New site helps consumers track data usage

{mosads} The groups noted that the website launched in time for the National Football League playoffs. The NFL will allow Verizon customers to stream this weekend’s wildcard playoffs and the Super Bowl on their phones, but watching hours of football would cause most customers to exceed their data limits.

“At top advertised speeds, consumers can use up an entire month’s worth of data in well under an hour,” Michael Weinberg, Public Knowledge staff attorney said. “It also means that using your device in ways your carrier touts in advertising will quickly drive you into expensive overcharge territory.This new site allows consumers to understand what their caps really mean and urge the FCC to ask hard questions about why the caps exist.”

The wireless companies argue the caps are necessary to prevent a small number of users from clogging the networks. 

The companies are pushing Congress to allocate more airwave frequencies to them so they can expand the size of their networks.