Residential users using Comcast as their Internet provider have a 250-gigabyte a month cap on their broadband usage starting October 1st. This is sure to have an impact in the long run as it will result in gaining of traction for some technologies. There is not going to be a short term impact though as a lot of residential users are not going to be affected by this cap.
According to Jennifer Khoury, the spokeswoman from Comcast, an average user uses only about two or three gigabytes on a monthly basis. According to Jennifer, only about one percent of the users exceed the limit.
Specifying the details on customer demand placing a 250 gigabyte cap on internet usage is Comcast’s way of controlling excessive usage and establishing a long term policy with them. While users like the technology website GigaOm reacted to this announcement saying this is the end of the Internet as we know it, some others like
DSLReports.com, a consumer broadband internet site said this announcement heralds an irreversible shift in the US broadband market.
Comcast justified its announcement by saying such limits were required to make sure all users get a fair deal. However, users may not be charged for exceeding the cap nor will their connections be cut off. All the company would do as of now is to notify the customers that they are exceeding the cap.
According to critics, Comcast is restricting internet access in order to protect their television and telecom business.
