It's time to install a meter on your broadband modem.
AT&T
One could argue that 150 gigs is plenty. Even a modern-day Brady Bunch-sized family would be unlikely to hit the cap. AT&T claims that just 2% of its users are currently over the new cap.
But things will get hairy if Web-served video -- a monster data hog in high-def -- continues to grow in popularity. Netflix has been championing the streaming revolution. It may stand the most to lose if its own unlimited streaming service takes a hit from usage caps.
Will other broadband providers follow suit? It's eerily convenient that many of the leading Internet providers also have interests in cable. This wouldn't be a response to the growing number of consumers who are replacing cable and satellite television with cheaper streaming alternatives, would it?
Briefly in the news
And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.
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Berkshire Hathaway
(NYSE: BRK-A) got back into the acquisition game, snapping up lubricant giant Lubrizol(NYSE: LZ) in a $9.7 billion deal. -
Amazon.com's
(Nasdaq: AMZN) Kindle is now the equivalent of a Happy Meal toy in the United Kingdom. Wireless retailer Carphone Warehouse is offering Kindles as a freebie when customers buy phones with two-year plans. -
Broadwind Energy
(Nasdaq: BWEN) isn't just blowing in the wind. The wind-tower maker saw net sales soar by 48% in its latest quarter. The nuclear-reactor disaster in Japan also has investors buying into alternative-energy sources. -
Research In Motion
(Nasdaq: RIMM) and Microsoft(Nasdaq: MSFT) inked a cloud-computing deal. Whew! For a second, I thought Mr. Softy had sweet-talked another fallen tech darling into giving up its core business to promote Microsoft's wares.
Until next week, I remain,
Rick Munarriz
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