Doing More with Less?

How does it work that we will do more with less?

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA, Dept. of Commerce) published a report noting that the Majority of Americans Use Multiple Internet-connected Devices, Data Shows. From their blog post (with several nice graphs),

In just a two-year span, between 2011 and 2013, Americans significantly shifted their Internet usage habits, moving toward more mobile Internet use and increasing the range of devices they use to connect, according to data collected in July 2013 as part of NTIA’s Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. …

The data shows a big shift in Americans’ use of mobile devices, with double-digit percentage-point increases in Internet-connected tablet and mobile phone usage. Use of mobile phones to connect jumped from 27 percent in 2011 to 45 percent in 2013, while tablet use rose from 6 percent to 22 percent.

We’re using more devices in many different ways, and using more data in the process.

In contrast, Comcast’s CEO is talking about plans to charge their customers more if they use more data. ArsTechnica reports, in “The more bits you use, the more you pay”: Comcast CEO justifies data caps,

“They’re not a cap,” Roberts said. “We don’t want anybody to ever not want to stay connected on our network.”

While Comcast doesn’t actually cut people off the Internet when they hit their 300GB-per-month data limits, customers do get charged an additional $10 for each 50GB used. Customers can also pay an extra $30 or $35 per month for unlimited data, depending on where they live.

Of note, it’s not about the technology:

Comcast itself acknowledges that monthly data caps are not driven by any technical needs. Leaked customer service documents say Comcast’s data caps are not related to congestion management, and a Comcast VP recently said that setting the monthly data limit at 300GB is a “business policy” rather than a technical necessity.

This is indeed a fascinating development, especially in light of the technology improvements in fiber speeds and Wi-Fi service. Several months ago, CNN Money reported that Wi-Fi speeds are about to triple, and the innovations keep improving the state of the art.

Unlike Comcast, we plan to move forward with the benefits of innovation. If your San Leandro business depends on fast upload and download speeds, you should talk with our Internet Service Providers to see what they can do for you.