Washington, DC – Consumer Reports announced its support today for a Notice of Inquiry by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)to investigate the impact of data caps imposed by broadband providers on consumers.
Broadband has become a critical service as many daily activities such as work, education, and healthcare depend on a reliable, high-speed internet connection. Consumer Reports has supported legislation to limit unnecessary data caps that restrict how much bandwidth or data a consumer uses. In a study released last year, CR found that some ISPs do not uniformly impose data caps across their coverage areas. Instead, they are more inclined to introduce data caps on consumers in markets with less competition.
Jonathan Schwantes, Senior Policy Counsel at Consumer Reports said, “Broadband providers have employed needless data caps, impeding consumers’ access to internet services and chilling internet use. American consumers rely on fast, reliable, and affordable internet connections without data caps that can hinder online activities and increase costs. Broadband is an essential service capable of fueling economic growth, innovation, and connecting countless individuals. We plan to participate in the FCC’s proceeding, and look forward to seeing the results of this investigation of data caps in the broadband marketplace.”
The FCC has opened a portal for consumers to share how data caps have affected them here.