Bandwidth usage and penalties

Andy70 · Dec 06, 2007, 20:03:33

OK, 1st month and all that....

........ been really silly and downed 29gb of my 30gb monthly allowance already with 10 days 'til my reset date

My main question is if (and that is big if) i do go over my monthly quota will i be charged and at what rate? I only ask this as my previous ISP (fast.co.uk) would turn a blind eye to monthly quotas that overrun by a few gigs....

Lance · Dec 06, 2007, 20:12:15

IDNet to allow a little overrun (I'm not sure how much, but I guess a couple of hundred meg at most).

However, any bandwidth used over and above that included in your package is charged at £1 per gig inclusive of VAT.

It's amazing how quickly the bandwidth can go when you're with a good ISP!

Andy70 · Dec 06, 2007, 20:17:53

Quote from: Lance on Dec 06, 2007, 20:12:15
IDNet to allow a little overrun (I'm not sure how much, but I guess a couple of hundred meg at most).

However, any bandwidth used over and above that included in your package is charged at £1 per gig inclusive of VAT.

It's amazing how quickly the bandwidth can go when you're with a good ISP!

I was with a good ISP before ... the no.1 rated! (ISP Review) but their packages didn't suit my needs.

Cheers for the update though

, ..... only got myself into this mess because i decided to sell my PS3 and formatted the HD, had a change of mind and had to re-download 5.5gb of data!

Rik · Dec 06, 2007, 23:50:00

It's worth noting that your charging period runs from the 1st of each month, Andy, regardless of your billing date.

Andy70 · Dec 07, 2007, 16:34:27

Quote from: Rik on Dec 06, 2007, 23:50:00
It's worth noting that your charging period runs from the 1st of each month, Andy, regardless of your billing date.

So let me understand correctly.. I joined on 16th November and up to the end of november i used 18.35gb. From the beginning of December up until now i have used 10.69gb which means i have just under 20gb left for this month? (i'm on the 30gb package).

Never worked that way with my previous isp - it was calculated from your billing date for the monthly quota.

Rik · Dec 07, 2007, 16:36:20

If you've used 10.7GB, Andy, you have 19.3GB left from now to January 1, when a fresh charging period begins. If you would prefer to have your billing and usage on the same cycle, give IDNet a ring and they will adjust the billing date for you.

swirllygig · Dec 09, 2007, 22:01:06

I am also dloading to much by the looks of it, can someone please explain to me why there is a limit surely the internet is always there, I pay for sky TV and can watch as much and as long as i like, are the limits just another way to make money (im new to idnet and dload limits my other provider was unlimited). So basically im asking what is the reason for limits how do they effect other users. If the contention is 50 can all 50 users dload at same time ?. Hmm thinking about it as i type this do isp have to buy download from BT (or whoever) so say idnet buys 100 gig's worth it has o share it among its users.
Just wondering should probably google it but thought id use the forum.

Cheers Paul

Simon · Dec 09, 2007, 22:44:22

Hi Paul,

and have a welcome Karma.

I can't answer your question with any authority, but someone will be along later who can.

I would guess that you are partly right, in that ISPs have to pay BT for bandwidth, and then share it out among the customers. Some users were downloading huge amounts of data each day, and I suppose this would have affected the bandwidth available to other users, and also the ISP's profits. We have to accept that businesses are there to make money, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Your previous provider may have been 'unlimited', but they would probably have had a 'fair use policy', and may also have implemented restrictions on speed during peak times, or throttled some ports (i.e. on P2P networks), in order to restrict usage. There are no such restrictions with IDNet.

Rik · Dec 09, 2007, 23:40:59

Quote from: swirllygig on Dec 09, 2007, 22:01:06
please explain to me why there is a limit surely the internet is always there

Hi Paul

Welcome to the forum. Think of broadband as you would do gas or electricity. Both are always there, available on throwing a switch or turning a valve. However, you actually pay for the amount you consume. ISPs have to buy bandwidth from BT, and sell it to end users. The more we use, the more it costs them, they have to pass that cost on.

The comparison with Sky TV is not an ideal one, if you want to watch more than one channel at a time, they will charge you extra for a multi-room subscription.

IDNet do not throttle or traffic shape. Instead, they have a range of packages from which we can choose. If those are not adequate, then we can top up our bandwidth by paying for the extra. The effect on other users is minimal with IDNet, as they guarantee no contention within their network, the only point at which any of us experiences contention is at the BT exchange.

Does that help?

Lance · Dec 10, 2007, 06:49:47

Looks like a good explanation to me!

Ann · Dec 10, 2007, 13:13:02

We got too used to all-you-can-use dial up and now it's hard to accept less. I feel a youngsters-of-today rant coming on

Rik · Dec 10, 2007, 13:47:25

The gas companies wouldn't charge for gas if the supply was only enough to run one hob, Ann.

casual_moron · Dec 13, 2007, 00:08:51

to be fair, idnet (and various others) do do a genuine all you can eat one (although as simon pointed out, idnet are probbably fairly unique in that there isnt a 'fair' use policy which they hide behind.

i've just signed up, and between the 1 month contract (which was ultimately what persuaded me to sign up rather than with claranet who provide all our business's adsl as i feel it speaks volumes about there customer commitment that they dont feel the need to trap you for a 12 month) and the lack of a fup means i pays my 80 quid and can download as much as i like

Ann · Dec 13, 2007, 00:21:59

80 quid?.. wow.

Rik · Dec 13, 2007, 00:23:21

Business Max Premium, Ann. The man is a serious user.

casual_moron · Dec 13, 2007, 00:23:37

its easy to justify when you view the net as one of 'the necessity's of life' and hot water as an optional extra

casual_moron · Dec 13, 2007, 00:25:11

Quote from: Rik on Dec 13, 2007, 00:23:21
Business Max Premium, Ann. The man is a serious user.

Business Max Premium protected thank you very much!

Rik · Dec 13, 2007, 00:27:57

The protected doesn't get you more bandwidth!

Simon · Dec 13, 2007, 00:29:59

What does the protected protect then?

casual_moron · Dec 13, 2007, 00:31:18

it does over the course of a year, tree's may not be much of an issue in milton Keynes. but many a bank holliday weekend has been ruined by them, surely they must be stopped! however in the mean time a 8 hour sla is the best i can have (also its just the fact that it is just the biggest bestist one possible without moving into sdsl or leased line terrortry (although i was seriously contemplating the possibility of bonded adsl)

casual_moron · Dec 13, 2007, 00:32:28

basically its a tenner a month more for a 8 hour response / fixit time simon

(got a next morning appointment for a bt guy which is almost unheard of ... shame the connections started working of its own accord really, im just praying that bt or idnet have done something remotely without telling me rather than me just be a moron )

Simon · Dec 13, 2007, 00:33:03

Ah, OK.

Rik · Dec 13, 2007, 00:33:06

Quote from: casual_moron on Dec 13, 2007, 00:31:18
it does over the course of a year, tree's may not be much of an issue in milton Keynes. but many a bank holliday weekend has been ruined by them

The did a pretty fair job of ruination when they caused subsidence damage to this house.

Simon · Dec 13, 2007, 20:28:59

Quote from: Rik on Dec 13, 2007, 00:33:06
The did a pretty fair job of ruination when they caused subsidence damage to this house.

Perhaps if you sit at the other end of the house for a while, it will even out!

Rik · Dec 14, 2007, 00:28:45