doctors can consult with far away specialists or bedridden patients by
way of the internet. And these are
just examples of what is possible today.
To better understand the role that
data caps will play in the future capabilities of the internet, I ask that you
answer a series of questions. They
are designed to inform the public about how caps are set, how they are
evaluated, and how they may evolve over time.
I respectfully request
that you answer these questions by May 25, 2012, and and I ask that you be specific. I understand that there may be
proprietary information that you are unable to share, but our ability to plan
for the future is dependent on a complete, realistic understanding of the
capabilities of our communications networks.
1. Have you implemented data caps on your
network? If not, did you
considering doing so? Why were you
able to avoid imposing caps on your network? If yes, please continue. If your network has multiple cap levels, please answer these
questions in terms of the most popular tier where appropriate.
2. What problems are data caps designed to
address? Once you identified these
problems, how did you determine that data caps were the most reasonable way to
address them?
3. How did you determine the proper cap? Were other methods of determining that
level considered? If so, why were
they inadequate?
4. How did you determine the proper penalty for
going over the cap? How did you
choose between an overage fee, throttling, or suspension of service? If you chose an overage fee, how did you determine the fee? If you chose throttling, how did you determine the appropriate slower
rate? If you chose suspension of service, how
did you decide on the length of suspension?
5. How often is the cap enforced? On a monthly basis what percentage of
customers trigger the cap? What is
the average penalty incurred by those customers? Is the penalty ever waived? If so, how often?
Under what conditions? Why
is it appropriate to waive the penalty under those conditions?
6. How is the cap evaluated? Presumably, the cap was imposed to
address a problem or a set of problems.
How well is the cap addressing those problems? How often do you evaluate the effectiveness of the cap? What metrics do you use in that
evaluation? What is done with the
information obtained during the evaluation?
7. What might cause the data caps to change? Why would the allowance be increased or
decreased? Why would the type of
penalty change?
Thank you in advance for taking
the time to answer these questions.
Sincerely,
Gigi B. Sohn
President and CEO
Public Knowledge
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The following letter was sent to the CEOs of our nation's largest ISPs (AT&T, AT&T Mobility, Comcast, Cox, Sprint, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and Verizon Wireless), asking some simple questions about data caps.
RE: The Impact of Data Caps on the Future Viability of Broadband
Dear CEO,
I am writing to ask for
your assistance in helping the public to understand the role that data caps
play in the continuing growth of the internet. As you are aware, every day larger parts of our economy,
society, and government are moving online. This movement is fuelled in part by an understanding that
the infrastructure of the internet can support wide-ranging innovation and big
new ideas.
However, data caps
threaten to undermine that environment of innovation. They turn connectivity into a zero sum game where every new
application or activity must come at the cost of an existing one. Caps can freeze innovation in place,
discouraging the development of beneficial – even if data intensive –
technologies.
Business, government,
and the public are devoting significant resources to make the internet a place
where innovation and creativity continue to expand. They are assuming that the capacity to transmit information
online will keep pace with innovative imagination. If the networks
cannot keep up, we need to know that now.
As you well know,
distribution of commercial video is just one reason the internet has
experienced such enormous growth.
Governments from small municipalities to the United States Congress are
moving to stream their proceedings online. Presidential debates are also available over the
internet. Religious services reach
parishioners unable to leave their homes through streaming video. Educational institutions at all levels
are moving instruction online to reach even more students. Families divided by geography come
together through online video chats.
Doctors can consult with far away specialists or bedridden patients by
way of the internet. And these are
just examples of what is possible today.
To better understand the role that
data caps will play in the future capabilities of the internet, I ask that you
answer a series of questions. They
are designed to inform the public about how caps are set, how they are
evaluated, and how they may evolve over time.
I respectfully request
that you answer these questions by May 25, 2012, and and I ask that you be specific. I understand that there may be
proprietary information that you are unable to share, but our ability to plan
for the future is dependent on a complete, realistic understanding of the
capabilities of our communications networks.
1. Have you implemented data caps on your
network? If not, did you
considering doing so? Why were you
able to avoid imposing caps on your network? If yes, please continue. If your network has multiple cap levels, please answer these
questions in terms of the most popular tier where appropriate.
