Comcast to restrict broadband use to 250 GB of data a month

Comcast to restrict monthly broadband use

Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, August 29, 2008

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/28/BUBK12KEFR.DTL

Comcast soon will begin cracking down on heavy users of its Internet service in a move that critics fear could be a step toward restricting unlimited broadband access to download and upload files while surfing the Web.

The country's largest cable company and second-largest Internet provider said Thursday that beginning Oct. 1, residential users who download and/or upload more than 250 GB of data a month will be notified and asked to curb their use. Customers who exceed the limit a second time in six months will face termination of their account.

The limit clearly defines a policy that Comcast has had in place for many years. In the past, excessive users faced similar restrictions, but the limits were never spelled out and actually fluctuated month to month depending on overall traffic. Comcast would not disclose the range of the old limits.

Comcast officials said the move will help maintain a smooth experience for the majority of customers, who use far less than 250 GB a month. The current median monthly data use is 2 to 3 GB, Comcast said. The company, however, has no immediate plans to release a meter for customers to track their own usage.

"We have some extremely high bandwidth users that consume a disproportionate amount of data, and that can degrade service for others," said Charlie Douglas, a spokesman for Comcast. "To maintain a high quality of service for users we've gone with this."

Critics, meanwhile, said they're disappointed with Comcast's willingness to set limits instead of adding capacity.

"This wouldn't be necessary if Comcast had chosen to expand its capacity," said Michael Shames, executive director of the Utility Consumers' Action Network in San Diego. "They've chosen instead to degrade service."