**** DEFINE: 'DATA' or 'DOWNLOAD' *****

edster71

Alright, this might be a bit of an odd query, but I can't be
the only person that's wondered about this.

I did once ask a person at the end of the phone, when negotiating
a re-newal on a mobile phone contract, and this person couldn't
give me a straight answer, so wondered at the time whether
this is dodged in the training given to the likes of O, V, and 3 staff...

Anyway, the question:

what is actually meant by the term DOWNLOAD ??

As this is pivotal to the numerous contracts we as consumers
are buying into - be it for a modern mobile phone, or
in the data limits we see in our Broadband deals.

To my mind, this isn't something that is readily interpreted,
as, for the sake of argument, watching BBCi telly means
downloading the images you can watch, but unless you elect to
you won't be downloading the bytes onto your desktop etc.

And, there are many similar ways in which we all use the
web that does not equate to downloading.

I'm partly interested in knowing the definitive answer to this question,
as it might mean that a lower spec option might do just as well
as a higher priced deal option when it comes to negotiating a contract -
I don't tend to download a great deal... I doubt many other people do
either. So can we save some money? ? ? ? ? ?

Perhaps there is a clear answer to this question?,
or are the lines being deliberately smudged ???

DevCoder

In this context :-

Any data packets which is sent to you with you as a downstream to the sender.

Whether you save those packets into a logical file on whichever device you are using is irrelevant. After all why would it make a difference what *you* do with the data packets once your device has received them (i.e. let it stream which is then "forgotten about" or actually save them permanently).

Figment

Every email you receive, every web page you view, every movie you watch / song you listen to on youtube/iplayer/netflix, every purchase on itunes. Every piece of software/app you download, every browser update etc. They all result in data being transferred (downloaded) from the web to your computer / device. All of the above and more contributes to your data download limit.

This is not an exhaustive list.

edster71 wrote: »

And, there are many similar ways in which we all use the
web that does not equate to downloading.

List a few of them....

John_Gray

There is a clear answer to the question: the amount of data transferred to the customer through the connection from the ISP, regardless of what is done with it by the customer. This covers downloading files, displaying data on the screen of a web browser, etc, etc. Note that data downloaded inevitably requires a small amount of data uploaded in the other direction, a few percent, to verify that the data has been downloaded error-free.

Of course you can also upload data, e.g. to a website (and this also requires a small amount of data uploaded in the other direction, for the same reason!).

(This time two people beat me to it!)

edster71

Thanks all! :beer:

hadn't thought of it in the right way, obviously.