Tiscali Fair Use Policy

Silent_Bob_3

I've just had a second email off Tiscali quoting their Fair Use Policy (FUP) that we are using too much bandwidth within peak hours 6pm til 11pm. I was not made aware of this policy when I signed up. Now they are threating to restrict our bandwidth.

The kids mainly use the net at this time for homework, online gaming and downloading music via legal sites. When else are they supposed to use it?

We've been asked to limit the net use to email and browsing!!!

After the first email I contact Tiscali about this and they tried to sell me a cheaper tariff/connection rate with more restrictions. In fact we were better off when we had a capped rate as we had no warnings then.

As we're on an "Unlimited" account AND have the phone though them I've a good mind to tell them where to shove it. Surely by definition Unlimited means unlimited without restriction especially weren't shown or emailed their FUP at the time of signing up.

I think I'm going to try and get someone senior to phone me and have it out with them and contact Oftel about this matter as it's peed me off big time.

mr_fishbulb

It will be tucked away in the T&Cs that it is subject to "Fair Use"

Did Tiscali tell you how much you have downloaded per month?

IvanOpinion

I am surprised that normal internet usage would be causing a problem - even if you are continually downloading. Do you have several PCs all connected? The Tiscali fair use policy can be found here. Generally these policies are for the benefit of the users however it seems strange you are falling foul of it?

Ivan

mr_fishbulb

Reading those T&Cs I would advise you to have a look on your computer to see if there is any P2P software running you don't know about.

Have a look in the taskbar (all the icons in the bottom-right of the screen) to see what programs are running. If you don't recognise any then post on here.

Silent_Bob_3

mr_fishbulb wrote:

It will be tucked away in the T&Cs that it is subject to "Fair Use"

Did Tiscali tell you how much you have downloaded per month?

No they just said we were had exceeded the bandwidth within peak hours. I wonder if the online game (cant remember the name) our son goes on for a couple of hours could be the problem.

mr_fishbulb wrote:

Reading those T&Cs I would advise you to have a look on your computer to see if there is any P2P software running you don't know about.

Have a look in the taskbar (all the icons in the bottom-right of the screen) to see what programs are running. If you don't recognise any then post on here.

We do have P2P but only I have control over it. The only thing we use it for is downloading Lost Season 2 and thats 1 epsiode a week (approx 350mb) which I run overnight outside their peak hours. And then the P2P is shut off until the next week. No hidden processes running in the background either.

Having read the FUP policy before I've just looked again and this is still there:-

"The 1Mb £14.99 unlimited broadband package is a special offer available until 31st October 2005 to new and existing customers. If you have previously signed up to our 1Mb £14.99 2GB cap product, then this cap will still apply. However, if you wish to change this package to any of the new unlimited products shown on our product pages then you can do this at any time quickly and easily within My Account or by clicking the UPGRADE NOW link from the product pages. "

I know its out of date now, but that still to me makes it look like you'd be unaffected by switching to an "unlimited" account. Even though there are limits on accounts - namely their throttling of bandwidth. Grrrrrrrr

mr_fishbulb

Online gaming shouldn't take up much bandwidth at all.

I'd suggest installing a bandwidth monitor and find out exactly how much you are using in the evenings and then have a word with Tiscali and find out what they consider to be excessive.

grahalex

I am thinking of starting broadband access with Tiscali,overall are you happy with them and would you recommend using them ? :rolleyes:

mentaljessie

No if had a chance again I wouldn't touch em with a barge pole putting it politely. I have yet in my 11 months as a customer ever been able to speak to a human in customer service without being disconnected beforehand. Also for the past 2 nights I have had to wait over 2 hours to access my email account as the server was busy.

Silent_Bob_3

grahalex wrote:

I am thinking of starting broadband access with Tiscali,overall are you happy with them and would you recommend using them ? :rolleyes:

Over 4 years of being with them I've had less than 2 days downtime - and that was BTs fault. Have had any problems dealt with speedily and efficiently. They have a better contention ration than many others providers.

Its just recently they are annoying the crap out of me with their FUP.

Wait until April - 8mb lines should be availble at much reduced prices.

lewt

ive had the same emails sent to me 3 times now i spoke to some moron working in there cs department and basicly there is nothing you can do about it except complain to them(they'll do nothing) or to ofcom i would never recomend a company that operates in this dishonest and underhand way. THEY KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE DONT READ THE T&C its a shame bizniz has to be this way.

Esoog

We've had about 10 letters from blueyonder/telewest about this...
Just ignore them he he he