Internet service provider Exetel has terminated around 400 customer accounts it says were chewing up too much bandwidth, as it and other internet service providers struggle to accommodate Australians' growing hunger for data after the launch of new video streaming services such as Netflix in Australia.

Remaining Exetel customers, meanwhile, are being forced onto new internet pricing plans of lesser value.

Punished: Exetel kicks 400 data-splurging customers off its network.

Exetel spokesperson Ben Colman said "around 400" off-contract customers on legacy plans had had their accounts terminated because their usage was "in excess of the old plan requirements".

About a quarter of these were understood to be on "unlimited" plans.