Comcast internet data usage report seems way too low

[y_p_w]

I'm looking at my data usage for my Comcast home internet. We hit a peak last August where we got close to the data cap (had over 1000 GB), although I supposedly have one month where I can go over without an overage fee. I know we probably haven't used as much since then, but the reporting has really dropped and I can't imagine it was that low. I know that when I watch TV through Comcast via their apps or website, that doesn't count towards my data usage, but I've done plenty of other stuff including several non-Comcast streaming services. Heck - just doing device/software updates should be several GB. But I'm seeing about this:

Sept: 810 GB
Oct: 520 GB
Nov: 42 GB
Dec: nothing reported
Jan: 6 GB
Feb: 7 GB (so far)

This is really bizarre. I'm sure that just watching two 4K streaming movies is going to be more than 6 GB. I'm not necessarily complaining, but I'm wondering why the reporting is so low.

 

[joegreen]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

 

[blufeb95]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

That's the way cable and DSL is pretty much everywhere outside the Northeast.

 

[joegreen]

That's the way cable and DSL is pretty much everywhere outside the Northeast.

Oh that’s fascinating.

 

[y_p_w]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

Comcast is the biggest ISP in the United States and they have home internet data caps in most markets that they serve. I could pay for unlimited, but I don't really have a need.

https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/data

Our Xfinity Internet plans include 1.2 terabytes (TB) of data a month.​

I never had a data cap with Earthlink DSL, but at a max of 1.5 Mbit/sec I don't think I was ever in any danger. I think I might have gotten faster service if I had replaced my equipment, but I stuck with the equipment that was free with my 1 year contract. I think AT&T has data caps for some service.

Which Internet Service Providers Have Data Caps? | HighSpeedInternet.com

Find out which Internet Service Providers have unlimited data and which providers have data caps and overage fees.

www.highspeedinternet.com

 

[Skippy722]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

Comcast/Xfinity has next to no competition in much of the country, in your area they suspended the data cap. They charge $10 per 50Gb chunk you go over, up to $100. Or you can pay $30 extra per month for unlimited.

But I wish they’d mess up reporting my usage that bad so I could save $30 a month!

 

[oggb]

Comcast/Xfinity has next to no competition in much of the country

Free market baby! Deregulation for the supposed benefit of the consumer (lol)! Yeah! Love it!

 

[FordSVTGuy]

Yeah, where Xfinity has to compete with fiber based internet companies they don’t have data caps… I’d be worried that if they discover the error they’ll fix the glitch and back bill you for any overages…

 

[CKN]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

Comcast has a data cap in many markets they serve. In my market they are the only high speed provider.

 

[tyman]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

Cox still has data caps....1.25TB. Luckily, there's a small but upcoming fiber internet company nearby that's expanding. 1000mb/1000mb symmetrical with no data cap for only $90/mo. They started out at $70/mo but upped the price recently. We're getting ours installed and set up on Wednesday...hollaahhhhhh

 

[y_p_w]

Yeah, where Xfinity has to compete with fiber based internet companies they don’t have data caps… I’d be worried that if they discover the error they’ll fix the glitch and back bill you for any overages…

We have data caps here and competition. AT&T and Sonic are the big ones. I’m thinking that data caps are there because of worries that they’re going to need to install more lines.

 

[JavierH19]

att gives me a 1tb data cap but my house hold isn't an internet burner. Usually like 400gb per month tops.

 

[alarmguy]

I can’t comment on your question but i would like to know why you have a data cap. I have never seen any provider near me in the last 15 years have any data cap. Is having a data cap cheaper?

That's the way cable and DSL is pretty much everywhere outside the Northeast.

No caps in the mid-Atlantic either as long as you stay away from ATT I assume.
That’s insane. Been computing since 1995 on the internet, never had a cap and I never will.
Let me rephrase. If a company ever offered me a better price with a cap that I would never hit I could accept that. Meaning protecting themselves from business servers using residential services.
As long as a residential customer I could never hit the cap and I’m good but I think those protections already exist for providers, they know who is using their network in a way that would be considered out of character for a residential home.

