Free Christmas downloads

[Aaron]

Anyone else noticed the Off-peak bandwidth has remained unchanged starting from 24th? My Current Usage RSS feed for 23rd and 24th are the same values for Off-Peak, and I've definitely been using the internet at Off-Peak times, have IDNet sneaked in a free christmas downloads for "Off-Peak times only"? 

[Steve]

My off peak has changed between the 23rd and the 24th.

[Rik]

As has mine. It's probably a case of the BT radius server not providing the information to IDNet, it will catch up, unfortunately.

[adamb]

Oh bum :/ I should have checked about the bandwidth. I assumed that we got free Christmas day bandwidth every year. I now have 3gb left for the month! I only wanted to download around 8gb today. Shame that a few greedy people have messed it up for everyone. Looks like I will be paying around £8 more next bill. Can't wait until I can afford to go unmetered I am currently on Home SuperMax (ADSL MAX PREMIUM)

[Rik]

Can you not download off peak?

[adamb]

Hi Rik,

Yeah, I do that if I need something large. My off peak usage is almost zero. I was planning some streaming video today but I can't do that now unless I want to pay for it! It's my own fault for not checking. Just a bit peeved that I didn't check. The plan is that my Google Adsense will pay for the top unmetered package! Even with that, I am not the sort to download 27/4. My ideal package would be 60GB peak but my exchange is not LLU so I have 40GB. Still cheap I suppose, I just hate being capped and watching the bandwidth.

[Rik]

IDNet are reviewing their packages in the New Year. I have no idea what may result from that, though.

[Ardua]

Season's best wishes to all. Rik - interesting to hear that IDNet are reviewing their packages. I am a bit like adamb, I make some, but not a lot of use of my off-peak allowance. I confess that I have never quite understood why ISPs charge as they do. With this in mind, I have been doing quite a bit of research based on my usage pattern over the past few months and, to my great surprise, I found that if I was on an AAISP metered package then my monthly cost would be similar to what I pay IDNet each month. What tips the balance in IDNet's favour is the 12 months for the price of 11 but this only works if (a) one can find the upfront funds and (b) savings interest rates remain low. It might be worth IDNet seeking customer feedback before they take any commercial decisions about future package mix. For what it is worth, I would welcome the introduction of carry forward of some of my unused monthly allowance, and a transfer of some off-peak under usage to peak. At the moment, I admit through BB inactivity on my part, I sense that I am 'subsidising' those who make maximum use of their peak and off-peak allowances.

[Rik]

Bandwidth is like mustard, ISPs make their profits from the bits people don't use. If everyone used their full allowance, prices would have to rise.

IDNet have always listened to their customers over the years, I used to get 2GB/month for the same price I now pay for 60GB. However, there is no economy of scale, afaik, from BT, so there's no margin for increasing allowances further until BT reduce their prices. The move to Telefonica (Be) where possible, produces an extra standing cost, but a lower bandwidth cost, so that balance will have to be struck to create as much leeway as possible. Carry forward is not practical, as it can generate peaks of traffic which saturate the network, similarly, due to the BT charging structure and network limitations, it's not going to be possible to make significant changes to the peak/off peak balance.

The only point at which significant savings could be made, as far as I can see, is to move support offshore, but such a move would make me an ex-customer.

[cavillas]

The only point at which significant savings could be made, as far as I can see, is to move support offshore, but such a move would make me an ex-customer

What about if it was the Isle of WHite?

[Rik]

 

[mervl]

IDNet are reviewing their packages in the New Year.

No surprise, I suspect, with the tanked economy and inflation on costs. Landline and broadband charges are rising across the board, though in the ideal world they'd be limited to inflation only! I have symphathy for IDNet without the economies of scale of the big boys, and still being competitive on price at the quality end of the market. Everybody has their own view about value for money, but broadband isn't a personalised service you can negotiate 1:1. (But please don't follow the [bad] example of my health insurer who just raised their premiums by 25% to reflect my no-claims history no doubt ).

