NJ customers will see Comcast data surcharge fees in summer
Internet bills for some New Jersey customers won’t be increasing until the summer, as Comcast has delayed the start of its data charge plan.
Comcast Xfinity, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, had been under pressure by legislators and the public after announcing the extra fees would begin in January, as remote learning and work from home continue to be staples of pandemic life.
The new Internet Data Usage Plan — which works in similar fashion to data overage charges with cell phone plans — will mean heavy internet users will pay up to $100 more per bill, once exceeding 1.2 terabytes within that cycle.
Company reps previously said about 5% of customers would be affected.
The provider has announced it will offer customers one “courtesy month,” so that there would be no extra charge the first time that 1.2 TB is exceeded.
If the customer does use more than 1.2 TB again within a 12-month span, the grace period resets back to one, and no extra charges are due.
However, if a customer goes over the 1.2 TB data limit twice within a 12-month span, the extra charges begin and there is no more grace period offered.
An Unlimited Data Option from Xfinity is an additional $30 per month, according to the company’s website.
Customers can monitor their “Usage Meter” online, and can expect to receive email and cell phone alerts, as the limit is reached, according to Comcast.
As the data cap plan now will begin for the Northeast in June, as first reported by The Streamable, that means the first bills to note any extra charges would be in August.
Optimum, Spectrum and Verizon Fios are among internet providers in NJ that offer unlimited data.