Have you signed up for an “unlimited” package only to read the small print and find out that your broadband can be capped? Most companies who sell an “unlimited” service also have what is called a “fair usage policy”, which can end up imposing limits on your downloading.
If you are one of the millions of people free movies who download music, movies and high resolution photos, then this could affect to you. While you might not be downloading anything like 20GB a month now, the imminent rise in legal film downloads, is just one way in which this is set to change.
What to look out for
Put simply, fair usage is the broadband industry’s attempt at keeping cyber traffic down. The policy was designed to protect the people who might be affected by your downloading.
If you have an ADSL line, then you share probably your connection with the rest of your street. Because ADSL uses the old BT copper wires network, there is a limit to the capacity that they can carry.
The problem is that if you’re a big downloader, you could be slowing down the broadband connection of up to 50 other people. And if you are regularly affecting other people’s internet, your ISP might decide that something needs to be done.
On the other hand, contention ratios for the 2.2 million cable customers (Ofcom, 2006) will be much lower, so they will be sharing with fewer people.
It’s when you use it, not how
Your ISP is only trying to ensure that everyone has a good user experience. Those most likely to be affected by the fair usage policy are:
If any of these apply to you, try cutting down your internet usage, or try downloading in the small hours when less people will be online in your street. That way you can still download as much as you want, without causing problems for anyone else.
Typical penalties
Most ISPs will links of london sale ignore over-sized downloading for a month or two, and will then get in touch asking that you curb your usage. If, however, you continue to exceed the limits they are likely to take action.
This could take the form of reducing the speed of your connection, therefore limiting the amount that can be downloaded, restricting your usage at peak times, charging you for your excess usage, or restricting your use of peer to peer sites.
In extreme cases, they might terminate your contract, cutting off your internet until you can get a new connection.
If, having signed up for an “unlimited” package, and anything like this does happen you don’t have to just accept their decision. There is something you can do.
Dispute and resolution
Get in touch with Otelo, the telecommunication industry’s watchdog, whose job it is to investigate pandora sale complaints by customers. 33 per cent of ISPs are members of the body, so it is always advisable to use a company that is signed up, in case you do run into any problems. Click here to check if your provider is a member.
Otelo also charges members for being investigated so it will help your case to get them involved. If your ISP isn’t a member of Otelo, try Ofcom, the independent regulator for the UK, who will still be able to help.
“I have to face facts; I’m a download-a-holic”
If you know that you make big downloads, then it might simply be time to admit that you need to cut down.
But what counts as a big RS Money download? The average 12 track album is about 0.48GB, while a downloaded movie can be anything up to 1GB. Apple’s new movie downloads service, although only currently available in a US format, are 2.5GB in size.
You need to be realistic – if you are doing a lot of downloading, you need a beefy package. It saves on the aggravation and cost of calls to your ISPs customer service centre.
related articles:
http://www.demo.phpfoxservices.com/blog/view/id_15505/title_Latest-Film-Trailers-Red-Riding-Hood/
http://haoganna.blox.pl/2011/07/On-one-other-hand.html
http://edhardypurses.multiply.com/journal/item/33/Hardwickes_contribution_for_that_Twilight_saga
http://www.4ppl.com/blog/entry/Amanda_Seyfried_performs_Valerie
http://cheapsunny.blog.com/2011/07/08/valerie-can-flee-with-her-forbidden-lover/
