ANSWERED: Xfinity Internet Data Usage Guide

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​​***Created by our ​​​​ Community Experts​​​​***​​

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​​ ​​​​You can find out more about Comcast's usage plans (data caps) here: ​​​​https://www.xfinity.com/support/internet/data-usage-plan/​​

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​​This guide is meant to help you understand some basics about data usage. ​​

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​​The Comcast usage meter​​

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​​If you are the primary or self-managed secondary account holder, you can view your current usage and usage history by signing in to your​​​​ ​​​​Usage Mete​​​​r​​​​ ​​​​page. You will need to enter your XFINITY username and password. ​​

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​​You can also download the​​​​ ​​​​Xfinity App​​ ​​to view the data usage meter.​

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​​If you are interested in a technical survey of the meter's accuracy you may want to read the​​​​ ​​​​report by NetForcas​​​​t​​​​. (pdf file)​​

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​​Your data consumption​​

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​​Streaming video commonly uses the most data for many households. Streaming HD content uses around 3 GB per hour while streaming 4K content uses about 7 GB an hour. Some services like Netflix allow you to​​​​ ​​​​adjust video quality​​​​ to reduce data consumption.​​

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​​Activities like torrenting, large game downloads, video conferencing and uploading can also use significant data.​​

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​​Other activities like gaming, web surfing, VoIP services, music, and email communication​​​​ ​​​​don't​​​​ ​​​​typically consume large amounts of data.​​

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​​The​​​​ ​​​​Comcast article "What counts toward my Data Plan"​​​​ may help you understand everything that counts toward your data usage.  ​​

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​​Meter accuracy​​

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​​Keep in mind that the meter is not in real time, there is a lag between a traffic event and when the meter will actually display it. Also, the meter operates on universal time (UT or GMT). This means that the "new month" which will show a meter reset to zero appears in the evening of the last day of the month across the US. For example, Eastern Time is typically 5 hours behind UT or GMT.​​​​ ​​​​(Source: ​​​​NetForcast​​​​ report)​​

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​​You may be interested in NetForcast's​​​​ ​​​​T​​​​hird Accuracy Assesment of Comcast's Internet Usage Meter​​​​. (pdf)​​

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​​A good way to test the usage meter is to schedule a period of "digital silence". Power your network equipment completely off and monitor the usage meter. If the meter still shows usage, then there is a problem outside of your control. If it shows no usage, then you can concentrate on resolving the issue on your network.​​

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​​If you see a large discrepancy between your estimated usage and the Comcast meter:​​

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​​1)​​​​ ​​​​Make sure to run a virus scan and a malware/adware scan on all of your computers. These types of programs can run in the background and even turn your computers into​​​​ ​​​​zombie machines​​​​.​​

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​​2)​​​​ ​​​​Secure your WI-Fi network! Make sure your neighbor isn't leaching off of your account and consuming your data. If you need help with this, the folks in the​​​​ ​​​​networking forum​​​​ would be happy to help you.​​

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​​3)​​​​ ​​​​Contact Comcast's Customer Security Assurance Team: ​​​​1-888-565-4329, 6:00am - 2:00am EST, 7 days a week. They may able to help you figure out why your usage is not what you expect. ​​

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​​*** FYI: If you exceed your data threshold, Comcast​​​​ ​​​​DOES NOT THROTTLE​​​​ ​​​​your speeds. ***​​

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​​Last updated 03/17/2023​

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