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Comment by readams | Hacker News Reader

Comcast has been playing the long game with the data caps. They know that everyone's needs will increase over time and we'll move from a cap that affects few people to one that affects most people. The cap will never increase however. What will increase is ways for Comcast to monetize the cap. Not like anyone has a choice, right?

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They have increased it in the past as average usage went up. It used to be 250 GB.

In fact, it went from 250 GB to 300 GB to 1 TB. And, their Gigabit plans have no cap at all, so the idea that there's a "long game" with the cap is silly: Their faster plans exclude it.

Jon Brodkin has to write a "ISPs are evil, support net neutrality" article literally daily, but data caps are very simple: A way for Comcast to increase the cost of service to heavier service users, rather than raising prices for all customers equally.

This. As much as I want to hate Comcast, and do to some degree, I have a really hard time calling this unfair. I consider myself a very heavy internet user and I usually top out around 750GB a month.

A 1TB cap feels reasonable.

I mean, increasing what's given for the same price doesn't equate to nobility or generosity or anything. Even the most evil dictator wants to keep their people from rioting.

If anything, Comcast's past behaviors warrants not giving them the benefit of doubt.

edit: I guess a downvote indicates that I'm wrong. The lowering of price is definitely due to the overwhelming generosity of Comcast. /s

When I buy an X Mbps link from anyone other than a handful of residential ISPs, I get to saturate it as much or as little I like.

Data caps only exist in the context of an ISP covering their ass for overselling. "Fair" and "reasonable" are just a matter of perspective, one I can never sign onto when they're the fine print on misleadingly marketed product.

  > And, their Gigabit plans have no cap at all

False in north california

Their fiber plans have no cap. Gigabit over copper still has the 1TB cap.

It only increased as they were trying to do the nationwide rollout and when they did it the 250GB cap was already obviously way too low; there would have been a big outcry with the possibility of legislation. They needed a number that was big enough that they could roll it out without anyone complaining too much.

A long game that could (and hopefully will) backfire once there are other options. There will be no loyalty to Comcast when it happens.

Unfortunately they're also participating in the "Let's sue all municipal ISPs into the ground" strategy, which might preclude the ability to have other options.

Let's see them try to sue space! Hopefully Starlink will be successful.

All of the satellite systems have a limited density of receivers, making them unable to have very many urban accounts: Oneweb, Starlink, O3b, etc.

Loyalty isn't required, Comcast have an ironclad monopoly in areas they operate.

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