Time Warner Cable, stung by a barrage of criticism from everyone from customers to Congress, has (temporarily) abandoned plans for data caps on the company’s residential Internet service plans. Note the key word temporarily, however. TWC CEO Glenn Britt released a statement today that read, in part:
“It is clear from the public response over the last two weeks that there is a great deal of misunderstanding about our plans to roll out additional tests on consumption based billing. As a result, we will not proceed with implementation of additional tests until further consultation with our customers and other interested parties, ensuring that community needs are being met.”
So apparently, the public is just “stupid” and needs to be “educated” as to why Time Warner increasing their broadband bills by 300% is actually a good thing. I have this awesome mental image of a 30-foot high razor wire fence encircling a “Time Warner Cable Re-Education Center”, with hoi polloi like myself shuffling around an exercise yard in a Seconal stupor, lobotomy scar prominent on my forehead.
As I’ve said to anyone who will listen, this is nothing but a blatant money grab by Time Warner, and just today I mailed letters to North Carolina governor Bev Perdue, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, my state legislator and senator, and the FCC – in addition to sending online letters to the President, Vice President, my two Senators and my Congresswhore (Sue Myrick – where’s the “puke smiley” when you need it?). I’m as serious as a fucking heart attack about opposing these caps, and while I’m happy about today’s victory, I’m sure those bastards at Time Warner will try to come up with some sort of end-around.
For this reason, you need to stay vigilant on this issue. Check out the following websites if you have some spare time:
http://droptwc.com/
http://stoptwc.info/
http://stopthecap.com/
For more information about today’s events, check out this article at Ars Technica, or this article at eWeek.