Unusually high data usage megathread

I too have faced the same issue. All the Roku boxes are set on low data rate. We don't watch the high def streaming on Prime/Disney etc. only low quality 480p-720p shows.  Never had this problem on Sonic before. Only in the past 2-3 months have we seen this. Changing routers to one which can check data use of devices.  At the most we use 15GB-20GB/day.

'very disappointed with Comcast. Will most likely leave for another provider soon.

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@75evo wrote:

I too have faced the same issue. All the Roku boxes are set on low data rate. We don't watch the high def streaming on Prime/Disney etc. only low quality 480p-720p shows.  Never had this problem on Sonic before. Only in the past 2-3 months have we seen this. Changing routers to one which can check data use of devices.  At the most we use 15GB-20GB/day.

'very disappointed with Comcast. Will most likely leave for another provider soon.

 

 

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Apologies for the issues and the experience that you described above.

In the interest of the customer experience, I have applied a credit to your account while our team researches your account further.

The credit will appear on your next printed statement and you can view the credit online via My Account.

The monthly data usage on your account is fairly consistent over the past 6 months at just above or just under 1 TB/month; the exception being in July when usage is showing at 294 gb.  

I've asked a colleague to review your account and contact you directly. Thanks for your patience.

We offer tools to help you track and manage your usage so there are never any surprises about how much data you use:

• Data Usage Meter in My Account - Monitor how much data you have used with our Data Usage Meter.
• Xfinity My Account App - You can also monitor how much data you have used in our mobile app. (Download the Xfinity My Account app.)
• Notifications - We will send you an 'in-browser' notice and an email letting you know when you approach, reach and exceed a terabyte. You can also elect to receive notifications at additional thresholds as well as set up mobile text notifications. Usage notifications will not be sent to customers who enroll in the Unlimited Data Option.
• Data Plan Website - Summary of plan features and additional tools and tips related to the data plans. To visit, go to dataplan.xfinity.com.

For all - the link below has some general information on how to avoid overage charges and tips to conserve data usage:
https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/data-usage-avoid-overage-charges

Providing some additional information, background and tips below from our team that does the data overage reviews.

Customer owned devices
- One example are devices like Ubiquiti uNiFi, which our team most commonly sees as an issue with data usage. The device has an internal metering system along with a periodic speed test built into it. The speed test can accrue massive amounts of data usage without reporting to its own internal metering system because it is part of its system functions, not a device using data even though it is using data. We report its usage because we monitor for all data traffic going to and from the modem/network, not per device connected to their network.

- The number and kinds of devices connected to your network matters. Suggestion is to log into your router to see and verify all the devices connected to your network" (very applicable with customer owned devices).

Metering System:
- Comcast does not have direct access into the metering system to the extent to be able to artificially input or output data usage results or information. Our metering system is regularly audited as well where information on it can be gathered from https://www.netforecast.com/.
It includes everything from the yearly audits to how the metering system works on a technical level. This is done third party outside of Comcast.

Comcast data metering accuracy reports at the link below:
https://www.netforecast.com/comcast-internet-usage-accuracy-reports/

- The metering system is delayed by up to 24 hours. "I watched my meter and it went up by 100GB in the last 3 hours and I just booted up my computer for 15 minutes!" is not accurate - the metering timeframe is not 1:1 - its delayed because it needs to validate data and remove any data that we do not count towards the metering system. This includes things like firmware updates we push out and any other possible data we may push to the network for normal operations.

- Greatest opportunity with Windows 10 devices. Windows 10 has a built in data usage meter for its own data tracking per application/software used on the device for 30 days(Settings -> Network & Internet -> Data Usage tab).

- Similarly could be done for other devices, ex: “Go into Netflix settings and make sure that it pauses after not watching it for a while”, etc.

Overall:
There is no trend or consistency indicating an issue in metering, but rather these have all been unique issues per network requiring the subscriber to troubleshoot/review their network.

The common trend topic is “there is no way I can use this much data”. While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used.

