Comcast announced Thursday that they are delaying the implementation of a data cap rate hike in their Northeast markets until 2022.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong strongly objected to the proposed rate hike.
“Delaying this ill-timed data cap until at least 2022 is the right call. I have heard from families across Connecticut who easily exceeded this cap while studying and working remotely. Far from so-called superusers, these were stories from typical Connecticut families trying to stay employed and educate their children during a global pandemic. To raise rates on these families at the very moment they were most reliant on broadband access and least able to pay more was simply unconscionable,” said Tong.
The plan initially suggested an additional $10 for each 50 GB increment of data customers use above the 1.2 TB cap, which could cost up to as much as $100 a month, Tong said.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
“I thank Comcast leadership for their willingness to listen and compromise, and for keeping lines of communication open with my office over these past several months of discussions. I will continue to monitor this matter closely to ensure all consumers are treated fairly," he continued.
"We recognize that our data plan was new for our customers in the Northeast, and while only a very small percentage of customers need additional data, we are providing them with more time to become familiar with the new plan," Comcast said in a statement.
The plan would have initially gone into effect in March. Comcast first agreed to delay the plan until July, and now, the plan will be postponed until 2022.
Local
Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) and Rep. David Arconti (D-Danbury) issued a statement after the decision.
"In past weeks, we have spent many hours interfacing with Comcast's upper management in an effort to bring about this result, and we deeply appreciate both their open door and willingness to do what is right for the consumers of the State of Connecticut," they said.
Editor's note: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and NBC Connecticut.
