Reply #6: Sorta right

[Spike89]

Cable is a shared (within localized networks) connection, but Comcast sells access by bandwidth, i.e., they literally told me I had a 6MB connection with only certain restrictions (no home-based file-servers, etc.). They never said I had a download limit, and it is their responsibility to maintain enough overall bandwidth to deliver the connection speeds they promise.

There is no reason to villify anyone for downloading 50 movies at once (as long as they are legal downloads). There ARE bandwidth limits in place, my connection doesn't gobble up more than 6 MB no matter how many movies I queue (actually, I never really get 6 MB, but that's the nature of the beast).

Basically, if Comcast knows that the node in my neighborhood can support a dozen homes at the speed promised, then sells 3 dozen subscriptions, who is at fault if the network starts to bog down?