Learn Optimum’s Policies on Data Caps and Bandwidth Throttling

Optimum’s Policies on Data Caps and Bandwidth Throttling

Last Updated: December 13, 2017

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Optimum Online, an Altice network, is also known as Cablevision and offers mass market broadband services. Altice services 4.9 million residential and business customers throughout 21 states, but the company’s presence is mostly in the New York tri-state area along with some Midwestern and Southern states.

optimum-image — Optimum: an Internet provider in the Eastern United States. Image copyright Optimum.

With growing concerns about bandwidth throttling and data usage in the current debates on Net Neutrality, here are the current policies Optimum enforces and what their stances are regarding Internet content.

Optimum Data Caps and Usage

Per the company’s open Internet disclosure required by the FCC, Optimum enforces an excessive use policy on subscribers that limits data consumption which inhibits other users’ network usage. Users can get their connections severed for putting strain on the network using peer-to-peer applications like BitTorrent and performing FTP transfers of numerous and/or incredibly large files. Subscribers receive a fixed amount of bandwidth for peer-to-peer uploads during peak periods. In scenarios without excessive bandwidth consumption, no data capping happens.

Optimum’s parent company Altice doesn’t specifically block users from viewing content that is lawful. However, their network management policies expressly prohibit unlawful activity such as transferring ransomware or viruses.

Bandwidth Throttling on Optimum

As far as connection speed, Optimum appeals to users who want to upgrade from DSL, but choose not to spend on fiber Internet service. The ISP offers service packages that vary by region, along with different tiers offering speeds appropriate for real-time applications. Their flat rate pricing includes prices directly tied to connection speed. Subscribers receive cable modems able to handle their chosen service tier.

While Optimum hasn’t confirmed whether they were throttling certain types of content (such as Netflix and YouTube), some users reported problems with content streaming websites.

Optimum doesn’t specifically have a policy surrounding throttling, as their disclosure statement states that performance varies by device, cable modem, and high Internet traffic. User reports of throttling on specific sites possibly are linked to the company’s traffic shaping based on predictions on how much traffic certain sites are receiving.

In light of the recent debates on Net Neutrality, at the time of this writing Optimum hasn’t made any comments on plans to switch to usage-based billing, or breaking up services to be sold in bundles as opposed to a unified subscription rate.

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Learn Optimum’s Policies on Data Caps and Bandwidth Throttling

Xfinity Data Cap: What is Comcast Internet’s Data Cap?

Last Updated: December 6, 2017

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With Net Neutrality hitting the front pages again, it’s a great time to go over the nuances of your Internet policy. Trust us – there are nuances. Let’s take the Comcast (XFINITY) policy, for example.

comcast-image — The Comcast Logo. Image copyright Comcast.

Comcast offers three major plans – its Terabyte Internet Usage Plan, the Unlimited Data plan, and a Flexible Data Option. According to the Comcast website, the Flexible Data Option is meant for people who use less than 5 GB per month. The Terabyte Internet Usage Plan is fairly straightforward about the amount of data it allows – 1 TB. (We say “fairly straightforward” because the site details limitations on this service as well, such as suspending it in Maine).

Exercising Semantics in the Comcast Unlimited Data Plan

First of all, you must understand that Comcast is playing with words from the very beginning. As a consumer, you probably assume that “unlimited data” means that you get premium service regardless of any data caps. However, Comcast defines “unlimited data” as simply providing the opportunity to you for unlimited data. The site says it all:

“Your use of the XFINITY Internet service must be consistent with our Acceptable Use Policies for residential services and network management system.”

In short, Comcast retains the right to throttle an Unlimited Data plan for reasons listed in its Acceptable Use Policies. Arguably, the most flexible language is contained in the policy’s assertions users can’t infringe on the experience of other users. In most cases, neighbors may only affect each other’s experience through more use of data. The language that is actually used in the agreement is as follows:

“[No user may] restrict, inhibit, interfere with, or otherwise disrupt or cause a performance degradation, regardless of intent, purpose or knowledge, to the Service.”

While most of the media focused on the Terabyte program, Comcast has basically included language in its Agreements that allows it to throttle users who are on its Unlimited Data plan. Users are responsible for their “own compliance,” eliminating the ability of customers to blame service errors on a data spike.

Comcast also holds the right to suspend or “apply other interim measures” to accounts in violation of its policies. While it does not name throttling in its list of tactics, news sources have outed that the throttling tends to begin around 20 GB of usage. Throttling of cellular speeds happens if the user provides services to mobile devices through a home Internet plan.

Pay Attention to the Quality of Service you receive from your ISP

The FCC, which once chastised Comcast to open up its data spigot on behalf of peer to peer networking apps, now appears poised to help Comcast segment its users into more tiers than ever before.

Regardless of any company’s data caps and bandwidth policies, regularly check for throttling. One visit to our website will let you know your download and upload speeds – so if you have to call your ISP you can do so with the right information on hand. Check out our article on Spectrum’s data cap policies for information on another Internet provider.

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Learn Optimum’s Policies on Data Caps and Bandwidth Throttling

Spectrum Data Cap & Bandwidth Throttling Policy

Last Updated: November 17, 2017

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No matter your ISP, you must understand their policy when it comes to bandwidth throttling. Who wants to watch a 4K movie and suffer a poor picture due to the lowering of your Internet speed? This policy also hampers online gaming, controlling your smart home over the IoT, as well as streaming HD video.

Spectrum logo. Image Copyright Spectrum.

Spectrum customers interested about their ISP’s attitude on bandwidth throttling need to read further. Let’s take a closer look at how this provider handles this important issue facing most Internet users.

The Data Cap Agreement when Charter merged with Time Warner Cable

When the FCC approved the merger between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable – thus creating Spectrum – the company agreed to forego the institution of data caps for at least seven years. While not the same thing as bandwidth throttling, some ISPs with a data cap policy throttle the Internet speeds of their customers who exceed their monthly data allowance. Others charge an overage fee; for example AT&T’s runs $10 for each 50 GB of data consumed per month.

Understanding the differences between bandwidth throttling, data caps, and overage charges remains an essential part of being an Internet consumer. Make sure you read the fine print of your Internet service agreement. In many cases, ISPs offer unlimited Internet service for an extra fee or when you bundle Internet with other products.

Spectrum’s Bandwidth Throttling Policy

Even with their FCC agreement not to introduce data caps for seven years, Spectrum includes a bandwidth throttling policy in the fine print of their residential Internet acceptable use policy. Note that they never updated the policy to use their new company name.

Charter uses a variety of reasonable network management tools and practices consistent with industry standards. In the event the periods of congestion necessitate such management, Charter has available the following tools and practices (without limitation and as may be adjusted over time): (i) use of an upper limit of bandwidth allocated for uploading of files during congested periods; (ii) Subscriber Traffic Management (STM) technology to temporarily lower the priority of traffic with the greatest impact on peak congestion; (iii) spam filtering and detection techniques; and (iv) measures to protect the security and integrity of its network, resources and subscribers. In limited instances if employed, these techniques may affect the throughput rate at which subscribers may send and receive data, the ability of users to establish session connections within the network, or result in the delay of certain traffic during times of peak congestion.

In short, during periods of high network traffic, Spectrum may limit bandwidth for uploading data, and reduce the priority of the network traffic using the most resources. Ultimately, they will throttle your bandwidth if network congestion warrants, with the hopes of providing a similar level of service to every customer.

Keep that in mind if you want to stream a 4K movie during a high traffic period. As always, run a quick speed test to verify your current service level