Pessimists see broadband internet subscriptions eventually shifting to a pay-per-gigabyte-usage model, much like what we’re seeing in the wireless realm. That may turn out to be accurate, but at least industry heavyweight Comcast isn’t yet shoving things in that direction. The company says it currently has no plans to move to a tiered billing system.

According to Gigaom, Comcast honchos have shot down the idea of a tiered plan in the near future, with the cable president saying “We don’t want to nickel-and-dime customers at this point,” which passes for customer sympathy in Comcastese.

The revelation is a relief, especially to heavy internet users. But the fact that Comcast is talking about it at all is somewhat telling, like a scene early on in a romantic comedy in which the female lead insists she’ll never sleep with the incorrigible playboy with whom she shares top billing on the movie poster.

Comcast: No plans for usage-based broadband pricing [Gigaom via Engadget]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.