Common data users:
- Streaming devices left on even when TVs are turned off – continuously streaming and/or misconfigured settings on streaming devices
- Data backups (including cloud backups)
- Large file downloads for entertainment (video games, updates, locally downloaded movies/videos from online services, etc.) or business purposes (files of information/data for business needs, Data backups downloaded from or uploaded to, etc.)

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@UnhappyData wrote:
I am new to this thread only because I’m searching for why my data usage has skyrocketed in the past week or so. As I scroll through the hundreds of similar complaints over the past few months it is quite obvious that these are not individual problems, they are COMCAST PROBLEMS! As I’m sure everyone has noticed, there is a cookie cutter Comcast response stating something like “Were very sorry, we’ll credit your next bill, blah blah blah. Hey Comcast, why don’t you actually look into your internal data measurement tools to find out why this phenomenon is happening?

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Apologies for the issues and the experience that you described above.

In the interest of the customer experience, I have applied a credit to your account while our team researches your account further.

The credit will appear on your next printed statement and you can view the credit online via My Account.

The monthly data usage on your account has been under 350 gb/month over the past 6 months, well under 1 TB.  I don't see any data overage charges in the past 6 month either. 

I do see that in December there was a spike in usage outside the normal use pattern on or around 12/14 (750 gb used).  The metering system is delayed by up to 24 hours. "I watched my meter and it went up by 100GB in the last 3 hours and I just booted up my computer for 15 minutes!" is not accurate - the metering timeframe is not 1:1 - its delayed because it needs to validate data and remove any data that we do not count towards the metering system. This includes things like firmware updates we push out and any other possible data we may push to the network for normal operations.

I've asked a colleague to review your account and contact you directly. Thanks for your patience.

I'll skip the usual set of the "blah, blah, blah" as it's posted in a few of the earlier responses, but there is some good stuff there including the accuracy of our data usage meter validated by a third-party, how we measure data and how you can keep an eye on your data usage.   I hope you take the time to review it.   

There is no trend or consistency indicating an issue in metering, but rather these have all been unique issues per network requiring the subscriber to troubleshoot/review their network.

The common trend topic is “there is no way I can use this much data”. While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used.

@ComcastTeds 

Respectfully, you said to others above;

"The common trend topic is “there is no way I can use this much data”. While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used."

Again, respecfully, thank you for that last sentence, which confirms what customers already know, and have been protesting here.  Regardless of what the meter says, the data usage numbers are not accurate. So what's the use of a meter, if the data amount being recorded is not accurate?

"While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used."

So are we to understand from your statement that if a customer's router says 450 MGB for the month and Comcast's equipment says 1400 MGB for the month, we are expected  to accept Comcast's numbers unconditionally, because there is going to be ghost data used that we are not aware of? Really?

Again, and quite respectfully, no one should pay for data they did not use. Saying that we should accept an overage just because Comcast says so, and our equipment says otherwise, is unethical.

Surely, you mispoke. 😉

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@midtenner wrote:

@ComcastTeds 

 

Respectfully, you said to others above;

 

"The common trend topic is “there is no way I can use this much data”. While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used."

 

Again, respecfully, thank you for that last sentence, which confirms what customers already know, and have been protesting here.  Regardless of what the meter says, the data usage numbers are not accurate. So what's the use of a meter, if the data amount being recorded is not accurate?

 

"While the number amount of data a customer can see on the meter is more than what they know to be using, doesn’t mean it isn’t being used."

 

So are we to understand from your statement that if a customer's router says 450 MGB for the month and Comcast's equipment says 1400 MGB for the month, we are expected  to accept Comcast's numbers unconditionally, because there is going to be ghost data used that we are not aware of? Really?

 

Again, and quite respectfully, no one should pay for data they did not use. Saying that we should accept an overage just because Comcast says so, and our equipment says otherwise, is unethical.

 

Surely, you mispoke. 😉

 

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Respectfully,  a Comcast Customer Security Assurance technician has made several attempts to contact you via the phone number listed on your account in order to address your specific data usage concerns.

Unfortunately, all attempts to reach you were unsuccessful.

Our technician verified that your modem is properly assigned and provisioned for your account and that the data usage recorded for the MAC address associated with your modem is correct. 

