New caps but are they good enough for me not to jump ship?

[kerrso05]

Ardua.....Oh dear.......is that who it is??

I used to be with them, "THE WORST INTERNET PROVIDER IN THE WORLD"

seriously they were awful I stuck with them for a couple of months. I got no speed and most of the time I was with them I could hardly go on the internet and when I did they Traffic Shaped......but they swore blind they didn't and as soon as I changed the speed came back...........no never ever again.......I couldn't take the risk.

"I think he doesn't like them".....you would never guess 

[psp83]

Don't pick on Simon everyone! 

Most likely a spur of the moment thing, a brain fart! 

I personally don't get the don't talk about X on X property.

I've never been thrown out of Tesco's because I talked about Sainsbury's while shopping

[psp83]

I joined IDnet from Tiscali over 5 yrs ago and not looked back once, well maybe once just to say FU! 

[Ardua]

Ardua.....Oh dear.......is that who it is??

I used to be with them, "THE WORST INTERNET PROVIDER IN THE WORLD"

seriously they were awful I stuck with them for a couple of months. I got no speed and most of the time I was with them I could hardly go on the internet and when I did they Traffic Shaped......but they swore blind they didn't and as soon as I changed the speed came back...........no never ever again.......I couldn't take the risk.

"I think he doesn't like them".....you would never guess 

I wasn't recommending them!!! The poster clearly rates them and, like you, he has experience of both ISPs.

[kerrso05]

I'm beginning to think it is better to stay with the tariff I have than the new Tariff. I think that because you have no restriction with Peak and off-peak then I probably would break the barrier every month but substantially.
Maybe it is better to stay with the Devil  you know than the Devil  you don't know

[kerrso05]

Ardua..........No, I didn't think you were recommending them.......anyone with a bit of sense would never recommend them

[mervl]

Without mentioning names, it's horses for courses. We've been told that IDNet don't consciously throttle or traffic shape and try to maintain the best upstream network with redundancy etc. Others do throttle at least some uses, or restrict speeds usually at times for different uses - and increasingly are even explicit with their policies. As caps differ. If, as in my case, I'm a single householder and use only one item of computer equipment at a time, then apart from caps (and possibly throttling) the rest is pretty well irrelevant, but for others it's not the same.

It does look to me, from the pricing and the way the website is set up and described, as though IDNet want to more or less actively discourage consumer use, but I'm sure they won't turn good money down. I think us consumers who stay on legacy packages are living on borrowed time, but if the new packages suit then . . . no problem.

[zappaDPJ]

I think a lot depends on what you want from an Internet connection. I for example need low latency, maximum uptime, fast upstream and if possible a reasonable amount of bandwidth which is akin to asking for the moon on stick. IDNet provide me with almost all of that but my bandwidth usage is very tight and I'm often forced to stay up half the night to get the most of out of off-peak hours. The new packages might give me scope to adjust my hours but I'd probably have to move to a higher tariff.

[Technical Ben]

Harry, you look to be on the same position ans psp83 100 is not enough, but 200 is too much at present.

Give it another 6 months and HD content could see that 200GB as a life line! 
PS, also for not playing any PC games online for about 12 months or more (except the occasional casual play ) I found one over last weekend that's caught my eye. So I'll benefit from the low latency that IDNet provide for certain.

[Gary]

But if it's the same RSS feed for everybody might it not be helpful to those on old packages to have the breakdown? (I know your answer). Is the maths so difficult? EDIT: I have to say I fully expect IDNet to lose the breakdown so the dinosaurs have to work in the dark to guess our peak/off-peak breakdown as our punishment for reducing their profitability.

Thanks for the polite 'dig' mervl! The maths gets confusing simply because of my memory issues on the medication I am on. I forget information in seconds short term sadly, my wife and carers help me with that, looking up and seeing a bunch of off peak and peak is cluttered for me, that simple, I just thought IDNet might provide two rss feeds one for new tariffs, one for those who use the old tariffs, no need for the attitude. 

[Gary]

Maybe, but it's never been the case here

Its always been the case not to promote other providers, Rik, and other admins in the past would politely ask you not to go on about 'other ISP's' if you compared them with IDNet to much.

[Bill]

Something odd going on?

