I thought data caps for home internet were a thing of the past…

I’ve somewhat recently moved back to a very rural area of the Midwest. Small town. No stop lights. Biggest businesses other than the bars are Casey’s, Subway, and Dollar General.

And we have one ISP (not counting DSL) — Mediacom. When we first signed up, I had to go with the second service tier. But not because of speeds, but so I could have a reasonable 1 TB/mo data cap.

Lucky me, they increased the cap to 1.5 TB. 🙄

I hope that in my lifetime I can see ISPs regulated as a public utility.

  • eatstorming@lemmy.worldEnglish
    39·
    1 year ago

    Data caps are everywhere, I’m not sure why you’d think they’re a thing of the past. I believe the scenario is more like “you’re lucky if your plan doesn’t have caps” instead.

    1.5T/month is uncomfortable though. One of my VPN services has a 1T/month softcap (speed drastically reduces after that) and it’s usually fine for my household, but one person going crazy on YouTube rabbit holes or us binging something on Netflix, pushes that limit fast.

    Terrible scenario, but unfortunately I think there’s too much money involved for the right thing to be done and this kind of service getting the treatment it should have.

    • Gutless2615@ttrpg.networkEnglish
      121·
      1 year ago

      TF you smoking? I pay 25€/ mo. For gigabit connection with no data caps. The US is getting hosed because it’s a corporatocracy and the ISPs have acted like robber barons for the past three decades. Don’t normalize this blatantly anti consumer bullshit.

      • eatstorming@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        1 year ago

        I’m not normalizing anything and I didn’t say there is nowhere you can get unlimited plans. I said it’s not a thing of the past.

        I too have uncapped broadband, but I know it’s not something I should fall into the trap of taking for granted.

      • breadsmasher@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        £65 a month for gigabit for me. But no data caps. Not even noticed soft caps after multi terabytes download in a monthly period

    • kalibri@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      Not true everywhere.

      Here in Australia, while speeda are not amazing (gigabit is kind of the max for now) we have no contracts, no data caps, hundreds of ISPs and some even allow people to pay per day.

      I can change ISP tomorrow and the switch over will take 10 minutes, because the physical network is common to all of them.

      It’s sort of sad to see how americans have only the freedom to get their kids shot and ass fucked by corporations.

      • Spuddlesv2@lemmy.caEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Mate “speeds are not amazing” is a massive understatement. I pay $80 a month for 46Mbps down, 12Mbps up. Unlimited data thankfully, although realistically the most I’m going to be able to download is 5TB a month unless I leave devices on all day and night (and given our electricity prices that’s a whole different kettle of fish).

        • kalibri@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          I am on FTTP and pay 99 for 500/50 and never seen a slowdown. It will take a while to get everyone off the old copper network, I know :(

    • zabil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      For reference in not aware of any ISP providing data caps in the UK, except for mobile plans.