PSA - Comcast users - Data Cap

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snoopy7548

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2005
8,048
5,043
146
Pre covid, comcast only enforced a data cap in some areas. My account still said "250 GB data limit", but it wasn't enforced in MA

Some good news for us in MA:


They're pausing the limit until August. Time to start my 10TB monthly download spree! :p
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,733
18,003
146
Some good news for us in MA:


They're pausing the limit until August. Time to start my 10TB monthly download spree! :p

Until August, how nice of them, considering how sounds their logic is /s

I'll still be babysitting my bill and usage, and watchi g for the usage area to reflect that august statement
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,800
9,002
136
Just found out AT&T dropped the data caps for lower tier fiber plans, so I dropped from 1Gbps to 400mbps and I’m now saving $30/month. Not like my router could do anything above 450mbps over wifi anyway.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,722
7,826
136
Still wonder what people are doing to use that much data.
According to my router's logs, my monthly data download is between 600 and 700 GB/month.
The router also logs how many hours each device is active each day. The 4K TV is in use 8 hours/day average.
The most data d/l is for the 4K TV, which averaged 70ish% of the total.
Granted not all content watched is 4K, but as cord cutters, if the TV is on, it's streaming.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
23,331
10,234
136
Still wonder what people are doing to use that much data.
According to my router's logs, my monthly data download is between 600 and 700 GB/month.
The router also logs how many hours each device is active each day. The 4K TV is in use 8 hours/day average.
The most data d/l is for the 4K TV, which averaged 70ish% of the total.
Granted not all content watched is 4K, but as cord cutters, if the TV is on, it's streaming.
I found out several years ago on this forum that asking that question is somehow making a judgement. Why do you need 12 TBs of storage.
 

fleshconsumed

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2002
6,483
2,352
136
Still wonder what people are doing to use that much data.
According to my router's logs, my monthly data download is between 600 and 700 GB/month.
The router also logs how many hours each device is active each day. The 4K TV is in use 8 hours/day average.
The most data d/l is for the 4K TV, which averaged 70ish% of the total.
Granted not all content watched is 4K, but as cord cutters, if the TV is on, it's streaming.
You only need 7.5Mbit/s continuous stream to get to 1TB per month. Now, granted, not everybody is using internet 24/7, but it's incredibly easy for a household to blow through 1TB limit in one month, especially with so many professionals working from home. Also keep in mind that comcast cap applies to both downloads and uploads.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,733
18,003
146
Still wonder what people are doing to use that much data.
According to my router's logs, my monthly data download is between 600 and 700 GB/month.
The router also logs how many hours each device is active each day. The 4K TV is in use 8 hours/day average.
The most data d/l is for the 4K TV, which averaged 70ish% of the total.
Granted not all content watched is 4K, but as cord cutters, if the TV is on, it's streaming.

Ok, aren't you retired and older / live without kiddos in the house?

I mean, you're answering your own question here. Just double your usage and your over, what's there to wonder about?
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,722
7,826
136
Ok, aren't you retired and older / live without kiddos in the house?

I mean, you're answering your own question here. Just double your usage and your over, what's there to wonder about?
Yea just us two old farts. But we have a lot of devices as my career was in computers and technology, so not the typical old fuddy duddies. First computer came into my house in 1978.

8 hours/day 4K TV streaming, wife probably 3+ hours/day either phone or laptop, myself lots of Youtube as I really ain't into some stuff she streams. Computer driving my weather station and website, 24/7, updating my website every 3 seconds.

4K streaming, 8 hours/day = 70% of 600GB/month, thus about 420 GB/month. Even streaming 24/7 that's just over 1.2TB/month. Add two more people streaming stuff 24/7 that about 3.6TB/month... WTF are people doing to reach 10 TB/month?

I'm assuming that bar graphs everyone is posting screen shots of are from Comcast website? Spectrum doesn't even have, or I can't find, such info. Mine is generated by my router. Can you router track this data, and how does it compare with what the provider says?
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,733
18,003
146
Yea just us two old farts. But we have a lot of devices as my career was in computers and technology, so not the typical old fuddy duddies. First computer came into my house in 1978.

8 hours/day 4K TV streaming, wife probably 3+ hours/day either phone or laptop, myself lots of Youtube as I really ain't into some stuff she streams. Computer driving my weather station and website, 24/7, updating my website every 3 seconds.

4K streaming, 8 hours/day = 70% of 600GB/month, thus about 420 GB/month. Even streaming 24/7 that's just over 1.2TB/month. Add two more people streaming stuff 24/7 that about 3.6TB/month... WTF are people doing to reach 10 TB/month?

I'm assuming that bar graphs everyone is posting screen shots of are from Comcast website? Spectrum doesn't even have, or I can't find, such info. Mine is generated by my router. Can you router track this data, and how does it compare with what the provider says?

My router does track it, although I haven't found a "total" for the date range. So I'd have to add each day's down / up together, then all 30(1) days. I was gonna do that, but after 31st. I've posted a couple times on UI's website to find out if there's an easier way, still learning the unifi router stuff.

