Fair Usage Policies

Kavanne

If I phone up BT and ask them what their fair usage policy limit is, will they tell me?

I've waded through their T&Cs but can't see any figures.

Similarly, if I phone other companies will they disclose what theirs is to me? I am looking to switch, preferably to someone with a higher threshold than BT which is why I'd like to find out.

Thanks!

RFU

Sky FUP is about 100gig a month ( thats alot of films and music ). Virgin caps your speed for 5 hours if you download over 500mb between peek times, so that in my opinion is not "unlimited". As Sky explains in their terms of service (Brief outline below) they are very reasonable in there approach. one of the interesting points is the use of p2p, sky only mentions....
Quote:keep your use of file sharing software (including peer-to-peer) and uploading and downloading of very large files reasonable.

If, in our reasonable opinion, you have breached this FUP, we will contact you by email to let you know that that your usage is excessive and is affecting the Sky Network and/or other users.

If after we have sent you the first email your usage continues to be excessive, we will contact you again by email to ask you to reduce you usage. If after a reasonable period of time your usage still remains excessive then we may do one or more of the following things by notice in writing:
(a) impose a monthly usage cap on your use of Sky Broadband which you must not exceed;
(b) pair your use of Sky Broadband with other users in the same excessive usage category as you;
(c) charge you fair and reasonable costs for your usage (and any reasonable administration costs) in excess of your Usage Cap;
(d) suspend your use of Sky Broadband for the relevant month; or
(e) end your Contract in accordance with Condition 11 of your Contract

BT_company_representative

Kavanne,

BT's FUP threshold is about 100 GB per month on option 3, and if you exceed it your speed may be capped at peaked times.

If you're on option 1 or 2 the monthly usage allowance is 10 GB and 20 GB respectively, here's an extract from bt.com about it (just a note, the charges mentioned below do not apply to Option 3 customers):

" If you exceed your usage allowance for two months in a row, we'll charge you 58p for each extra GB you use (rounded up to the nearest GB) starting from the second month you exceed your allowance. This is changing to £1 for each extra GB for usage from 1 April 2009. We'll continue charging if you keep exceeding your allowance in the following months. These charges will appear on your BT bill."

Hope this helps

Cheers,

Stephanie
BT Company Representative

Kavanne

I have never been charged but I am throttled at peak times. I don't think I exceed 100GB a month so why I am being capped? I have also never been told or warned that I am exceeding the 100GB... Should I have been?

If I have never been charged, why is my speed being capped at peak times?

Will I be sent a written warning or notification BEFORE any charges are going to be applied?

Browntoa

may be being "throttled" in your area which slows the speed down as opposed to a user Cap ??

mine often slows down when the school kids get home

Kavanne

Browntoa wrote: »

may be being "throttled" in your area which slows the speed down as opposed to a user Cap ??

mine often slows down when the school kids get home

How can they do this to everyone? I really need to switch. Even my mother in law's tesco basic broadband is faster than 'BT total broadband option 3' in the evenings. Not on (we even live in the same area)

Browntoa

they particularly throttle P2p in the evenings I think ,don't think it's unique to BT either

Kavanne

Browntoa wrote: »

they particularly throttle P2p in the evenings I think ,don't think it's unique to BT either

Do iTunes downloads count as P2P? It's how I get all my TV shows and movies.

456789

Can you get BeThere/O2 LLU service? - some people downloads 1000's of GB's every month and the company doesn't say anything to them

MrsTinks

Are you on LLU or Datastream (or even IPstream)?
What your MIL gets is totally irrelevant unless she's on the same exchange as you and live in the same road Increased traffic can affect your speed - especially if there is a long line issue too - and remember lines don't always run in a nice straight line from the exchange to your house...
Best bet is to call BT if you ask me and see what profile you are on with your line. Ask to be put on a faster profile if the exchange can take it (this really does depend on what connection you're on...)

Kavanne

456789 wrote: »

Can you get BeThere/O2 LLU service? - some people downloads 1000's of GB's every month and the company doesn't say anything to them

Yeah I think I will transfer over to Be at the end of my contract as my friend has their unlimited package in his student house and they all download loads and Be have never said anything or restricted their speeds.