2. What problems are data caps designed to
address? Once you identified these
problems, how did you determine that data caps were the most reasonable way to
address them?
3. How did you determine the proper cap? Were other methods of determining that
level considered? If so, why were
they inadequate?
4. How did you determine the proper penalty for
going over the cap? How did you
choose between an overage fee, throttling, or suspension of service? If you chose an overage fee, how did you determine the fee? If you chose throttling, how did you determine the appropriate slower
rate? If you chose suspension of service, how
did you decide on the length of suspension?
5. How often is the cap enforced? On a monthly basis what percentage of
customers trigger the cap? What is
the average penalty incurred by those customers? Is the penalty ever waived? If so, how often?
Under what conditions? Why
is it appropriate to waive the penalty under those conditions?
6. How is the cap evaluated? Presumably, the cap was imposed to
address a problem or a set of problems.
How well is the cap addressing those problems? How often do you evaluate the effectiveness of the cap? What metrics do you use in that
evaluation? What is done with the
information obtained during the evaluation?
7. What might cause the data caps to change? Why would the allowance be increased or
decreased? Why would the type of
penalty change?
Thank you in advance for taking
the time to answer these questions.
Sincerely,
Gigi B. Sohn
President and CEO
Public Knowledge
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[#value] => The following letter was sent to the CEOs of our nation's largest ISPs (AT&T, AT&T Mobility, Comcast, Cox, Sprint, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and Verizon Wireless), asking some simple questions about data caps.
RE: The Impact of Data Caps on the Future Viability of Broadband
Dear CEO,
I am writing to ask for
your assistance in helping the public to understand the role that data caps
play in the continuing growth of the internet. As you are aware, every day larger parts of our economy,
society, and government are moving online. This movement is fuelled in part by an understanding that
the infrastructure of the internet can support wide-ranging innovation and big
new ideas.
However, data caps
threaten to undermine that environment of innovation. They turn connectivity into a zero sum game where every new
application or activity must come at the cost of an existing one. Caps can freeze innovation in place,
discouraging the development of beneficial – even if data intensive –
technologies.
Business, government,
and the public are devoting significant resources to make the internet a place
where innovation and creativity continue to expand. They are assuming that the capacity to transmit information
online will keep pace with innovative imagination. If the networks
cannot keep up, we need to know that now.
As you well know,
distribution of commercial video is just one reason the internet has
experienced such enormous growth.
Governments from small municipalities to the United States Congress are
moving to stream their proceedings online. Presidential debates are also available over the
internet. Religious services reach
parishioners unable to leave their homes through streaming video. Educational institutions at all levels
are moving instruction online to reach even more students. Families divided by geography come
together through online video chats.
Doctors can consult with far away specialists or bedridden patients by
way of the internet. And these are
just examples of what is possible today.
To better understand the role that
data caps will play in the future capabilities of the internet, I ask that you
answer a series of questions. They
are designed to inform the public about how caps are set, how they are
evaluated, and how they may evolve over time.
I respectfully request
that you answer these questions by May 25, 2012, and and I ask that you be specific. I understand that there may be
proprietary information that you are unable to share, but our ability to plan
for the future is dependent on a complete, realistic understanding of the
capabilities of our communications networks.
1. Have you implemented data caps on your
network? If not, did you
considering doing so? Why were you
able to avoid imposing caps on your network? If yes, please continue. If your network has multiple cap levels, please answer these
questions in terms of the most popular tier where appropriate.
2. What problems are data caps designed to
address? Once you identified these
problems, how did you determine that data caps were the most reasonable way to
address them?
3. How did you determine the proper cap? Were other methods of determining that
level considered? If so, why were
they inadequate?
4. How did you determine the proper penalty for
going over the cap? How did you
choose between an overage fee, throttling, or suspension of service? If you chose an overage fee, how did you determine the fee? If you chose throttling, how did you determine the appropriate slower
rate? If you chose suspension of service, how
did you decide on the length of suspension?
