Better Usage Monitoring System?
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Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 10:52 AM
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As I understand things, we get an email notification at 80% usage (which may or may be useful, depending), and at 100%. There's the summary page available here: https://portal.plus.net/view_my_broadband_usage/index.php , and we can set a limit here: https://portal.plus.net/data_transfer_watch/ (I've input £0.00). And that's about it? Am I overlooking any other features?
I could set the everlasting login cookie to keep the My Broadband Usage page always visible (as an Opera Speed Dial, in my case, though there's too much cruft around the data to make it legible), but that's not always practical or safe (as Plusnet themselves advise). (Incidentally, that page says "Usage from the last 2 hours is not shown on this page", but in my admittedly limited experience so far, that appears to be wrong. Whether it's a legacy description, or just overly cautious to show the worst case, it looks to me that the data is almost live: a few minutes delayed, not a few hours. If I'm right, couldn't that be changed: ideally, to dynamically say the actual current delay.)
But there seems to be no way to export/publish the current usage data (without identifying information) into format(s) which are more easily monitored/manipulated? Say, an RSS feed. Or a lean version of the My Broadband Usage page (i.e. just the data, not the surrounding Plusnet navigation stuff), available outside the logged-in area. Or some kind of widget. Or user-configurable email triggers. Or 'live' graphs (as Plusnet do for other things: http://www.plus.net/support/service/network_performance/broadband_bandwidth_usage.shtml ). Or something.
It seems to me that Plusnet could fairly easily do something(s) to make monitoring much easier and more flexible for customers?
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 11:45 AM
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Usage can take longer to populate, hence the two hours. If we were to say it was any quicker and it wasn't it would generate unnecessary questions I imagine. I wouldn't say that the things you suggest are something fairly easy, but Thinkbroadband offer a usage meter which you might find useful.
Although with the ideas you have come up with you may find this interesting
Jojo
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 12:35 PM
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jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler) Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!) Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20) Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month) Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month) |
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 1:20 PM
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Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 1:47 PM
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I don't think a company proclaiming itself "good honest broadband" should really be saying something it knows not to be true, just to reduce user questions. At very least that page should say "Usage from the last 2 hours
Yes, thanks Jojo and Jelv, a software usage meter is one workaround/supplement (I use DUmeter myself), though they all rely on being able to log all data through the router, and of matching Plusnet's own logs, and their records still aren't (easily) accessible remotely.
I hope you'll not give up on improving Plusnet's own service in this respect, and maybe forward my suggestion to the people responsible (or to the new Engineer, on arrival!)
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 2:13 PM
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But I didn't get any email confirmation, and I can't see anything within the Members area which acknowledges that I have changed. Is that normal? How can I tell that everything is okay, and due to change in a couple of days, please?
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 2:54 PM
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you can see what package you are on, look at VMBU - link on the bottom left of this page
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 3:01 PM
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Quote from: pierre_pierre if you are changing to a lower priced package, it is at the Billing date.
you can see what package you are on, look at VMBU - link on the bottom left of this page
Yes, thanks, I know my present package, and the date it's supposed to change. How do I know it will change? How do I know the request has been accepted, and is due to be actioned? What record is there of the change request? Will an over-charge on my Direct Debit be the first sign that it has not been set to change?
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 3:05 PM
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http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/20884/surplusmeter
and enter the details into my own spreadsheet, which shows total usage, and projected usage for a billing period.
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 4:49 PM
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Quote from: mplusnetuser I don't think a company proclaiming itself "good honest broadband" should really be saying something it knows not to be true, just to reduce user questions.
I didn't say that. We believe that's how it works. I imagine there may be reasons where it populates quicker but in the main it does take 2 hours.
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 6:50 PM
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I had posted something previously on this subject and had floated an idea that might be possible to implement, depending on how information is configured. See last post...
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,100333.0.html
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 6:59 PM
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Quote from: mplusnetuser But I didn't get any email confirmation.
I have sent you a confirmation in regards to the package change.
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
09-03-2012 11:27 PM
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Quote from: RPMozley The problem with these monitoring programs is that they don't account for other devices usage, so calculating the total can become rather difficult.
Networx actually can link all the data from all machines into the report on all machines (i.e. it doesnt suffer from what you're saying)
Personally, i rarely check VMBU - i use Consume on my iPhone - whack in user details and rollover date and it updates quickly
I dont se
Quote If I'm right, couldn't that be changed: ideally, to dynamically say the actual current delay.)
Well..no ? Cause plusnet is monitoring traffic in 'real time' for hundreds of thousands of connections... You do understand how much data that would incur just monitoring - right? I dont see the problem with the 'two hour' delay message - it makes you aware that the number can still go up - particularly if you are using much in the evening, go over into the off peak time - You'll probably find the Peak time data is still increasing well past midnight.
Regards
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
10-03-2012 2:30 AM
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Quote from: Matt_2k34 Networx actually can link all the data from all machines into the report on all machines (i.e. it doesnt suffer from what you're saying)
Well that's fine if all you have are windoze PCs as Networx only runs on them. If you use a Mac or Linux it won't account for them and then there are other Internet connected devices like games consoles, TVs and all other types you can think of. Not a simple matter as you can imagine.
Re: Better Usage Monitoring System?
10-03-2012 2:44 AM
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Quote from: PlusComUK For Apple iMac I use
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/20884/surplusmeter
and enter the details into my own spreadsheet, which shows total usage, and projected usage for a billing period.
But ........
Having just transferred many files from old iMac to new iMac using Wi-fi, that WLAN usage is recorded too.
Until I remembered to disable monitoring that is !
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