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What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

It looks possible that I might break my allowance limit this month and just wanted to be sure of the consequences. The support pages say:
10. What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

If you've fixed your monthly usage allowance and then use all of this, your broadband speed will be restricted to 128k at all times, until the end of the billing month. Access to binary usenet, peer to peer and external FTP will also be blocked. See our Expected Speeds article for full details of restrictions.
If you do go over your fixed monthly GB allowance we'll email you to let you know and what you should do next. The following options are available:
1. Increase your usage allowance - this means you can set a new fixed monthly GB amount to stick to.
2. Buy PAYG usage - doing this lets you be more flexible with how you use your broadband. So, if you think you'll want to use more than your allowance each month and don't want your broadband speed restricted, simply visit your Control Panel and tick the 'Fixed cost or pay as you go' box.
 Broadband Your Way Option 1-4 customers: We'll then automatically charge you £1 per GB for additional usage for the rest of the billing month.
 Broadband Your Way Pro customers: We'll then automatically charge you £1.80 per 2GB for additional usage for the rest of the billing month.
Can I just check a couple of things here?
1. Speed is restricted to 128k at all times, does ‘all times’ include overnight free access?
2. What Is that 128k? The download rate per second I can expect or line speed in bits or bytes (that always confuses me!), if for example I tried to download a file from Microsoft how many k per second would I get 128k or 16k? (unrestricted I get about 8/900k).
3. When you say BBYWO 1-4 is ‘automatically’ charged extra GB’s for additional usage is that after I choose that option or is restriction only a choice on other products and not BBYW.
I expect that it all means that you are restricted 24/7 and that you do get a choice of restriction or buying extra usage but I just want to double check!
Thanks
God
17 REPLIES 17
Mand
Grafter
Posts: 5,560
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

1.  Speed is restricted to 128k at all times, does ‘all times’ include overnight free access?
Yes

2.  What Is that 128k? The download rate per second I can expect or line speed in bits or bytes (that always confuses me!), if for example I tried to download a file from Microsoft how many k per second would I get 128k or 16k? (unrestricted I get about 8/900k).

128k is the total throughput.
3.  When you say BBYWO 1-4 is ‘automatically’ charged extra GB’s for additional usage is that after I choose that option or is restriction only a choice on other products and not BBYW.
It's after you choose that option. You can have fixed, flex or flex to a point and fixed afterwards (using the data transfer watch system).

A few scenario's based on the Option 1 product:
1) Option1 fixed - £9.99 per month, restricted to 128k after 1GB
2) Option1 flex - £9.99 plus £1 per GB for any usage after 1GB, upto a maximum of £99.99.
3) Option1 flex with DTW (Data Transfer Watch) of £15- £9.99 plus £1 per GB up to £14.99 (5 additional GB) after which point you would be restricted to the portal.
4) Option 1 with 3GB included - £11.49 per month every month, with the fixed/flex option after this.
Hope that helps explain. Smiley
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Yes it does thanks for the fast responce, I am still fuzzy on what the 128k is, if I was doing nothing but downloading a file from a server would it come down at roughly 128k a second as in 1mb every 8 seconds?
One day I will get my head around all the different ways speeds are expressed!
Cheers
Peter
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

It's kilo bits per second  kb/s kbps etc. which is about 16 kB/s
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

With 128k you're going twice as fast as dial-up so around 15KB/s.
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggh!
*Abruptly abandons all plans to even consider going over limit!*  Shocked
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Just do what I did and tick the box......
(then keep an eye on your useage too)
What I'm not totally clear about is what happens if you reach the monthly financial charge of the next BBYW option - does your charge "stick" at that level until you breach the useage limit of that next option?
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

You would keep adding usage until your month is up.  It would make no difference exactly how much you used.  It doesn't take into account the usage thresholds and prices on the different options.
I think that's what you're asking anyway Smiley
Laser
Grafter
Posts: 206
Registered: ‎23-09-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Sorry to interject, but I have a related question:
What happens if someone hits their limit (say 1GB) and is throttled to 128kb. They then use a further 500MB at 128k. They then decide it is too slow so choose to pay for an extra 1GB.
Does the paid-for GB extend the quota from that point by 1GB (total of 2.5GB in this example), or give you an extra 1GB over the original quota (total of 2GB)?
Mand
Grafter
Posts: 5,560
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

You get a full GB at full speed (obviously depending on product type and expected speeds per protocol).
Essentially the amount of traffic you use at 128k is free. As has been said this is just over double dial up speed, and it's also worth bearing in mind advanced protocols are blocked (external FTP, NNTP and P2P).
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
Thanks: 78
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Quote from: Mand
1.   Speed is restricted to 128k at all times, does ‘all times’ include overnight free access?
Yes

Please confirm that answer Mand.
Before signing up to Plusnet I sought clarification of a few points in September. In one question I asked:
"When the monthly allowance has been  used, if one chooses not to buy additional GB, the download speed is reduced to 128kbps. Does this speed limit also apply between midnight and 8 am?"
In response (Contact Sales ID 54636) I was told by Plusnet
"I can confirm that traffic shaping would not apply during off peak hours (Midnight - 8.00am)"
The fact that I was assured that I would have a full speed service at certain times even if I used all my monthly allowance was one of the factors taken into account when I made the decision to come to Plusnet.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Hi,
As per the help page here the restriction does apply at all times.
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Hmmmm
No, it actually doesn't say that does it?  Crazy
What is written can be read in different ways depending on "where you're coming from". I too can read it as restrictions only apply between 8am and midnight once the limit is reached.
I suggest the wording is clarified ASAP to explain exactly what does happen in real life.
So, if your useage between 8am and midnight counts towards your limit and outside that it doesn't say so in one section.
And if once your limit is reached, and throughput is restricted SAY CLEARLY AND SEPARATELY when that is. If it's 24*7 say so explicitly.
And as some people could view this as a retrospective change in T's & C's you need to publicise/allow for etc. etc.
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
Thanks: 78
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

Quote from: orbrey
As per the help page here the restriction does apply at all times.

That reference says
"All Broadband Your Way account options come with a usage allowance between the hours of 8am and midnight. If you have chosen a fixed price option and reach the upper limit, your speeds will be restricted as follows:"
That could mean that speeds will be restricted between 8am and midnight and Plusnet confirmed that interpretation before I joined.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: What happens if I go over my monthly usage?

I see your point, apologies for the poor wording. I've raised this as a problem to our portal management team in order to get the content changed, but it'll not get picked up until tomorrow.