We recently reported that Comcast's Xfinity internet would hold off on enforcing data caps until June 2021, though now the company is again changing its stance on the issue. In a company blog post, Comcast’s Northeast Division said the company is “further delaying implementation” of their new data plan in Northeast markets until 2022.
“We’ve learned a lot during this time, and we thank our customers for trusting in Xfinity, as our services have never been more important for our customers so they can work, learn, and enjoy entertainment from the safety of their home,” the post said.
Under the proposed caps, Comcast would give users 1.2 terabytes (TB) of bandwidth per month, then charged an additional $10 per 50 gigabytes (GB) of data used over that threshold, up to a maximum of $100 per month. Users would be allotted one “courtesy credit” per year, saved for when users go over their allotment for the first time.
Customers will also have the option to upgrade to unlimited data for $30 a month, or $11 for those that lease an Xfinity Gateway ($25 in total).
In a statement to The Streamable, a Comcast spokesperson said: “We are delaying implementation of our data plan in our Northeast markets until 2022. We recognize that our data plan was new for our customers in the Northeast, and while only a very small percentage of customers need additional data, we are providing them with more time to become familiar with the new plan.”
In response to the delay, Connecticut Energy and Technology Committee Leaders released a statement following Comcast’s announcement, celebrating the decision, giving credit to the pressure from State Sen. Norm Needleman (D-Essex), State Rep. David Arconti (D-Danbury), and CT Attorney General William Tong, saying, “As we are still in the grip of COVID-19, with many citizens still working and learning from home, the need for robust, unlimited, high-speed internet has never been more critical. We want to make certain that this service continues to be available at a cost that does not cripple individuals and families fiscally.”
The move comes after U.S. senators issued an open letter to the nation’s largest internet service providers (ISPs) last March and urged them to lift data caps and overage fees. “Specifically, we ask that you temporarily suspend broadband caps and associated fees or throttling for all communities affected by COVID-19 and work with public school districts, colleges, and universities to provide free, or at-cost, broadband options for students whose schools close due to COVID-19 who don’t have access at home,” the senators said in March 2020.