Our data meter is accurate and verified by an independent third party, below is background on that: 

Comcast does not have direct access into the metering system to the extent to be able to artificially input or output data usage results or information. Our metering system is regularly audited as well where information on it can be gathered from https://www.netforecast.com/.
It includes everything from the yearly audits to how the metering system works on a technical level. This is done third party outside of Comcast.

Comcast data metering accuracy reports at the link below:
https://www.netforecast.com/comcast-internet-usage-accuracy-reports/

We have provided several suggestions for you on how to check your devices and your network. We initially provided a goodwill credit and we also (as a courtesy) recently reversed the data overage charges on 11/15/19 and 12/15/19.  We have escalated your concern (and the same with any of the issues in this thread that I have responded to)  to our data specialists for their research and review.    

Common data users:
- Streaming devices left on even when TVs are turned off – continuously streaming and/or misconfigured settings on streaming devices
- Data backups (including cloud backups)
- Large file downloads for entertainment (video games, updates, locally downloaded movies/videos from online services, etc.) or business purposes (files of information/data for business needs, Data backups downloaded from or uploaded to, etc.)

The above is the customer's responsibility. 

Midtenner, I think that reference is to people who say things along the lines of: “(1) we can’t possibly use that much!”, “(2) our habits haven’t changed!”, “(3) data went up when were sleeping!”, or “(4) I used the data estimator and got a lower number!” 

For the first, well that’s just information-free, the second, how do you know they weren’t undercounting before?, the third is explained by the nature of the meter (ie the data that appeared on the meter while you were sleeping may have actually occurred in the prior 24 hours), and for the last, the estimator is only an ESTIMATOR, and also can only (roughly) ESTIMATE things that you know about and tell it about.

Let’s take the fourth one for example:  First of all, many things like video streaming data rates vary widely based on streaming service, streaming device, settings, and your TV. (For example, simply replacing an HD TV with a 4K TV in some cases causes much larger data streams with no other human interaction beside simply replacing the TV.)  Even at the same basic quality level, streaming vendors vary greatly and even different source materials from the same vendor will vary. 

Even more importantly, the estimator doesn’t know about every way to use internet data and you may not even know what you have that is using data.  For example, just this morning I was looking at an image editing application so I browsed their support forum to see what problems people were having.  To my surprise, I found that a “feature” that bugged a lot of users was that this paid image editing software kept interrupting people with advertisements and the advertisements happened both when you used the software and even when you don’t!  And of course, where do these ads come from?  The internet of course. So, here is a paid app, seemingly unrelated to the internet at all, that actually constantly accesses internet data without any involvement from the user.  This is just one of MANY ways that you can be accessing the internet without even thinking about it or possibly even knowing about it.  The amount this particular application uses is probably not great, but it’s just one example of how many things are happy to use your data without asking you or informing you.

As for what routers say – depends on the router.  Several routers are known for having buggy data counters and one brand of router counts data that YOU generate, but the router itself automatically does its own quality of service benchmarking in the background and it doesn’t add the data IT uses to the data YOU use!  Xfinity on the other hand makes no exception for the data your router uses all by itself.   It's an annoyingly complicated world sometimes.

@ComcastTeds

You said above:  Respectfully, a Comcast Customer Security Assurance technician has made several attempts to contact you via the phone number listed on your account in order to address your specific data usage concerns.

Unfortunately, all attempts to reach you were unsuccessful.

ComcastTEDS - allow me to share publicly what we just told the Better Business Bureau in response to Comcast's statment, which you simpily cloned here. Your statement above is inaccurate. We have the name and contact information of the ONE AND ONLY Comcast Security Technician that reached out to us and worked with us, professionally, to resolve our issue. Your comment here is bogus. Improprieties such as those displayed by Comcast staff serves no purpose than to further damage customer relations. Very disappointing.

