COVID Is Over, Apparently: ISPs Are Bringing Back Broadband Data Caps

Major internet service providers will resume data caps on broadband and data usage, as commitments to remove them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are set to expire. This is occurring as the coronavirus continues to spread, and many workers and students are still working remotely in an effort to curb the virus’s spread through social distancing. Many Americans are still using high-bandwidth video chat software such as Zoom, Facetime, and Google Hangouts to keep in touch with loved ones and to do their jobs.

Comcast and AT&T are the two largest home-Internet providers that impose data caps. Combined, the two companies have over 44 million households subscribing to their home-Internet services. Comcast imposes a 1TB monthly cap and charges $10 for each additional block of 50GB, or $50 extra a month for unlimited data. Comcast imposes the cap and overage fees in 27 states but not in the Northeast US—that's where it faces strong competition from Verizon's un-capped fiber-to-the-home FiOS service. AT&T imposes monthly data caps of 150GB on DSL, 250GB on fixed wireless, and 1TB on most of its faster wireline services. AT&T overage charges are also $10 per 50GB, with an option to get unlimited data by paying an extra $30 a month or by subscribing to gigabit broadband or by purchasing an Internet-and-TV bundle from AT&T. Again, AT&T won't be enforcing its cap on fiber customers until at least October 1.