Comcast expanding data cap test to Chicago

Chicago-area Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) subscribers have been informed that, starting August 1, they will be subjected to the same 1-terabyte usage limit that's been imposed for several months on the MSO's subscribers in Florida and the Southeast. 

"With 1 terabyte of data, you can stream about 700 hours of HD video, play more than 12,000 hours of online games, or download 600,000 high-res photos in a month," said the Comcast memo. "If you believe you will need more data, we also offer an unlimited data option."

That unlimited option will set users back $50 a month. Those who go over the cap will be charged $10 for every 50 gigabytes they exceed it. 

In addition to adding Chicago and the surrounding region to its cap-based strategy, Comcast is also bringing in parts of Central Illinois. 

Comcast insists that less than 1 percent of its users are impacted by the cap.

Of course, with the number of IoT devices proliferating in the home, and 4K streaming options beginning to crop up, 1 terabyte might become a limitation on a not-too-distant timeline. 

For more:
- read this Consumerist story
- read this Comcast FAQ

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