Are Internet Service Data Caps Effective?

The internet service providers in my area are not currently imposing data caps, but with all the buzz you have to assume that they soon will. While no one wants to pay more for their internet service than they need to, on the surface these caps do seem reasonable. After all, bandwidth is a limited resource, and if one user is using much more than another, shouldn’t they pay more for?

In theory, it might make sense, but some interesting theories and studies have been making their way to forefront. First, let’s think about the fact that while there are some people who use much more bandwidth than others, there are many more people who do nothing more than check their email once a day. Shouldn’t these balance each other out?

Another thing to keep in mind is that the issue isn’t really about how much bandwidth is used – it’s about when it’s used. Peak hours are the times that are most likely to bog down a service provider. During that time, there are so many users online, that a few people using a ton of bandwidth doesn’t even make a dent in how much is being used.

There have also been studies that have shown that when you limit internet usage, either through instituting data caps or other ways, then people are more likely to limit their internet usage to peak hours. Instead of checking online here and there, they know they only have one or two hours to be online, and so they do so at the most optimal time – which is during peak hours. You can see how this can actually lead to higher peak hour usage.

Another option that’s been gaining steam is finding different ways to encourage users to get online during non-peak hours. Some companies have considered throttling during peak hours – which means that the speed of the internet will be much slower. The idea is that during the hours that few people are online – say, the middle of the night – they’ll then offer much faster speeds. This can encourage people off of peak hours and spread the usage out more evenly.

Some companies have considered selling different types of accounts to consumers. One would be for a light user, and they would have limits during peak hours. The other would be for a ‘super user’, and they would not have any limits on their activities. Obviously, this type of account would cost more than other accounts. However, it would allow each internet service provider to better estimate how much bandwidth each customer would use, in order to assure they could provide optimal service to everyone.

It’s certainly an exciting time to be following tech news. We all know the internet is here to stay, but what we don’t know is how the service will continue to change, how the changes will affect the users, and how users will respond to those changes. Keep an eye on the data charges in your area to see what type of changes they’ll be making.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/6758181