Best Internet Providers With No Data Caps 2024

Thu, Dec 14, 2023 7:41 PM

While many individuals consider download speeds only when choosing an Internet service provider, data caps will start having a significant impact on your access to the internet and just how much you pay for it. 

We've collected data on the internet data limit for any main US ISP. Read on to find out which ISPs have unrestricted high-speed Internet and know-how data cap provider fees can be avoided.

Data should be enough to last for a month for most consumers, but that's becoming less true with each day. 

Breaking the data cap is simpler than you'd think if you enjoy online gaming, smart home technology, and watching 4K Ultra HD movies. 

Signing up with a network that has limitless storage is the easiest alternative to Internet data limits. 

What is Internet Data Cap?

ISP-enforced data access restrictions are Internet data caps. From watching Netflix to scrolling through social media, anything you do on the internet takes data, too much use of your internet service, and you might reach the limit. 

"Fair use policy," "monthly usage allowance," and "bandwidth cap" are other terms for data limits, but "bandwidth cap" is a bit of a misnomer because if you hit the limit, most internet providers will not restrict or throttle your speeds. 

Instead, when you've hit and reached your usage limit, your provider will usually send an alert, and then you will incur overage charges on your next payment.

Satellite internet providers such as HughesNet and Viasat are the exceptions to this law, providing plans based on data limits, not differing download rates. You'll still be able to use your internet service after you hit the data cap with these providers, but your ISP will throttle your speed. 

Why are providers using caps on data? 

The short explanation of why data limits are used by internet providers is that they can. 

The broader reason is that only so much internet bandwidth and power can be provided by ISPs. They try to prevent users from using too much data because ISPs know their limits, which might hinder internet speeds for other consumers.

Many companies label their data policies "fair use policies," stressing that the aim is to provide their customers across the board with improved internet service. 

But some ISPs, rather than updating their networks to accommodate modern internet use, implement unrealistically small data limits. Even watching a few hours of Netflix a day and scrolling through Instagram will blow through your allowance on a data cap plan below 600 GB, and without consulting you, your ISP could slap you with a huge fine or even upgrade your plan.

Look for ISPs that sell "unlimited" plans, if that sounds scary. These plans also allow users to remain below 1,024 GB of data, but on a case-by-case basis they will reach out to connect with individual users who create problems for the rest of the network. 

And you shouldn't think about that unless you stream 4K Ultra HD all day or torrent massive files. (Don't worry if you don't know what torrenting is, that's a promise that you don't do it.)

Internet provider data caps summary 

AT&T 

Data Cap - 1,024 GB - Unlimited

CenturyLink

Data Cap - 1,024 GB - Unlimited

Cox

Data Cap - 1,280 GB - Unlimited

Frontier

Data Cap -  Unlimited

HughesNet

Data Cap - 10GB -50GB

Spectrum

Data Cap -  Unlimited

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