The Federal Communications Commission is officially looking into broadband data caps and their impact on consumers. On Tuesday, the FCC approved a notice of inquiry to examine whether data caps harm consumers and competition, as well as why data caps persist “despite increased broadband needs” and the “technical ability to offer unlimited data plans,” as spotted earlier by Engadget.

Many internet plans come with a data cap that limits how much bandwidth you can use each month. If you go over the data cap, internet service providers will typically charge an extra fee or slow down your service. The FCC first started inviting consumers to comment on broadband data caps last June, hundreds of which you can now read on the agency’s website.

You can still share your experience with broadband data caps with the FCC through this form, which will ask for details about the name of your ISP, usage limits, and any challenges you’ve encountered due to the cap.

Personally, avoiding my ISP’s broadband data cap has become increasingly difficult with all the shows I’ve been streaming and the storage-heavy games I download each month. It’s actually one of the reasons why I started watching DVDs again. The FCC at least started making ISPs more clearly disclose the terms of their plans in new “nutrition labels” mandated earlier this year.

“For most people in the United States, rationing their internet usage would be unthinkable and impractical,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in the press release. “Restricting consumers’ data can cut off small businesses from their customers, slap fees on low-income families, and prevent people with disabilities from using the tools they rely on to communicate.”

Source: The Verge The FCC is looking into the impact of broadband data caps and why they still exist