I always get three messages on my RSS feed (I use Mac Mail as my client)- one each for peak and off-peak giving the up- and downloads, and a third with the subject "Current Usage" and the date period that seems to give exactly what you want (just ignore the bits in parentheses), eg:

Current Usage

During the time period 2012-10-01 to 2012-10-06 your bandwidth use was:

1.85 GB Download - (Peak: 1.41 GB | Off-Peak: 0.44 GB)

0.64 GB Upload - (Peak: 0.43 GB | Off-Peak: 0.21 GB)


These figures cover 5 days. If your previous 7 days rate of usage continues for 31 days then the total for the month will be:

8.87 GB Download - (Peak: 6.75 GB | Off-Peak: 2.12 GB)

3.14 GB Upload - (Peak: 2.12 GB | Off-Peak: 1.02 GB)


* Peak times are 9:00am to midnight - Off-Peak times are midnight to 9:00am

* Bandwidth allowance is calculated from the 1st day of the month i.e. the allowance covers the calendar month rather than your 'Billing' month (Billing Month being 30 days from the date that you pay for your subscription).

[Ardua]

IMHO, it would mighty odd to someone joining IDNet today to see usage expressed in terms of 'peak' and 'off peak'. IDNet has carefully avoided any mention of legacy packages on its new website to avoid confusion. I confess that I do not use RSS feeds and when I need it I get usage information from my account.

[Rik]

Also, regarding the hosting, if this is run by volunteers why is it an issue? Yes IDnet provide the hosting, but if IDnet are now telling moderators/admins to tell the people to stop posting certain things, then stick up a paypal link and have your own hosting for the forums. Problem solved.

Niall, usage of the forum has dropped by 80% over the past year or so, I doubt we could raise enough money from subs to pay for hosting unless the sub was quite high and compulsory.

[Ardua]

Niall, usage of the forum has dropped by 80% over the past year or so, I doubt we could raise enough money from subs to pay for hosting unless the sub was quite high and compulsory.

Interesting.  I wonder whether this is to do with the roll-out of FTTC which has brought with it greater stability and, consequently, less support-related issues? You only have to look at TBB to see how quiet many of the ISP forums are. Indeed, most of the posts relate to FTTC roll-out (or in many areas the lack of FTTC roll-out). It would be a pity to see IDNetters whither on the vine.

[Rik]

It would, but the withering has been more on the social side than the technical. In my opinion, the community has dissipated to a great extent. It's not just us, most forums are seeing a drop, perhaps social media has taken over?

[Ardua]

It would, but the withering has been more on the social side than the technical. In my opinion, the community has dissipated to a great extent. It's not just us, most forums are seeing a drop, perhaps social media has taken over?

Mea culpa - my brain cells are clearly withering away. Our wider family cannot understand why we do not tweet or use Facebook. They should have been here last week when my wife and I were discussing what sort of mobile phone she needed to have as her much-loved mobile phone had finally come to grief after 5 years of intermittent use. After a lengthy discussion, the requirement came down to 2 things: it must be capable of being used as a phone with texting as a bonus!  Decision made. The phone arrived yesterday and I am now poorer to the tune of £5.75. The new phone works a treat.

[Rik]

That's two of us who don't. I do have a Facebook account, but that's only to pick up Donald Russell specials.

[Glenn]

I don't have a Facebook account, several friends have closed there's recently. Yet 1 in 7 of the world population now has an account, according to Facebook.

[mervl]

Thanks for the polite 'dig' mervl! ... no need for the attitude. 

My apologies. That sort of problem with memory must make life horrible, so yep you need life made easier rather than me! I can get a breakdown through TBB meter anyway, I'd forgot!

[andrue]

It would, but the withering has been more on the social side than the technical. In my opinion, the community has dissipated to a great extent. It's not just us, most forums are seeing a drop, perhaps social media has taken over?

I agree. A lot of forums have seen a drop in use over the past year or so. I think technical ones have suffered more though - as noted TBB seems to have become a lot quieter.

The only one that seems to be bucking the trend are the Digital Spy forums. That's probably because of the main site's 'gossip column' side and media tie ins to things like Big Brother. The technical forums are fairly quiet but there's a lot of others that are heaving. I think someone last month said that DS had over half a million members now.

I mainly visit the Sky forums and General Discussion. The latter is dafter than a bucket full of squirrels but entertaining

Oh and I don't have a Facepalm or Twit account either

[Niall]

Its always been the case not to promote other providers, Rik, and other admins in the past would politely ask you not to go on about 'other ISP's' if you compared them with IDNet to much.

