I consider myself to be extremely technical and I honestly would have assumed that the 250 GB cap would have been download-only, as well. They already cap the upload rate at a 5th or less of the download rate, which entirely removes any real possibility that uploads can CAUSE congestion. Even on the "rings", maxing out my upload bandwidth is unlikely to even make a dent in another user's perceived speed. It is completely bassackwards thinking, IMO. When your internet host quotes you bandwidth limits, those don't include inbound transfers. Only outbound.
Actually I wonder if Amazon will step in here. It was their service that put him over the edge. Google as well. This story could completely kill their "unlimited" storage concept. If not in reality, in perception at least.
What REALLY grinds my gears here is that they receive a government sanctioned monopoly over a vital utility (two or three, actually, counting television and phone) and they are allowed to run rampant over consumers. They need to be regulated in the same way that power, water, and gas are. And local phone service (though this is really not a problem now with wireless competition). Cable companies are simply natural monopolies as the barriers to entry are too high to realistically support multiple, same-footed competitors. Fine, they are monopolies. So regulate them the way you're supposed to. Don't go freaking allowing them to buy an entire television network and then sticking your head in the sand.
And now if they allow AT&T to buy T-Mobile...oh man, I'm gonna go bonkers. It really is as though they've completely forgotten about anti-trust and have given in to the free steak dinners from lobbyists. Uggh!!!
Threaded Mode