The Associated Press

Fri, Aug 22, 2008 (11:27 a.m.)

WHAT HAPPENED: Frontier Communications Corp., a phone company with more than half a million broadband customers, has said it plans to start charging extra for Internet use above a certain level.

WHY IT MATTERS: The proposed cap on traffic, 5 gigabytes per month, is low enough to concern people who want to watch Internet video or use online backup services. Even more casual use can exhaust the monthly allotment.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Time Warner Cable Inc. is also trying out a 5-gigabyte cap for a low-end plan in one market. If that level becomes the norm among Internet service providers, consumers will have to keep a close eye on their Internet traffic.