How is my broadband data allowance calculated?

Enigmaman

I am thinking about changing broadband providers because I am fed up with Talkktalk.

I was wondering how my data use is calculated. Does it include all the stuff I download like music, e-mails and programme files etc AND everything I send too such as e-mails with file attachments and uploading photos to Facebook or Flick?

kwikbreaks

SFAIK the data allowances are down + up. In practice even with some photo uploads the download massively exceeds upload unless you are seeding torrents or other upstream heavy activities.

Uxb

It is the sum of every single piece of data either flowing out or flowing into your house through your broadband line.
As well as your computer(s) it also includes data from/to all other devices connecting to your router that may send or receive data such as mobiles/smartphones, TV's, games machines......

In short everything!

InsideInsurance

Its everything that goes back and forth so it isnt just you downloading the movie file but also your search on google, your loading the webpage that links to it etc. Add to that software updates, and the checks to see if there are updates, and everything else.

Most ISPs will tell you what you data useage has been so rather than trying to "work it out" why not just log into your account and see what it has actually been and then adjust it up or down depending on how you see your useage changing

RumRat

Get an unlimited account and don't worry about your usage. The low prices out there now make limited accounts pointless..

Uxb

Plusnet old legacy ADSL 10Mb/month account around £7/month
plusnet current unlimited ADSL package around £12/month

..so that is not quite double the price.

RumRat

Uxb wrote: »

Plusnet old legacy ADSL 10Mb/month account around £7/month
plusnet current unlimited ADSL package around £12/month

..so that is not quite double the price.

That price is for Broadband only, if you have your phone line with them the price is £9.99/month discounted to £2.49/month for 12 months.....So a third of the legacy price....;)

Enigmaman

I am actually in the middle of changing my mobile and broadband provider and am a bit confused about data limits as well.

When I connect to my home Wi-Fi on my mobile am I using any of my phone's data allowances? Should my phone contract include a Wi-Fi data allowance for when I connect at home or in a Wi-Fi hotspot – or just a 3G data allowance?

InsideInsurance

Enigmaman wrote: »

When I connect to my home Wi-Fi on my mobile am I using any of my phone's data allowances? Should my phone contract include a Wi-Fi data allowance for when I connect at home or in a Wi-Fi hotspot – or just a 3G data allowance?

When on your Home Wifi you are using your broadband allowance

Historically some would give a wifi allowance for certain external wifi spots but most if not all are now unlimited.

The key data allowance that you see advertised everywhere is your 3G/4G mobile data allowance.

securityguy

" the data allowances are down + up"

It depends on the ISP. Andrews and Arnold, for example, only count downstream,.

kwikbreaks

TalkTalk to A&A isn't all that likely to happen imo. It's like trading in your Robin Reliant for a Roller.