Streaming and Data Caps

Internet service providers, including Comcast and AT&T, are imposing limits on home internet use; a move that affects streaming TV services.

09:25 13 June 2017

Several major US home internet service providers are imposing data caps. Comcast and Cox have both set 1TB caps in some markets while AT&T limits are based on speed tiers. All three companies are charging an additional $10 per 50GB in excess of their limits or an additional $30-$50 per month for those who want unlimited data.

 

This move affects companies like MLB TV and PlayStation Vue that stream video over the Internet.

 

BAMTech chief technology officer Joe Inzerillo said: “I don’t think it’s healthy for the industry. I think an open, free internet—not free in terms of cost, but free of encumbrance from data caps—is the right thing to do.”

 

BAMTech is a spinoff of MLB Advanced Media that provides streaming technology for many popular online video services including WWE Network, HBO Now, Sony’s PlayStation Vue, and MLB TV.

 

Some companies are now addressing the issue by introducing proprietary solutions. A company called BeamR has promised up to 50-percent data reduction for H.264 videos while Netflix has come up with its own technique for optimising data use in each of its videos.