Comcast has been the subject of controversy lately due to its decision to enforce strict internet browsing data caps in several US markets.
As first reported by DSLreports, the company is planning to place 300 GB caps in Little Rock, Arkansas; Houma, LaPlace and Shreveport, Louisiana; Chattanooga, Greenville, Johnson City/Gray, Tennessee; and Galax, Virginia starting December 1.
Users who exceed the threshold will be charged an additional $10 per 50 GB extra they consume. Customers who wish to enjoy completely uncapped internet usage must pay an additional $30.
The idea of data caps is, of course, nothing new in the industry. Numerous ISPs across the mobile and DSL markets have some form of ceiling on how much bandwidth a customer can consume before they're forced to pay extra, get their browsing speed throttled, or some other form of preventive measure.
Often times, companies will say that data caps exist to prevent network congestion and ensure a uniform browsing experience for everyone, but that claim has been put into question many times.
Now a recent batch of leaked Comcast documents sheds more light on the truth behind data caps. The leak, which was uploaded to Reddit over the weekend, contains a script intended to be read by customer service representatives. The document clearly states that data caps have nothing to do with congestion issues. It reads:
Do say: "Fairness and providing a more flexible policy to our customers."
Don't say: "The program is about congestion management."
Back in September the company made a similar statement, telling the Miami Herald that the decision to place data caps was done to create a fair, technologically-sound policy in which customers who use more data pay more, and customers who use less pay less."
To see the rest of the documents check out Reddit.