+++++++Better Business Bureau requested a response from us. We issued the following statement 12.17.2019 in response to Comcast's assertion that we were not willing to work with them.*****

Comcast’s response states: “A Comcast Customer Security Assurance technician made several attempts to contact Mr. Yoko to advise him of the above information.  Unfortunately, all attempts were unsuccessful.  The technician verified that Mr. Yoko’s modem is properly assigned and provisioned for his account and that the data usage recorded for the MAC address associated with Mr. Yoko’s modem is correct.  The technician left a message with his direct contact information should Mr. Yoko have further questions regarding this matter.”

Respectfully, the above statement is grossly inaccurate and misleading. A Security Assurance Technician DID reach out to us several times and WE SPOKE WITH HIM EVERY TIME HE CALLED US. When he left a message, we responded promptly. It was our desire to have this matter resolved. We have his name and direct contact information if Comcast would like correct their obviously defective record-keeping. In fact, all the phone calls were “recorded for quality assurance purposes” each time. Apparently, Comcast just confirmed here that they have a “quality assurance” problem in how they treat their customers. How unprofessional to disparage a customer who is seeking your help with a problem.

Much of the information that Comcast offers in this above response is cookie-cutter and does not apply to our situation. We are not the only Comcast customer with this complaint. In fact, if anyone reading this message goes to the Comcast Community Forum at this link, you will read pages of complaints, all with the same issue.

https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Your-Home-Network/Unusually-high-data-usage-megathread/td-p/3265624

We appreciate the credit and removing lates charges, which we refused to pay until this matter was resolved.

At this time, we monitor our data usage daily, screen shot router and monitor logs online, maintain a log of usage and compare with Comcast’s data numbers. Data is data regardless of whose equipment you are using. We still contend that if Comcast’s numbers are accurate, regardless if the router and modem is customer-owned or Comcast-owned, the numbers should be the same.

Thank you, BBB, for your assistance. We consider this matter resolved with one exception.  We ask that Comcast correct their statement about us being unresponsive. Technician Ray knows better.

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@midtenner wrote:

@ComcastTeds 

 

As for our account, we consider this matter resolved. We will make no further comments here or offer support others. This experience has been quite disconcerting.

 

However, we do respectfully request , and strongly advise, that you cease and desist from misrepresenting us and our particular case in your comments. In fact, we expect a public apology here for misrespresenting us by stating that Comcast technicians made several attempts and we were unresponsive. That statement is grossly inaccurate.

 

We have phone logs and time stamps to prove that we did work with ONE and only ONE tech person, who was kind, thoughtful and very professionaly, unlike your comments here. We have his name and direct phone number as proof.

 

This is very disappointing that a company would stoop so low as to cast doubt on customer's integrity.

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My sincere apologies to you, I was given incorrect information from our team regarding the non- contact. I'm glad that you were able to speak to someone on our data team about your situation. 

Apologies again.  

@ComcastTeds 

As for our account, we consider this matter resolved. We will make no further comments here or offer support others. This experience has been quite disconcerting.

However, we do respectfully request , and strongly advise, that you cease and desist from misrepresenting us and our particular case in your comments. In fact, we expect a public apology here for misrespresenting us by stating that Comcast technicians made several attempts and we were unresponsive. That statement is grossly inaccurate.

We have phone logs and time stamps to prove that we did work with ONE and only ONE tech person, who was kind, thoughtful and very professionaly, unlike your comments here. We have his name and direct phone number as proof.

This is very disappointing that a company would stoop so low as to cast doubt on customer's integrity.

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@midtenner wrote:

@ComcastTeds

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Y

Much of the information that Comcast offers in this above response is cookie-cutter and does not apply to our situation. We are not the only Comcast customer with this complaint. In fact, if anyone reading this message goes to the Comcast Community Forum at this link, you will read pages of complaints, all with the same issue.

https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Your-Home-Network/Unusually-high-data-usage-megathread/td-p/3265624

 

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To clarify - in regards to the above, that initial issue was a confirmed and acknowledged event in the Fall of 2019 that was identified, corrected and resolved. It was acknowldeged in this thread in October.  That specific issue impacted a very small number of our customers (less than 2,000) .

Once it was raised here (and in other places), the right teams investigated, we owned that issue, we apologized publicly and then we worked with impacted customers directly to make it right. 

