Have you ever gotten a message on your phone letting you know that you’re almost out of data? How about a data overage fee on your monthly billing statement? All too often this is a problem that many people face today. When the internet is a hub that connects us with everything, there has to be a solution to data caps.
What is data?
Data is basically information stored on your cell phone, computer, smart TV, etc. So, if you are watching a movie on Amazon, that “information” is transmitted and stored on your computer. You probably know what some data is, but there’s a lot of data usage going on that you may not have even occurred to you.
Main Data Usage Reasons
- Operating system updates can use minimal kilobytes to several gigabytes to update. If you have more than one device and more than one person in your home, it adds up quickly within a month.
- Video streaming is probably one data usage you knew about. Standard definition requires less data while ultra high-definition requires more data. If there’s more than one person streaming videos in your home, this, too, adds up quicker than you can imagine. If you love to watch movies but are on a limited data plan, forget the high definition and refrain from watching too much per day.
- Video conferencing, like Facetime or Skype, can seriously eat into your data. A 30-minute Skype conversation can amount to 650 megabytes of data! If you are on a 300 GB plan, you won’t want to make too many Skype or Facetime calls.
- Whether its video games, updates, game consoles, video apps, they all eat into any restricted data plan quickly with just one person using it, imagine two people!
Other Reasons for Data Usage
- Fire sharing/peer-to-peer software
- Online backups
- Viruses/Trojans
- Large email attachments
- Unsecured Wi-Fi
- Used modems/routers
What are Internet data caps?
The more you transmit and store information data, the more data is used. For most of us, our internet service or cell phone service is accompanied by a data plan, in other words: a data cap restricts how much data we can use. Once you exceed that data cap, you are looking at the possibility of three scenarios: (1) more fees on your monthly bill; (2) an internet connection that suddenly becomes much slower, a process known as throttling; or (3) the loss of internet service altogether. Data caps restrict our ability to be connected. So why do companies use them?
What’s the purpose of an Internet data cap?
Yes, you might ask yourself why are data caps imposed on us? In fact, hundreds of Internet service providers set data caps. In particular, Comcast has basically made data caps a nation-wide standard. These internet providers use data caps because, as they say, it eases congestion on the internet. Data caps, therefore, apparently allow these ISPs to manage congestion. But this is absolutely false. Within a short period of time, the amount of data provided via ISPs has increased dramatically. and According to these ISPs’ theory on data usage and congestion — there should be a paralleled increase in data caps. For instance, Comcast over a year ago bumped its 300 GB data cap to 1TB; that’s a big jump. Cox followed suit in the summer of 2017 with a 1TB data cap.
Even though Comcast and Cox want you to think they are being generous by offering 1TB, they really aren’t: the reason for data caps was and is just a way for these internet service providers to squeeze out more money from you. That’s right, the purpose of data caps is profit. Why not just offer no data caps if you claim 1TB is more than enough. Therein lies the issue: Comcast and Cox know that if they provide you the space, you will fill it up and exceed it. Then, you are issued a higher fee than ever before.
It’s Time to Free Yourself: Phoenix Internet
What you need to take from this blog is simple:
- Most internet service providers provide data plans or data caps.
- Data caps are primarily a means to garner more fees from clients.
- There are internet service providers who offer high-speed internet with no data caps associated with the service.
At Phoenix Internet, we offer high speed internet service without the restriction of data caps. We want to make your life easier and more profitable in whatever way we can. At Phoenix Internet, you get what you see: quality, excellent customer service, high-speed internet, and no data caps. Contact us today to make the internet yours.