 

[y_p_w]

One of the tricks is that if there’s a strong enough Comcast customer (needs either an initial login or password) Wi-Fi hotspot (xfinitywifi or the encrypted XFINITY) that usage doesn’t count towards the data cap. I asked about it once when talking to customer service, and this was verified.

My neighbor runs a home business and has a Comcast provided all in one box with the hotspot turned on. I mentioned it to him, and he said it didn’t bother him. I’ve heard some customers got upset when they found out, since they’re paying for the additional electricity. The hotspot can be turned off and doesn’t cost the customer to do so.

I won’t do it for anything where I’m worried about stability. Maybe I’ll use that for a large software update. One time I wanted to clear out all my Apple TV downloaded movies and reload. Might have been around 90 GB. It must have disconnected overnight. But I just reconnected and finished it. Connection stability is very dependent on location.

 

[Donald]

I have Comcast at the two churches where I support the internet. One streams but because Comcast is not symmetrical they have to pay for 1Gb down just to get 40 Mb up.

Then there Comcast charging a business about 3X what they charge for a home. One is a church camp only open in the summer. Still need a contract to get a decent price per month.

Then there is Comcast just being a hard to deal with and unfriendly company.

Then there is Comcast basically forcing you to rent their modem and pay the monthly fee if you want a decent contract rate. This is against FTC rules.

FIOS performs as expected, Verizon is pretty easy to work with and it's a PON so no electronics between my home and central office. During a power failure assuming I have a UPS, FIOS is likely to work whereas cable probably not.

 

[CKN]

If

I have Comcast at the two churches where I support the internet. One streams but because Comcast is not symmetrical they have to pay for 1Gb down just to get 40 Mb up.

Then there Comcast charging a business about 3X what they charge for a home. One is a church camp only open in the summer. Still need a contract to get a decent price per month.

Then there is Comcast just being a hard to deal with and unfriendly company.

Then there is Comcast basically forcing you to rent their modem and pay the monthly fee if you want a decent contract rate. This is against FTC rules.

FIOS performs as expected, Verizon is pretty easy to work with and it's a PON so no electronics between my home and central office. During a power failure assuming I have a UPS, FIOS is likely to work whereas cable probably not.

If you don't use their modem and have any issues at all they will blame whatever modem you own. Yes- for the average lay person you are forced to rent their modem.

 

[LDM]

Yeah, where Xfinity has to compete with fiber based internet companies they don’t have data caps… I’d be worried that if they discover the error they’ll fix the glitch and back bill you for any overages…

This isn't entirely true, Comcast introduced the 1.2TB cap in my area back a few years even though we have Centrylink (*shudders*) and I3 Broadband who do not have caps. They decided it was needed "for load balancing on the highest users." More like, we want you to pay more every month to get rid of the cap. As soon as I3 finally ran the fiber up my road a couple years back, I switched from Comcast immediately. No more caps, 1 GB symmetric connection, and no more dealing with Comcast. I used over 6TB last month and I3 couldn't care less.

 

[y_p_w]

If

If you don't use their modem and have any issues at all they will blame whatever modem you own. Yes- for the average lay person you are forced to rent their modem.

I’ve never had a problem with a third party modem. I’m still using a Motorola SURFboard modem. I think it’s at least 9 years old but still working. I did have a weird issue once previous to that, but it was my fault.

My parents wanted something simple that wasn’t a Comcast all in one so I helped them order an ARRIS cable modem and Wi-Fi all in one. Usually my dad ask me to help with everything, but in this case he figured out how to register it and the fixed Wi-Fi password made it easy.

 

[CKN]

I’ve never had a problem with a third party modem. I’m still using a Motorola SURFboard modem. I think it’s at least 9 years old but still working. I did have a weird issue once previous to that, but it was my fault.

My parents wanted something simple that wasn’t a Comcast all in one so I helped them order an ARRIS cable modem and Wi-Fi all in one. Usually my dad ask me to help with everything, but in this case he figured out how to register it and the fixed Wi-Fi password made it easy.

If you have VOIP your choice for other models are very limited.

 

[y_p_w]

If you have VOIP your choice for other models are very limited.

Have never used Comcast VoIP. Have used another provider and it was never a problem connecting to the provider’s box. Didn’t pay any rental, but there is a deposit on the equipment.