Yes, not to promote others is fine as I mentioned once or twice. It's harsh when it's telling people not even to mention others. The information is available with the most simplistic search terms possible so telling people not to even mention them comes across as overly restrictive. Start enforcing that and you'll see an increase to the 80% drop off. Freedom to speak and compare things is one of the areas that made these forums popular, that and the fun they have on the boards. A lot of the people that posted on here that actually moved to other ISPs don't post here now which you can understand. That being said, if they're starting to enforce even uttering the name of other ISPs it makes you wonder if the reason the forums are quiet is because they've haemorrhaged customers and are worried they'll lose more.

Oh and a lot of customers when I started posting here were gamers, and I've seen the trends come and go time and time again. After a few years, the gamers generally drift off and post less, as believe it or not they move on with their lives I used to admin Jolt servers and forums and you'd see well known people totally vanish after a couple of years, then come back but only view boards, then stop coming all together.  Also if they have no reason to use a specific board anymore, then you'll not see them for dust. Stop having problems, or stop playing a game or doing whatever the boards cover and again, they'll go away. Big drop offs are either people with perfect lines for what they use them for so don't need to post, or they left so don't need to post.

Now obviously I don't know this for a fact, but there were a lot of gamers mentioning issues a while ago and you haven't heard from them since, so I wonder if they up and left to another ISP. Normally gamer types are the ones you'll see on forums.

[Simon]

Just to add, can we please not have advertising for other ISPs on IDNet's forum.  I am sure the Which? article that Ardua referred to is available online.

Yes, not to promote others is fine as I mentioned once or twice. It's harsh when it's telling people not even to mention others. The information is available with the most simplistic search terms possible so telling people not to even mention them comes across as overly restrictive. Start enforcing that and you'll see an increase to the 80% drop off. Freedom to speak and compare things is one of the areas that made these forums popular, that and the fun they have on the boards. A lot of the people that posted on here that actually moved to other ISPs don't post here now which you can understand. That being said, if they're starting to enforce even uttering the name of other ISPs it makes you wonder if the reason the forums are quiet is because they've haemorrhaged customers and are worried they'll lose more.

For goodness sake, read my post.  I never used the word 'mention'.  I never said or implied you can't **mention** other ISPs!!  This was simply a polite and perfectly reasonable request (note: request, not restriction) not to **advertise** other ISPs by way of publishing details of their packages, which has been blown up out of all proportion.  I think it is perfectly clear what I meant, and I am not going to respond again, so please let this drop now, or the thread will be closed.

[psp83]

For goodness sake, read my post.  I never used the word 'mention'.  I never said or implied you can't **mention** other ISPs!!  This was simply a polite and perfectly reasonable request (note: request, not restriction) not to **advertise** other ISPs by way of publishing details of their packages, which has been blown up out of all proportion.  I think it is perfectly clear what I meant, and I am not going to respond again, so please let this drop now, or the thread will be closed.

Don't worry Simon, I knew what you meant, hence the messing about mentioning Tiscali 

[kerrso05]

For goodness sake, read my post.  I never used the word 'mention'.  I never said or implied you can't **mention** other ISPs!!  This was simply a polite and perfectly reasonable request (note: request, not restriction) not to **advertise** other ISPs by way of publishing details of their packages, which has been blown up out of all proportion.  I think it is perfectly clear what I meant, and I am not going to respond again, so please let this drop now, or the thread will be closed.

Wow Simon that's an aggressive angry rant...were did that come from? Just because there is something you don't like and because you have the position of Administrator you are going to threaten my legitimate thread with CLOSURE. What have I done to deserve this, I ask myself? I was only asking a question about another provider. It turns out that Provider is someone I have had terrible experience off and in my opinion is that they are "The Worst Internet Provider in the World"
Surely if there are things that people say that you don't like, you could PM them and take it up with them on a one to one basis, not threaten to close down a thread which has legitimate questions to ask about the new tariffs and the implications they will have on other users,

I am very very disappointed in your reaction and equally annoyed as you are by the way this Thread has turned....(In my opinion) it shows a very nasty side  to this Forum, certainly not a friendly helpful one (that it used to be).

So if you want to close it......I'm happy with that........I'll go to another forum and ask these legitimate questions