No mac code.. no Isp in sight :(

[Steve]

I think it grossly unfair if your disconnected without any previous warnings of excessive download usage.

[Rik]

Possibly, even, illegal.

[Steve]

I suppose you could have warned a while ago, I wouldn't know if a past warning ever expires

[Rik]

It doesn't.

[pctech]

If you sign a contract that says "Unlimited" that is what it means and it cannot be abused .......... O2 and others should not have made false claims about their service, it would be like IDNet shutting you down for using your allowance to the full each month.

For most people it is likely to be unlimited but for a heavy user that runs torrents 24/7 any ISP is going to come to a point where they say enough is enough as it starts to have a negative impact on the network throughput because the bandwidth capacity is being exhausted.

To cope with the problem ISPs can upgrade networking devices along with transit and peering capacity but this can only be done to a certain point before prices need to be raised (a guaranteed way to drive away customers) or they start to manage the network by booting those who abuse the facilities.

At least one of my colleagues has been booted from several ISPs for fully loading his connection 24/7 and another has been warned.

I think O2's broadband network is now groaning under the strain and so they are taking steps to improve performance.

Unlimited cannot and does not physically exist as if it did ISP networks would grind to a halt or upgrade themselves out of business.

[Rik]

Unlimited cannot and does not physically exist as if it did ISP networks would grind to a halt or upgrade themselves out of business.

It could, I suppose, Mitch, but only at a very steep price. ISPs cost their services on average users. If they priced for a maxed out 24/7 connection, they could probably offer unlimited, but I doubt they'd get many takers.

[pctech]

Could always have a leased line I suppose (£100+ a month)

[Rik]

Exactly, Mitch. People can have truly unlimited BB, but it comes at a cost.

[pctech]

I dare say there is an AUP somewhere though as everything has a physical limit.

[Rik]

With a leased line, though, the limit is physical, surely?

[pctech]

It is yes but like ADSL it is a point to point connection so am talking more about the network at the WAN end.

[Rik]

I take your point, Mitch.

[pctech]

As for my comments about large bills, my point was you cant take back your ussage.

[Technical Ben]

I still stick by my comments. If it's not unlimited, don't advertise it as such. Advertise it as 100GB allowance etc. As the usage grows exponentially (due to HD TV, then it will be stereoscopic 3d tv. Then volumetric 3d, or virtual reality etc) you will always have someone or something to use up the bandwidth. Similar with HDDs. You would have thought it crazy to buy more than a GB back in the day. Now there are people on this forum, and many others, buying NAS drives with terrabites of storage. And this is not always enough. So, just as my HDD company cannot advertise their 100GB HDD as "unlimited capacity" why should BT or anyone else be able to advertise a connection as "unlimited bandwidth"!
Oh, and it's like those kebabs with "meat" in them. 

[Simon]

Oh, it's definitely meat.  Of what, though, remains a mystery. 

[zappaDPJ]

I ate my last doner kebab at approximately 11.30pm on May 22nd 1980. A few hours later I defied the laws of gravity by being sick on the celling

[Niall]

I ate my last doner kebab at approximately 11.30pm on May 22nd 1980. A few hours later I defied the laws of gravity by being sick on the celling

Haha

[Simon]

 

[pctech]

First thing that is taught on a Cisco networking course is that bandwidth is finite and has to be managed so that priority traffic is not dropped.

[Rik]

I have the same rules about food, Mitch.

[pctech]

 

Very true, particularly if its a nice piece of steak or fish.

[Rik]

We can offer you the choice.

[DorsetBoy]

I ate my last doner kebab at approximately 11.30pm on May 22nd 1980. A few hours later I defied the laws of gravity by being sick on the celling

Was it this one Zap?       

[Rik]

It's bad enough looking at it, let alone eating it. 

[pctech]

I wouldn't touch a kebab but the local kebab shop does a cracking burger with fresh onion on top and chips.