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Single best quote from article: "But if consumers see them [data caps] simply as tools to squeeze more cash from customers (as they did in the Time Warner trials), then low caps will probably bring out Congressional resistance once again."

Which, usually, is the actual reason for data caps. To generate artificial scarcity in a market where there is essentially no scarcity, and thereby recreate a cash cow.

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It certainly was the reason for the outrage over the caps Bell tried to impose.

It's not that caps, or usage-based billing is inherently evil, it's just that the caps were very low, the per-usage rate beyond the caps were very high, and Bell was forcing the independent ISPs that use the network to share the same model, effectively disabling any competitive advantage they might have.

edit: I fear the phrasing of my first sentence may sound like I am arguing against your point, but in fact I am empathically agreeing and just kind of fail at text sometimes.

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