Article: The Meter Is Running

Posted on | April 7, 2009 |

I’ve got a new article up at GWJ, The Meter is Running, about Time Warner Cable’s naked cash grab new broadband pricing model for Rochester, which switches to a tiered billing system based on monthly consumption levels. I crunch some numbers to show the caps are set ludicrously low and the prices laughably high. Too bad Rochester residents don’t have many alternatives.

From the article:

Ready to pay for your Internet by the banner ad? Time Warner thinks you are.

Last week, Time Warner Cable announced Phase 2 of its new broadband pricing model, a tiered billing system that would charge Internet users based on their monthly consumption. The company will soon begin metered pricing in four cities: Greensboro, NC; Austin and San Antonio, TX; and my current hometown, Rochester, NY.

Understandably, the news has sent the Internet into a tizzy, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to break down the facts and put things into perspective.

But make no mistake: As gamers—many of us with families—we’re the ones most affected by Time Warner’s new pricing structure. This is a direct warning shot across our controllers and keyboards: a sign to wake up and smell the profiteering.

Read the full article here.

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