Yet another user bumps into Comcast's invisible bandwidth ceiling, and runs into roadblocks while attempting to get his account reinstated. Data caps (or restrictions on how much users can download) are becoming increasingly common. Unfortunately a lack of clarity in 'how much is too much' makes them more of a hassle for broadband users than they need to be.

Note to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts: 3Mbps is great, but loses its appeal when users who actually utilize that bandwidth find their connectivity severed (granted those customers are very heavy users). What's worse, the letter users receive offers no indication of what constitutes over-use. The end-user agreement fails to specify; warning letters fail to specify; and support technicians don't offer any additional detail.

Brian, imagine if you received this letter in the mail warning you about bandwidth abuse, wouldn't you find it helpful if it specified the exact limit? Particularly when account termination is the punishment for crossing that invisible line in the sand? After all, your own marketing material often uses the word "unlimited" as a selling point.

We're not necessarily against companies protecting their networks from bandwidth hungry users. We're also aware that most users will never likely see these limits. However if you're going to implement caps, clearly define them so users can avoid jumping through invisible hoops and engaging in conversations like this:

Comcast: You've downloaded too much!

User: How much is too much?

Comcast: Just don't do it!

User: Ok I'll try.

Comcast: Sorry, you're over again this month. Account suspended.

Back in September one of our readers found his account terminated for violating Comcast's bandwidth usage limitation. After the initial letter, Comcast fails to contact these users if they cross the line a second time. Instead the account goes dead, and the users get flagged in the support database. When the user calls Comcast support, they're often directed to the company's abuse department voicemail.

This month finds yet another user facing account termination for the second time with no notice from Comcast: "I politely asked the first abuse rep after being suspended back in Sept: 'If there's a bandwidth/download limit, how will I know I've crossed it when there are absolutely no publicly available numbers to define it?' She couldn't give a solid answer or even a broad one and seemed perfectly content to simply re-provision my modem and hang up."

Cox Communications came under fire last fall for sending warning letters to their own "bandwidth hogs". Again, affected customers had no idea any such limits existed, and other than some vague references on their website and hints at limits in their service agreements, many customers felt the company was too muddy in their policies.

Cox heeded the criticism and soon after started being crystal clear in information circulated to subscribers: limits were set at "30GB of downloads per month, with a maximum of 2GB per day. Uploads are limited to 7.5GB per month, with a maximum of 1GB per day."

That's really not so difficult, is it?