Time Warner Roadrunner use-based pricing structure is coming.

[antimatter98]

TWC is testing a new broadband pricing structure in the US based on bandwidth used per month.

From this article: http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/04/04/article/net_users_vent_frustration_at_time_warner

"The plans range from $29.95 to $54.90 a month and will limit usage to five, 10, 20 or 40 gigabytes of data per month. Going over those caps will cost $1 for each gigabyte."

My comments about my own internet use:

Internet Radio: I use one laptop as an internet radio, and listen to or record for later use six hours per day of internet radio during the week, and 12 hours on the weekend. This downloads about 8GB per month---just for internet radio audio.

iTunes, web surfing, email: I have a second laptop that I use for iTunes, email, and web surfing on a daily basis. I subscribe to two weekly video podcasts and three audio podcasts. This computer downloads about 8GB per month.

Thus, my totals are about 16GB/mo. If I were on the TWC 20 GB plan, for every GB over 20 per month, I'd be charged one dollar.

Test your mileage: I use a free software called 'netmeter' (Windows only) that runs all the time and will give you daily, weekly
and monthly usage of your internet connection---both upload and download. I'd suggest you try this to find out what your internet usage is currently---since it seems to me that 'bandwidth pricing' is going to happen on all ISP's. Unless you know what you're using, you don't have a good feel for what this kind of pricing will mean to you and if it is reasonable.

download for netmeter, freeware:
http://www.metal-machine.de/readerror/index.php?PHPSESSID=055af2f1b78d179c6eda317704512523&page=10

There may be other bandwidth use monitors around, but I use and like netmeter---I'm not affiliated with them at all, don't know them.

Good Luck.

[antimatter98]

1. PS: TWC's 'unlimited' plan costs $150.00.

And this:

Time Warner's recently announced plan to expand their broadband transfer caps to new markets drew heavy criticism, which prompted their attempt to smooth things over with a ridiculously expensive "unlimited" plan. That wasn't enough for New York Representative Eric Massa, who now says he will draft legislation to "curb tiers, particularly in areas where a broadband provider owns a monopoly on service." Massa said, "Time Warner believes they can do this in Rochester, NY; Greensboro, NC; and Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and it's almost certainly just a matter of time before they attempt to overcharge all of their customers," adding, "I believe safeguards must be put in place when a business has a monopoly on a specific region."