Two Senators Want To Ban ISPs From Imposing 'Predatory Data Caps'
Two Democrat senators are pushing a bill to ban internet service providers from imposing data caps, which can force consumers to pay up to use more internet bandwidth.
The Uncap America Act(Opens in a new window) comes from senators Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) and Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), who are calling out data caps as a “predatory” practice against the public.
“As internet usage continues to be a necessity for work, education, and health care, no family should have to worry about extra fees and costs because of unnecessary limits on their data,” said Luján on Thursday when introducing(Opens in a new window) the legislation.
The bill would prohibit broadband providers —including mobile carriers— from imposing data caps that involve charging the customer more money for additional internet bandwidth. Conversely, broadband providers would also be banned from slowing down the customer’s internet access if they refuse to pay.
The bill would only allow the broadband provider to impose a data cap “for the purposes of reasonable network management or managing network congestion.”
To enforce the ban against data caps, the bill calls on the FCC to develop regulations defining when broadband providers can impose reasonable data caps. Companies found violating the rules would be punished under the Communications Act of 1934, which could result in up to $100,000 in fines, prison time or forfeiture if the violations are repeatedly made.
The senators say that all broadband providers should be able to operate without imposing predatory data caps. They cite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when many companies voluntarily removed their data caps to help people remotely work and study from the safety of their homes.
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