At the beginning of this year, Comcast’s Xfinity Internet rolled out a nationwide data cap for the first time. Previously, data caps were only in place in certain regions, generally areas where you had few internet options.
After push back from legislators, Comcast has confirmed to The Streamable that they have now delayed their data cap in their Northeast region until June. Originally, customer were receive a two-month grace period until March. The markets that will have the new June data cap start date: CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VA, VT, WV, the District of Columbia, and parts of NC and OH.
In new messaging to Customers who have exceed their data cap, Comcast says:
“Starting January 1, 2021 – we’ve introduced a new 1.2 Terabyte (TB) (1229 GB) Internet Data Plan for all Xfinity Internet customers. You have used more than 1.2 TB of data in January, but will receive a complimentary bill credit for any data overage charges incurred for usage through May. Overage charges will begin in June, but you will still have one courtesy credit, which is available under the plan the firs time you exceed 1.2 TB.”
When the data caps begin in June, customers will still receive one courtesy credit for the year. Afterwards, you will incur an additional charge of $10 for every 50 GB, up to a maximum of $100 per month. Therefore, customers won’t see any overages charges until their August bill at the earliest (assuming they use their courtesy month in June and go over in July).
Last week, Democratic state representatives Andy Vargas and Dave Rogers filed legislation to stop Comcast from placing a data cap and hiking prices for Massachusetts residents. Both he and Vargas are arguing that Comcast’s planned 1.2TB monthly data cap will mostly affect low income households.
Last March, just as the pandemic was taking hold, Motherboard reported that 17 senators issued a letter to the nation’s biggest ISPs, urging the companies to lift their broadband caps and overage fees.
“As organizations around the country formulate their responses to the recent outbreak and spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, we write to discuss the steps that your company is taking to accommodate the unprecedented reliance we will likely see on telepresence services, including telework, online education, telehealth and remote support services,” the senators wrote.