Comcast Delays Controversial Internet Data Cap Expansion Until July

Comcast is delaying its controversial Internet data cap expansion plan until later this summer. The company had announced its plan to implement the data cap in these markets back in November, originally planning to roll them out at the beginning of 2021. However, a new agreement with the Pennsylvania Attorney General has delayed the data caps, as well as establishing a few other changes.

In an announcement today, Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro revealed that his office has reached an agreement with Comcast on its planned changes, one that will involve the service provider delaying the data cap overage fees to its current customers until July. This will apply to the Northeast states that were originally set to get the data cap last month.

In addition, the agreement will result in Comcast increasing the prominence of its data threshold info when customers sign up and waiving any early termination charges for customers who cancel their Xfinity service early, assuming they signed up before November 2020 and they cancel through December 31 of this year.

As well, the AG states that low-income Comcast subscribers who are on the IEPP programs or Internet Essentials program won't be hit by the data cap this year. The reason for this agreement was fairly obvious: many people are working at home and their children are studying at home. Combine those very necessary activities with the amount of streaming and gaming taking place amid social distancing and many people are using more Internet than usual.

Attorney General Shapiro said in a statement:

As Pennsylvanians continue to navigate this pandemic, we know millions are relying on the internet for school and work more than ever. This is not the time to change the rules when it comes to internet data usage and increase costs. My office negotiated with Comcast to delay the implementation of these overage charges and waive any early termination fees for customers who opt out through December 2021. We also limited the impact of these changes on low-income households.