For my part on broadband, any significant reduction to off-peak hours worse, reducing allowances less welcome and rebalancing between peak and off-peak allowances less worse. Might be good PR to allow customers a concession even if in a minimum contract period of more than a month to move to a lower priced package (if available) for a short period after notice if they can do it.

[Technical Ben]

Bandwidth is like mustard, ...

Huh?

[Rik]

The saying goes that Colman's got rich on the mustard people left on their plates, Ben. That is, people paid for more than they used.

[Ardua]

Bandwidth is like mustard, ISPs make their profits from the bits people don't use. If everyone used their full allowance, prices would have to rise.

IDNet have always listened to their customers over the years, I used to get 2GB/month for the same price I now pay for 60GB. However, there is no economy of scale, afaik, from BT, so there's no margin for increasing allowances further until BT reduce their prices. The move to Telefonica (Be) where possible, produces an extra standing cost, but a lower bandwidth cost, so that balance will have to be struck to create as much leeway as possible. Carry forward is not practical, as it can generate peaks of traffic which saturate the network, similarly, due to the BT charging structure and network limitations, it's not going to be possible to make significant changes to the peak/off peak balance.

The only point at which significant savings could be made, as far as I can see, is to move support offshore, but such a move would make me an ex-customer.

Clearly, ISPs' package mixes will suit some and not others. You say 'carry forward' is not possible; however, that is is exactly what AAISP offers its customers (or so I am told by those in the know). Moreover, there is ratio of 2.5:50 'peak' to 'off peak' unit metering with 1TB/unit from 2 to 6am. Having looked carefully at a number of ISP offerings, I was just surprised having read how expensive they are only to find, that for me, this wouldn't be the case. Similarly, a move to Goscomb would give me a 80GB FTTC package for the same price as IDNet's 50GB package. I am not saying for one moment that AAISP or Goscomb are better than IDNet but it does make one sit back and think. More so, as my annual IDNet bill arrived at 10am this morning (as expected)!

[Rik]

For my part on broadband, any significant reduction to off-peak hours worse, reducing allowances less welcome and rebalancing between peak and off-peak allowances less worse. Might be good PR to allow customers a concession even if in a minimum contract period of more than a month to move to a lower priced package (if available) for a short period after notice if they can do it.

I'm not sure what you're asking for? People can move between packages at any time, though there may be a charge if moving to a lower package.

[Rik]

Clearly, ISPs' package mixes will suit some and not others. You say 'carry forward' is not possible; however, that is is exactly what AAISP offers its customers (or so I am told by those in the know).

Some ISPs can do it, for IDNet it would cause problems if people started saving bandwidth to use later, as their bandwidth requirement calculations are based on the peak need of the capacity they sell. As a large percentage of customers are business users, it's important to them not to oversell capacity.

[mervl]

I'm not sure what you're asking for? People can move between packages at any time, though there may be a charge if moving to a lower package.

It was the point about waiving the charge for moving to a lower priced package if there are adverse changes (say more than an inflation price increase).

[Rik]

The problem is that BT make a charge, and if people started flipping packages according to their monthly needs, it would hit profit margins. IDNet absorb the charge for an upgrade.

[Ardua]

The problem is that BT make a charge, and if people started flipping packages according to their monthly needs, it would hit profit margins. IDNet absorb the charge for an upgrade.

What are BT charging for? It cannot be for a simple package change; surely, re-sellers will be charged for the total amount of bandwidth that they re-sell. How then can AAISP makes its model work which allows users to 'borrow' from the following month's quota or, conversely, add any under usage (within limits) to the following month? Put simply, the user can pay for, say, 3 units a month and use up to 36 units a year without incurring any extra charge. Moreover, I cannot see that this type of package would be any less attractive to business users than that offered by IDNet. I do though accept your argument that this might not be an attractive pricing option for heavy downloaders.

