Forum Discussion

Bruce's avatar
Bruce
Honored Contributor III
4 years ago

Speeds and Data Plans

I'm researching data plans and noticed Cox updated and reformatted their Speeds and Data Plans page.  A couple notes:

Gigablast Package & Maximum Limit.  Cox defines an area with "periods of sustained increased internet usage" as a Limited Area.  Therefore, if a gigabit-subscriber lives in a Limited Area, Cox could reduce the gigabit-subscriber's upload bandwidth from 35 Mbps to 10 Mbps?  A 71% drop in bandwidth is kinda extreme, don't you think?

If the architecture in a Limited Area cannot consistently support 35 Mbps, why offer the gigabit service in the Limited Area?  Money?  Will Cox notify the gigabit-subscriber of the 71% reduction to upload bandwidth...or keep it a secret?  Could you imagine receiving this email:  "Due to a period of sustained increased internet usage in your Limited Area, we have reduced your upload bandwidth 71%."

Moreover, the "Maximum Limit" for upload bandwidth on a Gigablast plan could fall between 940 Mbps and 10 Mbps.  This isn't a limit...it's a guesstimate.

3. Monthly data plan.  How does 1.25 TB equal 1,280 GB?  Do you mean 1.28 TB or 1,250 GB?  At which threshold would Cox start "automatically" charging $10 for exceeding a data plan:  1.25 TB or 1,280 GB?  It's only a difference of 30 GB or 2 UHD movies.  Why can't Cox be "StraightUp" with us?

4. Data overage when not subscribing to additional data plans.  Where are these "additional data" plans?  Why didn't Cox list this feature on the page?  How would I subscribe to this feature?  What's the feature called?  How much does this feature cost?

Minor notes:

What is CARES and why is it stylized in different formats:  CARES vs. Cares?  Is it an acronym or a proper name?  Care to clarify?

The footnotes reference "Cox Digital Telephone service."  Do you mean Cox Voice?  Cox Digital Telephone is the old circuit-switching technology.  Cox Voice is the new technology, VoIP, packet-switching.  You should switch the names.

"A variety of different packages" is a redundant phrase.  It's like "deadly poison" or "free gift" or "various differences."  This is just basic fundamentals of grammar.

"Gigablast is not available to all Homes in all areas."  Aside from the inferred impossibility, why is "homes" capitalized?

www.cox.com/.../speeds-and-data-plans.html

  • Superbigwaff's avatar
    Superbigwaff
    Contributor
    4 years ago

    >> 3. Monthly data plan.  How does 1.25 TB equal 1,280 GB? 

    Yes. 1.25 terabytes = 1,280 gigabytes... when 1024 is the base multiplier... it's a computer science thing. You are charged $10 for each 50 GB block of data over your data plan.

    • Bruce's avatar
      Bruce
      Honored Contributor III
      4 years ago
      when 1024 is the base multiplier

      1024 what?  Where'd you get 1024?

      • CurtB's avatar
        CurtB
        Valued Contributor III
        4 years ago

        In decimal (base 10), 1 Kilobyte = 1000 bytes

        In binary (base 2), 1 Kilobyte = 210 = 1024 bytes (1000 * 1.024)

        1.25 TB (base 2) = 1250 GB (base 2)

        1.25 TB (base 10) = 1250 billion bytes = 1250 GB (base 10)

        1.25 TB (base 2)  = 1250 billion * 1.024 = 1280 billion bytes = 1280 GB (base 10)

        1.25 TB (base 2) = 1280 GB (base 10) because Cox is mixing two, different bases.

        The individual who drafted verbiage for the Cox webpage might have only been told monthly data plans are to have a 1.25 TB data limit.  If so, assuming it was a binary amount may or may not have been correct.  Either way, the "1,280 GB" was probably included to provide a more relatable decimal GB amount, but base mixing made it confusing.  The monthly data limit is most likely 1.25 TB binary (1280 GB decimal), but clarification from Cox would be needed to confirm that .  

  • smtips's avatar
    smtips
    New Contributor II
    4 years ago

    Really? This is what you spend your time doing? You may have some valid concerns that need clarification, but I think posting to a user internet forum isn't going to get anything done. Maybe a letter to their legal team.

    • Bruce's avatar
      Bruce
      Honored Contributor III
      4 years ago

      Well...I was spending my time researching a cheaper data plan.

      Do you think the Cox legal team would have a calculator?

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    4 years ago

    Binary is bits.  2^10 is bits.  2^10 = 1024 bits.  1024^1 is 1 kilobyte.  Yes, 1 kilobyte = 1024 bytes.

    "There are 1024 bytes in a kilobyte (KB) using conventional metrics"

    1024 bytes (KB) is far from conventional.

