Cohen isn't convinced that caps will come up in the Time Warner deal's approval process, as they reportedly have "nothing to do with [the] transaction." They may come up as the FCC drafts its new net neutrality rules, he says. However, it won't be surprising if opponents to the merger (and possibly regulators) bring up the possible restrictions in spite of the executive's opinions. While caps are officially meant to reduce network congestion, critics argue that they're frequently intended both as revenue generators and as weapons against online services that compete with TV. Comcast may have to show officials that it won't use data limits to protect its traditional cable business -- and that won't be easy when the corporation is already getting flak for its connection deal with Netflix.

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