I have no idea how IDNet's package change system works as I have never had call to use it. That said, provided that the user is prepared to give at least 30 days notice of a change then I assume that there would be no charge for a package change - up or down?

[mervl]

My point I suspect only related to the (relative small number?) of FTTC connections which I thought were a fixed one year initial term (subject to upgrades) and with much less force to the 3 month intial term for O2 ADSL2+ service? Not sure about phone though - I suspect it's month to month? Annual payments would be refunded pro-rata I assume on termination of a monthly contract.

[colonelsun]

Yikes! When i discovered this post it had been looked at a few times and then discarded like so much cheap turkey this Christmas. I'd have presumed an outcry, at the very least some very British discreet grumbling to their other half before kicking the dog.

Not sure if anyone else thinks the same but a recession always was, and is, a good time to for a business to stay on the right side of their customers. We remember when a business does something in our favour. Yes, of course, i understand the economic argument and yet i also watch the news. Local councils bidding for government money for faster broadband in remote areas, whole towns and villages doing it themselves......and while they wait for that broadband there is always the question of staying with your present provider or moving over to Sky. That's exactly what happened at our last village Parish Council meeting. Asked, by a show of hands, what we would do when faster broadband was available, the whole room voted for Sky. These were ordinary people, not small or big business owners, they know what they want, 24 hour-7 days a week- unlimited broadband.

IDNET have always been good for me, no complaints whatsoever. But, and it's a big 'BUT', just how loyal are your broadband customers when they're offered faster speeds etc from the likes of Sky's broadband on the table? Personally, remembering that Christmas bandwidth freebie would count toward my changing of provider. It would remind me of that small provider that cared about it's customers, even during a recession, who still respected a few old fashioned values to it's loyal customer base. The next couple of years will see both  broadband provider and rural customer beseiged by fantastic offers and newer technology. We represent quite a healthy population we rural customers, we'll no longer just have to accept what thrown at us as regards to broadband...we'll be on an equal playing ground just like everyone else.

I can't help thinking the withdrawal of the 2011 Christmas freebie will come back and bite IDNET in the backside.

[Steve]

It would have been nice I agree but if it's been abused in the past so I can understand their reluctance. We after all do not expect free electricity or gas  during this holiday period so why we should expect free broadband I'm not sure. Certainly I would not be choosing my ISP because they give me free bandwidth over the Christmas period as it's thankfully a very long time until the next one.

[Ardua]

It would have been nice I agree but if it's been abused in the past so I can understand their reluctance. We after all do not expect free electricity or gas  during this holiday period so why we should expect free broadband I'm not sure. Certainly I would not be choosing my ISP because they give me free bandwidth over the Christmas period as it's thankfully a very long time until the next one.

As I am unlikely to use my full monthly allowance this month, all I will say on this subject is that it was a way of IDNet showing customers that we are appreciated. With a bit of lateral thinking, misuse/abuse could be managed by imposing a limit based, say, on the size of a customer's broadband package and time with IDNet. That said, I agree that free bandwidth over Christmas it is not a significant factor in my choice of an ISP.

[mervl]

Am I a realist or a pessimist? Shouldn't say this but I suspect residential broadband = BT Group, TalkTalk and Sky. We're lucky having other alternatives and should be the ones to be grateful. I'm filled with admiration with the patience and forbearance of the forum mods, let alone the staff who have to deal with us retail customers. I have a car which is bigger than I need for 90% of my day to day use "just in case", the same is true of my chosen bandwidth allowance. I hope it's a two way relationship, but I have to start by being reasonable. BT costs are part of inflation and the staff occasionally need a pay rise - unfortunate but we have to pay our fair whack; I'd wonder whether the out of hours contract is worth the cost though (if any)? I'm always concerned that basically I'm more trouble than I'm worth. Yes . . . I do know!

Happy New Year everybody! Memo to self: make a resolution to be less of a nuisance; there.