Comcast, already ranked as one of the least liked Internet service providers (ISP) in the country by its customers, did little to change that when it revealed in an update earlier this week that subscribers in eight new cities will see their Internet service capped at 300 GB.
A typical residential connection is billed by speed tier, rather than usage, reported The Christian Science Monitor. As such, the choice to add more cities to its list of areas charged based on Internet usage has many upset. Most notably, certain public interest groups have criticized the caps, saying they hurt innovation and make it more difficult for people to go online.
"Comcast continues to exert its dominance in the uncompetitive market for high-speed Internet access, increasing the bottom line for its incredibly profitable broadband business," Free Press policy director Matt Wood, said in an emailed statement, adding that the caps "stifle innovation and choice in online video and cloud-based services."
Conversely, Comcast sees no issue with the practice and in an e-mail to its customers said, "We believe that 300 GB is more than enough to meet your Internet usage needs."
The Philadelphia-based company has had data caps in a small section of its market since 2012, reported CBS San Francisco. Those who exceed the 300 GB cap are charged $10 per each additional 50 GB increment, or customers can pay an additional $35 ($30 in certain areas) to keep an unlimited data plan.
The new markets that will have the 300 GB data cap starting Dec. 1 are:
-Tuscaloosa, Ala.
-Little Rock, Ark.
-Houma, LaPlace and Shreveport, La.
-Chattanooga, Gray, Greenville, Johnson City and Rarity Bay, Tenn.
-Galax, Va.
Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas said the additional markets were "in and around" areas where the ISP already had data cap plans in place.
Ultimately, Comcast explained the reason it introduced the data caps was to be fair to its customers, reported the Associated Press. It argues that since only about 8 percent of its customers use more more than 300 GB of data in a typical month, it ensures the heaviest users are paying their fair share, rather than charge them the same rates as customers who go under the limit.
