BT Admit Broadband Usage Monitor Is Wrong

littleboo

SPJW wrote: »

I probably need to say this again…


3. FON sell a device for mobile homes: a "Fonera". The Fonera not only provides the purchasing customer with broadband access (via FON), but also provides a FON hotspot for other FON users. Any broadband usage through the Fonera, whether by the purchasing customer or by someone accessing the hotspot externally, is billed directly to the customer who purchased the Fonera. FON cannot distinguish usage between the owner of the Fonera and any other user accessing the Fonera as a hotspot. If FON cannot make this distinction, then why should we believe that BT can distinguish between broadband and FON usage on home hubs? Surely FON would implement the same technology on their own devices...?

The difference is that BT is the ISP so can apply accounting to the different traffic, FON is not the ISP so has no such visibility or control.

Nodding_Donkey

As our BT broadband is about as fast as dialup I regularly download large files using FON. I hope the person who lives near my local doesn't turn the Fon hotspot off.

peterwot

<I think you have the option of not participating in the FON network.>

I have been trying to opt out of FON for last three weeks. BT told me last week there is a "systems problem" and wd continue to try on my behalf.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

SPJW wrote: »

I am prevented from posting a link to the thread.

You keep on saying this. Just put www dot whatever dot com and some kind person will format it for you. Simples.

VisionMan

From my technically limited view the problem basically seems to be account tagging, in that each type of traffic is tagged (Net usage, BT TV and FON) and the user is only supposed to be charged for net usage. But the monitor doesn't seem to be separating and tagging the traffic correctly. Hence the problems that have been going on for oh-so-long. The FON incident was a one-off as far as I'm aware.

SPJW

VisionMan wrote: »

I didn't mention FON. You did on another thread. I said they have admitted, quite some time ago, that their BB usage monitor doesn't work. And they were reprimanded for this. Yet the problem persists...

I mentioned FON in the first post on this thread when I explained the fault.

Any chance of any form of useful link to a previous post anywhere which supports your statement re: BT admitting that the usage monitor doesn't work?

VisionMan

SPJW wrote: »

I mentioned FON in the first post on this thread when I explained the fault.

Any chance of any form of useful link to a previous post anywhere which supports your statement re: BT admitting that the usage monitor doesn't work?

From about 18 mths ago? No chance unfortunately. But as I said above, Ofcom have already been involved in the matter and BT admitted liability. If you want a link for that, just google it.

peterwot

VisionMan

I tried googling for the link you mentioned to OFCOM involvement but I was not successful. Wd you be kind enough to let me know what key words to use when searching. Many thanks.

VisionMan

peterwot wrote: »

VisionMan

I tried googling for the link you mentioned to OFCOM involvement but I was not successful. Wd you be kind enough to let me know what key words to use when searching. Many thanks.

Sorry peterwot, I've just looked myself and I cannot find one article relating to BTs BB usage monitor, which is surprising.

SPJW

So:

1. there is no evidence of previous threads where BT have admitted this fault.
2. there is no evidence that BT were previously reprimanded by OfCom for any fault with the usage monitor.

Q. Are these statements correct?

BT have now closed the thread on the BT Community forum without stating the reason for the fault. However, they do admit the fault.

Is there reasonable cause for OfCom to investigate?