Not to sound like an alarmist, but this would be a bit of a paradigm shift in the way the internet works, and could even signify the end of 'Net Neutrality as we know it.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Starts-Metered-Billing-Trial-In-R...

If I understand this correctly, it would basically be like tracking where and how far you drive, and charging you additional mileage and locale taxes based on where you go, what roads you use, and how much you drive, somewhat akin to the mileage charges for a rental vehicle.

Now, I can sort of understand Comcast and the other cable companies wanting to move to metered internet, since their networks are very susceptible to changes in usage. On a cable network, your speed is directly and drastically influenced by the number of other people using your hub (i.e., in your neighborhood), and how much bandwidth they're consuming. Doesn't DSL work differently, though? I mean, DSL speed is affected primarily by the distance from the hub regardless of the number of users, right? So is bandwidth really that big an issue for AT&T, or are they just looking for an excuse to charge more for the same thing without "raising prices"?