Survey results I posted to the Usenet group comp.dcom.modems.cable, and subsequently to this site, asking readers with cable modems to fill in a short survey. I've had over fifty responses, and they are almost unanimous: The going rate is $40-$50 (US) per month; There is either no metering by data (about 80% of responses) or, if there is, it is at a very high level - typically starting at over 2GB/month; Metering by time is not practiced - nobody does it; The users are satisfied with cable modems and would not go back to the telephone modem (one exception); If the cable modem were metered at all it would be cancelled (three exceptions). Below is the first answer I got to the survey (my questions in italic and the respondent's answers in plain text), which is entirely characteristic of the rest: In the United Kingdom cable modems are on the horizon. Unfortunately one of the companies due to roll them out, Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC), has at least thought of some crazy metering schemes ... paying by very low 'packets' of data - for example, per 100KB or 1MB for everything downloaded - or even, unbelievably, by time as with almost all local phone calls and all national phone calls in the UK. That is perhaps the stupidest thing I've heard. I'd like to get an idea of the general feeling towards the metering of cable modems amongst people who already have them - primarily in the USA but also, I believe, in Australia and the Netherlands. I've had one since June. 1. Name and URL of cable modem service provider; @Home, http://www.home.net/ 2. Cost of service per month; $40/month with basic cable TV $60/without $10/month if you buy the cable modem 3. Is your cable modem access metered? Of course not, as that's a stupid idea almost beyond compare. You can see the usage 'limitations' at http://www.home.net/aup/ 3c. If it is not, would any later imposition of metering be acceptable to you? No, I would cancel immediately 4. Is the cable modem service worth what you pay for it? Yes, but I could not afford much more 5. Would you go back to a telephone modem, even though you would pay less per month? Not for all the tea in China.... 28.8 land sux. PS -- hope it works out better than it sounds now [Amen to that! - AMS] Text by Alastair Scott Cable and Wireless Watch main page