The graphs are right from comcast, they've made it much easier to find sometime in the last year at least.

Ok, ignore the 10TB month, that was one guy intentionally "stickin" it to comcast. Look at mine for example, regular day to day usage, I'm even a stickler sometimes, but still can easily go over the 1.2TB cap. My work laptop was taking a few GB's per day at least, with Windows itself counting about 100GB just this month. That's regular usage, not including my work phone on the work hotspot.

Modern tech usage is network intensive, it's not going away, and even moderate usage with a family of 4 can put you over the cap, ez.
 

Hans Gruber

Platinum Member
Dec 23, 2006
2,092
1,065
136
Are you guys logging into your Comcast app that gives your data usage? Or are you using routers logs? It makes no sense to monitor your data usage. Check your comcast web app. Mine shows usage between 600-800GB per month with the gigabit download speed.
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,733
18,003
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Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
136
But were still included in the data cap ( we, being internet only customers)

Apparently that only applies to the "people using their equipment a.k.a. rentals". If you own your own modem, and your own router, you're exempt.
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,651
2,393
126
Apparently that only applies to the "people using their equipment a.k.a. rentals". If you own your own modem, and your own router, you're exempt.

I'm using my own equipment and Comcast is badgering me. Their solution is to rent their equipment for $25 per month (plus taxes and various BS fees I imagine) and unlimited internet is thrown in for free. Supposedly they also have unlimited internet for $30 per month-it's on their site, I tried signing up for that but it never went through.

This month we are running right at the cap level so far.
 

zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
136
There's no data caps on AT&T's Gigabit lines
I still have 15 days left in my billing cycle.
View attachment 34525

I had never check but this thread inspired me to enable the traffic monitoring feature on my router. I thought we would be higher but only using about 500-600GB a month. Thankfully my ISP doesn't have a cap so I can increase my usage if I want to.

None of my business buy dang that is a lot of Upload. You running a plex sever for all of your friends and family. If so hook me up:p
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
33,381
7,444
136
Still wonder what people are doing to use that much data.

The purchase of a single 4k TV bumped our data usage from 800gb/mo to well over 1,100gb/mo.

Basically, Netflix, Youtube, and streaming TV. Cutting the Cord means you dance with the data cap EVERY month.
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
136
I had never check but this thread inspired me to enable the traffic monitoring feature on my router. I thought we would be higher but only using about 500-600GB a month. Thankfully my ISP doesn't have a cap so I can increase my usage if I want to.

None of my business buy dang that is a lot of Upload. You running a plex sever for all of your friends and family. If so hook me up:p

I'm running Emby for "family friendly" and Plex for porn.

That way kids don't see anything they're not supposed to. (Plex is password protected.)
 
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zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
136
The purchase of a single 4k TV bumped our data usage from 800gb/mo to well over 1,100gb/mo.

Basically, Netflix, Youtube, and streaming TV. Cutting the Cord means you dance with the data cap EVERY month.
That is why my data is so low. There was a time when I was really into anything tech but as I've grown older my hobbies have shifted to grilling, fishing and home improvement. Still have not upgraded to 4K but probably will soon.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,722
7,826
136
The purchase of a single 4k TV bumped our data usage from 800gb/mo to well over 1,100gb/mo.

Basically, Netflix, Youtube, and streaming TV. Cutting the Cord means you dance with the data cap EVERY month.
How many hours a day are you streaming, how many screens? I've cut the cord and adding a 4K TV upped my useage about 250G, to about 750G max. Mostly one screen, but a second screen about 3+ hours per day.
 
Feb 4, 2009
34,501
15,729
136
How many hours a day are you streaming, how many screens? I've cut the cord and adding a 4K TV upped my useage about 250G, to about 750G max. Mostly one screen, but a second screen about 3+ hours per day.

per someone I know each kid is 500mb minimum
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
21,004
19,442
136
That is why my data is so low. There was a time when I was really into anything tech but as I've grown older my hobbies have shifted to grilling, fishing and home improvement. Still have not upgraded to 4K but probably will soon.

Just upgraded to 4K on a 65" model. 4K is nice enough but it's the good HDR stuff that is the bigger upgrade. Due to Covid and winter a lot of time is spent on the tv so it seemed like a worthwhile investment. Depending on how much content you watch and what style of content, it could be worth it.
 

zzyzxroad

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2017
3,244
2,260
136
Just upgraded to 4K on a 65" model. 4K is nice enough but it's the good HDR stuff that is the bigger upgrade. Due to Covid and winter a lot of time is spent on the tv so it seemed like a worthwhile investment. Depending on how much content you watch and what style of content, it could be worth it.
I have almost pulled the trigger on several occasions. There was a 75" Samsung on sale for less than $600 a few months ago that I regret not buying.
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,168
3,645
136
What was this about?

I started getting emails telling me that I was "close to my limit on data", so I called them, and asked what they were talking about, because I've been paying for unlimited.

That was their response.

I know I go well over 1 TB every month, because I have CNN, or some other news channel on from the time I hit my office, until going out the door.
 
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