Unusually high data usage megathread

Wow @BobWang that is a really telling graph!  Hope the trend continues.  In my area, the scheduled maintenance started at 12:30AM, didn't get corrected until 11:10AM today, so we were dark.  Curious, how are you pulling the xfinity stats to plot it - via script or is there an API?

@bolohead 

Xfinity slope was 2 to 3 times steeper before maintenance.

The trendline hasn't changed much yet,

but actual data has flattened to nearly parallel with Nest WiFi 🙂

@BobWang 

How do you define accurately?

Your graph shows Xfinity increase a lot faster than the Nest graph.

I was under the impression that both Xfinity and Nest graphs should be similar, if all your traffic is going through Nest WiFi.

I was surprised as well that the cap was reinstated at this point.  I get that its a larger cap now, but an extra 200 GB didn't help keep me from going over.  I still went over on the last day of July. 

I also seem to be having a similar issue where the Xfinity meter shows more data usage than my router does, or more than I think I'm using.  Then again, I'm connected to my work VPN and using RDP for 10+ hours a day, so I'm sure that doesn't help.

Does anyone know if using the Xfinity WiFi local hotspot (as opposed to my wired connection) also counts toward the cap?  If it does then that probably explains it.  I manually fail-over to the xfinity hotspot when my wired internet goes down for more than a few minutes and I need to get work done.

So basically they will NEVER do this, even though it is EXACTLY what those graphs should be doing and EXACTLY the information you should be getting (as rather random graphs that don't have any set real values and seem to be just relative to each other but over an unknown period of time and with no absolute value for reference), because then they would actually have to deal with the numbers not matching and people realizing they are usually getting overestimated in the amount of data they are listed as using due to the numbers not matching. 

I can understand a bit if the numbers are off slightly (notice how they are never under, only over) as maybe there can be some technical issues (though in reality, every bit should absolutely be able to be accounted for going across their lines).  I once even heard that Comcast's numbers include data overhead that is transparent to the user and inherent in data transmission, though to be honest, that number should be somewhat constant for a given amount of data, or at least calculable.   The information IS ABSOLUTELY THERE.  They know it at some point in time.  They just choose to hide it from you and field their support front lines with people who have the internet technical skills of my 85 year old grandma.  That's an old trick...department stores used to staff their returns departments with non-smart people with no clue who were then inherently and genuinely unhelpful...eventually a person would get so frustrated with dealing with the imbeciles that they would rather keep the thing that was broken, unwanted, etc than raise their blood pressure talking to them.

I would bet a lot of money there are some high up VP execs who are pulling their hair out wondering how they ever let ANY type of insight into data usage at a device level, aside from one single cumulative number, get released to the end user.  I'm sure a couple product managers or engineers lost their jobs for letting out what is currently shown to us.

In the end it's going to take some long drawn out class action (which might not be able to happen due to arbitration clauses) or either a Congressional investigation or FCC action (which is unlikely with the current anti-consumer oriented chairman (Pai)

Deregulation in the 80's was the absolute worst thing to even happen to cable, from a consumer perspective.

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@aaronsta1 wrote:

why cant we see how much data a device is using? the time spent online is absolutely useless.. specially since it says my PC which is connected to my LAN via CAT6 is only online an hour or so per day.. 😕

 

what does that even mean.. it should be online 24/7.

 

also whats the deal with the little graph.. it is showing my laptop which is currently off and has been off for weeks is using a "high" amount of internet.

 

if you are going to charge me for going over my "unlimited" amount.. it would be nice to be somewhat accurate.. 

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Reset my router stats on 8/1. All traffic traversing the router either on network or out is about 14Gb Xfinity data meter showing 183Gb used.   I'm new to Xfinity. I was on COX for many years and always lived under their 400Gb cap easily. Nothing has changed in my environment.  In fact, I ditched the streaming service for actual cable.  So unless my smart thermostat is streaming pornhub 24/7 something doesn't add up, literally.  (it's not I checked)

If Comcast's metering is off, I recommend contacting your state attorney general.  They will investigate and sue on the behalf of the impacted state's residents. I know that I'm considering my options.

Hello all, so I've been w/ AT&T for many years.  Since they decided to cut tie w/ NFL Network.  We decided to switch over to Xfinity in June, thinking we will never come close to using 1.2TB w/ Xfinity, so we should be safe on that side.  We have never gone over 650GB of data w/ AT&T. 

Here's a last 8 months w/ AT&T just for reference:

606GB

553GB

514GB

395GB

543GB

475GB

405GB

527GB

And this is what we used so far w/ Xfinity starting:

June 27th (167GB for only 3 days)

July 1025GB had to limit our 2 kids internet usage the last 3 days just so we could stay under the cap

August 286GB so far

No new changes in our family or our usage, but as y'all can see, it's night and day compares to AT&T.  What do you guys recommend we should do?  TIA. 

I'm curious, do you rent their xfi modem? I received a similar email saying I could upgrade to unlimited for $25/mth and get their xfi modem/router, as I currently use my own modem.

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@glenninTN wrote: ... All traffic traversing the router either on network or out is about 14Gb Xfinity data meter showing 183Gb used. ... I ditched the streaming service for actual cable. ...

Be aware that X1 Internet app data does not pass through your modem or modem/router -- they have their own internal modem. See https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/x1-internet-data-usage-details for more information.

Not going anywhere Comcast! You WILL fix this before lawsuits are slapped on you

During the unlimited time period, our data was still being monitored and it showed us at 700GB's those months. NOTHING has changed now that the unlimited is gone and here we are on 8/11 sitting at 467GB's already! 

Again, BY YOUR OWN EMAIL introducing 1.2TB's/month of data, it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to get to the cap! But then I receive the "upgrade to unlimited" for another $11/month email today. This is not about the $, that's nothing but we're not stupid. $11/month for us is nothing, $11/month for ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS is potentially MILLIONS.

There's 15 pages, EASILY 1000 complaints just on this threat alone, there's several other websites talking about the same issues. You're not fooling anyone and playing dumb when we all are forced to call in and "submit tickets" isn't working either. I'd advise you clowns to shape up, you already got embarrassed once and then thought you looked great by giving unlimited during a time of crisis but it really just swept the real issue under the rug

You have till the end of this month to correct these issues or really just end your scam or lawyers will be contacted and you can deal with them.

so I talked to their customer service today and we got only 2 choices for the unlimited data plan.  Either pay $30 or rent their modem for $25.   Their modem is cheaper but can it cover a large area?  I got Rings and a sprinkler system right outside of my garage and w/o a mesh system, I dont think this xfinity modem is powerful enough to cover t 4500+ square foots area.