BT Admit Broadband Usage Monitor Is Wrong

flowrypot

I am interested to read this ,as this happened to my 84 year old dad recently, his usage leaping up all the time when he barely uses the internet. He was getting alarmed and we had no joy from India as they insisted he was using it , in the end they sent us a new code, but he is still reluctant to use it.

ramblinstu

So BT have just informed me I have used my 40gigs (whatever they may be, I know, I know but how do you measure a Gigawhatsit?

First time in five years I have ever been close to my limit. Is this because I have recently agreed a new 12-month contract, and they are trying to up their turnover by charging me more for stuff I don’t need, or, if I leave I would have to pay for that privilege too?

Who says what I have used? BT. Who provides the equipment to monitor myusage? BT. Who do I raise a query with? BT, I see a pattern here.

I will report the matter to Offcom in the morning and see what they do.... I wont hold my breath, but I will keep you all informed.
Chin chin

JJ_Egan

You can measure your bandwidth yourself .
Try NetWorkx.

ramblinstu

Thanks JJ Egan, but does this system reflect the total hub usage or just onespecific machine?

Anyhow, spoke to Offcom re my ongoing query with BT concerning broadbandusage. I was advised to make a recordall correspondence between BT and myself and put the details in a letter to BT.Offcom also advised that the best way to communicate with BT was via post. How interesting

So I shall await my promised return call "before 4th November" Iwas assured. More details after that…

It still appears wrong that BT can tell me what I've used with no method of confirmation;you have a meter for your gas water and electricity.....

littleboo

You should be able to check usage via your online account. You can also see usage on the hub itself, although that will reset if the hub does

JJ_Egan

ramblinstu wrote: »

Thanks JJ Egan, but does this system reflect the total hub usage or just onespecific machine?

Anyhow, spoke to Offcom re my ongoing query with BT concerning broadbandusage. I was advised to make a recordall correspondence between BT and myself and put the details in a letter to BT.Offcom also advised that the best way to communicate with BT was via post. How interesting

So I shall await my promised return call "before 4th November" Iwas assured. More details after that…

It still appears wrong that BT can tell me what I've used with no method of confirmation;you have a meter for your gas water and electricity.....

If you read the instructions and set up via the hub it should read everything .
https://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

Its fairly easy to use a lot of data and most find that yes they did forum is littered with such posts .
Data usage is both up and down and includes your WiFi usage and if unsecured anyone who wants to use your connection . A lot depends upon what you actually use via your connection to the internet .

ChippGal

Hi Ramblinstu. I am wondering what is happening now. Any result from Ofcom? Your observation about BT being a law unto themselves and our having no option but to accept what they say mirrors my thoughts and I had been wondering who to contact to try to instigate an enquiry. I have been having the same problems as described by many on this forum, since this time last year. I have a 40 gigabyte allowance and there is no way I use that much. On one occasion BT admitted to a problem with the monitor and refunded the amount charged but I have had the problem several times since and have it now. I think we must insist that Ofcom investigates this. In the meantime, has anybody found that opting out of wi fi with Fon has made a difference? I am going to try that. The theory about the hub wrongly attributing Fon usage to your personal usage seems highly likely to me.

JJ_Egan

Are you measuring your actual usage ??? or just assuming .
Networx will monitor your usage .

ChippGal

My method is not a technical one but I am a longtime BT customer who, until acquiring Infinity and opting in to wifi with Fon, had never used as much as even 20 Gb a month. There are only two of us with one laptop and one ipad, we only send and receive emails and browse when there is something we want to find out. We have a Smart TV but do not use iplayer or any of it's other internet features - we record instead with a Humax - and we do not download films or do other big bandwidth things. I use FaceTime occasionally and I do - again only now and again - watch a programme I have missed on the ipad. A computer expert recently told me that he runs his business from home and has two teenage children constantly downloading films and watching Youtube etc. yet never uses as much as 40 Gb a month.

I do, however, think I should get my own monitor so thank you for your suggestion. Is there something particularly relevant to an ipad? Do I connect to my router or just download?

Pincher

The BT Monitor has been guilty of logging stranger traffic as your usage when going through your HomeHub using the FON connection.


I have never managed to use BT FON away.
So try de-registering your FON participation.


I have 40GB limit as well, and it's plenty for normal use, by one person.