5. How often is the cap enforced? On a monthly basis what percentage of
customers trigger the cap? What is
the average penalty incurred by those customers? Is the penalty ever waived? If so, how often?
Under what conditions? Why
is it appropriate to waive the penalty under those conditions?
6. How is the cap evaluated? Presumably, the cap was imposed to
address a problem or a set of problems.
How well is the cap addressing those problems? How often do you evaluate the effectiveness of the cap? What metrics do you use in that
evaluation? What is done with the
information obtained during the evaluation?
7. What might cause the data caps to change? Why would the allowance be increased or
decreased? Why would the type of
penalty change?
Thank you in advance for taking
the time to answer these questions.
Sincerely,
Gigi B. Sohn
President and CEO
Public Knowledge
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[#children] => The following letter was sent to the CEOs of our nation's largest ISPs (AT&T, AT&T Mobility, Comcast, Cox, Sprint, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and Verizon Wireless), asking some simple questions about data caps.
RE: The Impact of Data Caps on the Future Viability of Broadband
Dear CEO,
I am writing to ask for
your assistance in helping the public to understand the role that data caps
play in the continuing growth of the internet. As you are aware, every day larger parts of our economy,
society, and government are moving online. This movement is fuelled in part by an understanding that
the infrastructure of the internet can support wide-ranging innovation and big
new ideas.
However, data caps
threaten to undermine that environment of innovation. They turn connectivity into a zero sum game where every new
application or activity must come at the cost of an existing one. Caps can freeze innovation in place,
discouraging the development of beneficial – even if data intensive –
technologies.
Business, government,
and the public are devoting significant resources to make the internet a place
where innovation and creativity continue to expand. They are assuming that the capacity to transmit information
online will keep pace with innovative imagination. If the networks
cannot keep up, we need to know that now.
As you well know,
distribution of commercial video is just one reason the internet has
experienced such enormous growth.
Governments from small municipalities to the United States Congress are
moving to stream their proceedings online. Presidential debates are also available over the
internet. Religious services reach
parishioners unable to leave their homes through streaming video. Educational institutions at all levels
are moving instruction online to reach even more students. Families divided by geography come
together through online video chats.
Doctors can consult with far away specialists or bedridden patients by
way of the internet. And these are
just examples of what is possible today.
To better understand the role that
data caps will play in the future capabilities of the internet, I ask that you
answer a series of questions. They
are designed to inform the public about how caps are set, how they are
evaluated, and how they may evolve over time.
I respectfully request
that you answer these questions by May 25, 2012, and and I ask that you be specific. I understand that there may be
proprietary information that you are unable to share, but our ability to plan
for the future is dependent on a complete, realistic understanding of the
capabilities of our communications networks.
1. Have you implemented data caps on your
network? If not, did you
considering doing so? Why were you
able to avoid imposing caps on your network? If yes, please continue. If your network has multiple cap levels, please answer these
questions in terms of the most popular tier where appropriate.
2. What problems are data caps designed to
address? Once you identified these
problems, how did you determine that data caps were the most reasonable way to
address them?
3. How did you determine the proper cap? Were other methods of determining that
level considered? If so, why were
they inadequate?
4. How did you determine the proper penalty for
going over the cap? How did you
choose between an overage fee, throttling, or suspension of service? If you chose an overage fee, how did you determine the fee? If you chose throttling, how did you determine the appropriate slower
rate? If you chose suspension of service, how
did you decide on the length of suspension?
5. How often is the cap enforced? On a monthly basis what percentage of
customers trigger the cap? What is
the average penalty incurred by those customers? Is the penalty ever waived? If so, how often?
Under what conditions? Why
is it appropriate to waive the penalty under those conditions?
6. How is the cap evaluated? Presumably, the cap was imposed to
address a problem or a set of problems.
How well is the cap addressing those problems? How often do you evaluate the effectiveness of the cap? What metrics do you use in that
evaluation? What is done with the
information obtained during the evaluation?
7. What might cause the data caps to change? Why would the allowance be increased or
decreased? Why would the type of
penalty change?
Thank you in advance for taking
the time to answer these questions.
Sincerely,
Gigi B. Sohn
President and CEO
Public Knowledge
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