Drewski   Coming soon in three dimensions

Comcast Help & Support - Frequently Asked Questions about Excessive Use

Comcast has established a 250GB monthly data usage threshold for all residential Comcast High-Speed Internet accounts. This threshold will be in place to provide a clear definition of excessive use of the service.

The new monthly data usage threshold will go into effect starting October 1, 2008.

Starting tomorrow, Comcast will be enforcing a 250GB/month bandwidth cap on their residential internet customers.

There has been some clamor in the past about Comcast throttling their customers’ speeds, but of course there’s no mention here of that. Last I heard, they were going to continue that course of action as long as possible.

I do think 250GB/month seems pretty reasonable, and while I may suggest that those who oppose it on principle shop around for other internet providers, I don’t think I care that much at the end of the day.

The only thing that does concern me is how they plan on enforcing those that reach the limit:

[The excessive customer] may receive a call from Comcast’s Customer Security Assurance (”CSA”) group to notify them of excessive use.

If a customer who has been contacted by Comcast’s CSA team is contacted again for excessive use within six months of the first contact that customer’s service will be subject to termination for one year. [...] If a customer’s account is terminated, after the one year period expires the customer may resume service by subscribing to a service plan appropriate to his or her needs.

Two strikes, you’re out? I can’t see myself even getting into this situation in the first place, but I can imagine scenarios in which this could happen inadvertantly. I don’t know, I guess I see nothing with a three-strike policy; allowing one more chance seems natural to me.