    There are 4 commissions supporting 3 different systems to express units of 1000 for storage:

    • 1 kilobyte (kB) 1000 bytes
    • 1 kibibyte (KiB) 1024 bytes
    • 1 kilobyte (KB) 1024 bytes

    The "conventional" system you're citing is the JEDEC standard because you used "KB" to express 1024 bytes.  JEDEC is unconventional for a couple reasons.  First, JEDEC as a base-2 (binary) system uses the same metric prefixes as the IEC base-10 (decimal) system:  KB, MB, GB.  There is nothing wrong with this except it taps out at GB.  This is why...for consistency..."B" is decimal and "iB" is binary.

    Since the JEDEC stops measuring at GB, it has no binary measure for terabyte.  Since JEDEC has no binary for terabyte, the JEDEC falls back to the base-10 measures of the IEC.  Therefore, at some point within JEDEC, you...figuratively speaking...lose bytes.  For example, if you upgraded RAM in a Windows server from 512 GB to 1 TB, you'd lose bytes from 1 metric to the other.

    Second, with the confusingly-same prefixes, why use JEDEC to clarify 1.25 TB?  The more conventional IEC base-2 (binary) system is right there with distinctive prefixes as well as being fully-expressed up to the yobibyte (YiB) (1024^8)?  If Cox needs to clarify 1.25 TB as binary value, Cox should notate as 1280 GiB...not 1280 GB.

    However, the overall point is why would Cox use 2 different systems to reference 1 limit?  Cox cited "1.25 TB" and then uses 1280 GB as a parenthetical to...I suppose..."clarify."  Why...for who?  Is Cox interpreting for our binary-only subscribers?  You had to multiply 1250 GB by 1.024 to justify 1280 GB, so are our decimal-only subscribers suppose to divide 1280 GB by 1.024 to understand the data cap?

    "Hey, Cox...I don't know what a "TB" is but you charged me $10 for exceeding 1280 gigabytes...but I hadn't exceeded 1280 gigabytes!"  [No...you're supposed to reduce this limit by dividing 1280 GB by 1.024.  This is why we're taking more of your money.]

    My original comments were aimed at consistency.  I know there are websites and formulas to interpret decimal-to-binary and vice versa for storage; however, Cox needs to be consistent.  For example, in addition to the Data Cap, Cox uses MB and GB to express blocks of additional data ($10), maximum mailbox limits and maximum email sizes.  Where are the "conventional" interpretations for these limits?  Why would Cox arbitrarily use a binary value...1 time...to "clarify" 1.25 TB?  Why not clarify all limits with both numbering systems?  Also on the same page, Cox had to explain their measurements:

    Data Plans: A Data Plan is the amount of data included within your monthly Internet package, measured in Gigabytes and Terabytes...

    Cox had to explain gigabytes and terabytes to measure data.  Cox only uses MB, GB and TB to express this data.  As a binary system, only JEDEC uses MB, GB but not TB.  Since there is no measurement for terabyte with JEDEC, one would have to presume (logically), GB and TB are decimal measurements.  If not, Cox should use KiB, MiB, GiB, TiB, etc.

    Therefore, based on the consistency of their explanations, prefixes and system of measurement:  How does 1.25 TB equal 1280 GB? It wasn't a mathematical question; it was a notational question.

    • CurtB's avatar
      CurtB
      Valued Contributor III
      4 years ago

      How does 1.25 TB equal 1280 GB?

      Data Units Converter

      www.gigacalculator.com/.../data-storage-bandwidth-converter.php

      With the "Use SI standard" box unchecked (conventional metrics), enter 1.25 in the box on the left and select TB, then select GB on the right. 1.25 TB = 1,280 GB 

      Now check the "Use SI standard" box (decimal)           1.25 TB = 1,250 GB 

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        4 years ago

        I don't think you read my reply.  It's not a question of math or conversion.  It's a grammatical or notational question.

        1. Why convert?  Does the average subscriber read or understand binary storage?

        2. If you need to convert, use the concise notation of said conversion:  1280 GiB.  "B" is understood as decimal and "iB" binary.

        3. If you need to convert, convert all the established limits listed on the page.

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III
    4 years ago

    Just to wrap this up, it wasn't a question about what does 1024 mean...what does binary mean...why are you multiplying, dividing, carrying the 1 (don't take the last one literally), but a question about why Cox need to use 2 numbering systems on this page.  If Cox needs to use 2 different systems, Cox needs to clarify it.

    This convo was productive to me.  I shouldn't have asked "why" on numerical replies but instead a generalized "why" do we need to convert in the first place.  I shouldn't have been so coy to force an overall question.  I'll chalk it as another lesson on accuracy, brevity and clarity.