The FCC Has Received 13,000 Complaints About Comcast Data Caps According to a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the FCC, consumers have filed 13,000 complaints with the agency so far regarding Comcast's expanding usage caps. The caps, which just expanded into dozens of markets December 1, impose a 300 GB limit on users, after which users need to pay $10 per every 50 gigabytes thereafter. Users also have the option of paying $30 to $35 to avoid the caps entirely -- (read: they need to now pay $30 to $35 more to enjoy the same unlimited service they had previously).

The FOIA request was filed by a website by the name of Cut Cable Today , which offers a smattering of examples regarding the letters' content. Many accuse the company of price gouging, correctly pointing out Comcast's own internal documents show the caps aren't technically necessary. Others note the 300 GB cap per household isn't fair in an age when a single Steam PC game can be a 50 GB download. Some users also complain that Comcast isn't tracking user usage accurately: quote: As of writing this they currently place us at 271GB of 300GB (according to their online meter) used for the month of September. However, our FreeBSD router tracks the total data used (outgoing or incoming) on WAN and only reports a total of ~147.054GB (139.93GB DL / 7.12GB UL) consumed in the same time period. There appears to be a huge discrepancy between what Comcast reports and what is actually being consumed. Comcast historically states they use a third-party vendor to confirm its meter accuracy, but this Comcast historically states they use a third-party vendor to confirm its meter accuracy, but this isn't the first time we've heard customers complain that their own network hardware tells a different story from Comcast's usage tracker. Historically, while ISPs have been eager to bill like utilities, they've fought tooth and nail against being regulated like them, meaning no regulator confirms whether the meters are accurate. That occasionally results in some ridiculous consumer experiences at different ISPs, where broadband customers are sometimes billed for usage that supposedly occurred when the power was out or their modem was off. As such, ISPs pushing into caps are inviting notably more scrutiny from US regulators (should they wake up from their nap on the issue). Considering how many people bitch about Comcast on Reddit alone on a daily basis, 13,000 doesn't seem like a particularly large amount. You can add your complaint to the pile by filing with the FCC Considering how many people bitch about Comcast on Reddit alone on a daily basis, 13,000 doesn't seem like a particularly large amount. You can add your complaint to the pile by filing with the FCC here . So far, the FCC has not only slept through Comcast's expanding usage caps, but they've ignored Comcast's decision to let its own services be cap exempt







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Most recommended from 69 comments

existenz

join:2014-02-12 23 recommendations existenz Member Comcast profits $6B-$8B/year... ...and could apply that to adding more capacity. Oh wait, caps aren't about capacity issues, they're about more profit at the expense of users, suppressing competing video streaming services and curtailing innovation of new Internet services. Freakazoid

join:2015-09-18

Diberville, MS 19 recommendations Freakazoid Member Keep sending in those complaints, guys Something has got to be done about this soon, I've been practically forced into paying an extra $50 a month in order for my ISP to allow my family and I just a bit more breathing room when it comes to how much data we're allowed each month. No overage fees here, just set tiers. I'm sick and tired of always having to mind how much data I'm using, skipping out on using certain online services, and holding off on larger downloads until the end of our billing month. I just want to use the internet without worry, and without all of the bs.

cypherstream

MVM

join:2004-12-02

Reading, PA 17 recommendations cypherstream MVM Is the NIST Standards of Weights and Measures double checking? Anything metered for billing purposes has to be doubled checked and calibrated to be certified by NIST Standards of Weights and Measures.



What type of certification does Comcast go through to ensure accuracy and where is this certification displayed? How often are systems checked and calibrated and are those updates posted?

kdwycha

join:2003-01-30

Ruskin, FL 14 recommendations kdwycha Member Don't See The Point The FCC has no authority over data caps. This is like when a customer thinks they are being overcharged on their billing, the FCC can do nothing.



Why don't the 13k people file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission instead so Comcast can be investigated and then charged with taking advantage of customers in a virtually monopolistic marketplace in most regions?



An FTC investigation will likely get Comcasts attention.



And if found guilty by the FTC lets see some Comcast executives go to a federal ass pounding prison, since corporations are people.

camper

just visiting this planet

Premium Member

join:2010-03-21

Bethel, CT 13 recommendations camper Premium Member If the caps really were about network congestion, off-peak usage is exempt



If the caps really were about network congestion, then there would be some manner of "off-peak" exemptions, so that data traffic that occurs during low-usage hours is exempt from the caps, or subject to a much higher cap.



This would have the effect of moving things like games downloads and back up services to the times when the network has lower traffic levels and where peak evening streaming services wouldn't be affected.



But the caps are, plain and simple, a money grab by Comcast, so I doubt if there would be anything done to implement the caps in an intelligent manner.



The caps will be optimized to generate maximum revenue.

davidc502

join:2002-03-06

Mount Juliet, TN 11 recommendations davidc502 Member Netflix needs to be excluded Netflix is paying Comcast to directly Peer, so they need to be excluded from the data cap as well.

buzz_4_20

join:2003-09-20

Biddeford, ME 10 recommendations buzz_4_20 Member I've Got my Fingers Crossed I'm hoping that since they've exempted their own service from the cap, it'll be the push needed to rile up somebody who can do something about it.

Rob

Premium Member

join:2001-08-25

Miami, FL 1 edit 9 recommendations Rob Premium Member There is no such thing as bad publicity... Some say that there is no such thing as bad publicity. For Comcast, it's always bad publicity. Why? Because they are not appreciative of the one thing that has made them who they are: their customers. Instead, they abuse their customers by raising prices annually, instituting anti-competitive practices, deceiving customers, investing little in customer service support and now capping their Internet usage at a low 300GB. All the while their CEO tries to find ridiculous excuses to justify the move. They even have the audacity to exempt their very own (new, I might add) streaming service from the data caps.



Folks, this isn't a war of Comcast vs customers. This is a war of Comcast vs the Internet. These caps prevent customers from enjoying the many services online, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, and music streaming services, to name a few.



Not only do we need to stop what Comcast is doing, but we need to pass bipartisan legislation ensuring that the American people will have access to clean, open Internet for as long as the Internet exists and eliminate these restrictions.



What's insulting to the American people is that Comcast has built a robust network, so we know it's not for congestion. We know it's all about an additional revenue streaming and the way I see it, it's price gouging on a whole new level. It's disgusting and the CEO of Comcast is a worthless piece of horse manure and anyone who works for Comcast should be ashamed that they work for a company that has no respect for their customers. Then again, more than half of the customer service support people working at Comcast clearly are not thrilled working there, and that shows through Comcast's continued poor performance year over year.

YukonHawk

join:2001-01-07

Patterson, NY 222.9 10.7

2 recommendations YukonHawk Member This is the Perfect Storm Comcast is the MOST HATED company in America. I have a brilliant marketing campaign for them! "We're giving back what we took away.....your money and doing away with data caps!! (Tongue in cheek of course) How hard could that be? They would instantly go from goat to champ! We all know this won't happen but what a great thing if it did. I know...dream on!!!