From the Fall issue: "While updating our data usage meter to a new system, a software error occurred resulting in a small number of our customers being billed incorrectly. We're very sorry for inconveniencing our customers and here's what we're doing to address it: We fixed the technical issue, we're proactively crediting the accounts affected, and we're giving those customers an additional $50 credit to make it right".

Our teams have investigated subsequent individual issues posted here and have not seen a common thread or pattern. If they do, we will own it and work to make it right - as we have done in the past. 

There is no trend or consistency indicating an issue in metering, but rather these have all been unique issues per network requiring the subscriber to troubleshoot/review their network.

@ComcastTeds 

Thank you. We are done here.

I've been doing the same stuff since before I cut off my cable side of Comcast and supposedly am using 2-3x as much data as I was before. None of the habits have changed we use the xfinity stream beta app which we were told by a Comcast rep that would not eat up our GB usage. Your system keeps saying I using 20-30 GB average a day when no one is home more than half the time. I would like an explanation. I purchased my own router 2 years ago and never had issues until we cut our cable. And no I would not like to rent a router from you guys. @Comcast

Hi comcast, can you please stop with your overcharges for going over 1tb a month please?

I use the internet daily, I usually skirt just below the 1tb monthly limit. This limit is very unfair and you wouldn't implement it if there was more competition in my area for with other internet service providers. Unfortunately only AT&T and COMCAST is available in my area

If I download just one or two games ontop of my normal monthly usage, I will go over.

For instance, I downloaded RDR2 this month, 100gb game. Just to download the game I've already used up 1/10th of my limit. in just a couple hours.

If $80 a month for just internet is enough for 1tb. why isn't $160 enough for 2tb?

instead you charge more than twice as much for the same data if usuage is under 2tb. $200+ $80 = $280.

and 2tb is nothing, it's not that much data, it's easy download that much data.  

At the minimum you should offer plans with higher data plans instead of the 'get rekt for $10 per 50gb unlimited data plan' that you have.

I have 3 HDD drives that are 4tb large each It would take me over an entire year to fill them with my normal usuage with your data limits.

I don't think it would be as big of a deal if the overcharges were equal to the data that I already use and pay for but this is absurd. I miss the days when there weren't 'data limits'. 

I'll gaurentee you that I'll discontinue my service with you guys when applicable, and I'll continue to pay your ridiculous prices just so I can use your internet for the time being but only because AT&T and comcast implement that same data rates and charges in my area. But I'm not a happy camper. . thanks

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@6859336 wrote:

Hi comcast, can you please stop with your overcharges for going over 1tb a month please?

 

I use the internet daily, I usually skirt just below the 1tb monthly limit. This limit is very unfair and you wouldn't implement it if there was more competition in my area for with other internet service providers. Unfortunately only AT&T and COMCAST is available in my area

 

If I download just one or two games ontop of my normal monthly usage, I will go over.

For instance, I downloaded RDR2 this month, 100gb game. Just to download the game I've already used up 1/10th of my limit. in just a couple hours.

 

If $80 a month for just internet is enough for 1tb. why isn't $160 enough for 2tb?

instead you charge more than twice as much for the same data if usuage is under 2tb. $200+ $80 = $280.

and 2tb is nothing, it's not that much data, it's easy download that much data.  

 

At the minimum you should offer plans with higher data plans instead of the 'get rekt for $10 per 50gb unlimited data plan' that you have.

 

 

I have 3 HDD drives that are 4tb large each It would take me over an entire year to fill them with my normal usuage with your data limits.

 

I don't think it would be as big of a deal if the overcharges were equal to the data that I already use and pay for but this is absurd. I miss the days when there weren't 'data limits'. 

 

I'll gaurentee you that I'll discontinue my service with you guys when applicable, and I'll continue to pay your ridiculous prices just so I can use your internet for the time being but only because AT&T and comcast implement that same data rates and charges in my area. But I'm not a happy camper. . thanks

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Thanks for your feedback. The policy around this plan is the current policy.  Details at the link below: 

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/data-usage-plan?

That being said, I did go ahead and reverse the recent data usage charges and provided an additional credit as a courtesy.  You will see that on your next cable statement.