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How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

therealgriffins
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎31-07-2015

How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Has anyone ever looked at there usage and felt like there is something wrong with the figures that Plusnet have?
Since Sunday 21 Feb, I have used over 18Gb of data. I am a little concerned as there was no one in the property on Sunday day time from 8 til 4 and nothing was downloading. From 4 - 11 we would have done some normal web browsing, and then watched 1 episdoe of 'Mr Robot' (Great Series, on Amazon Prime). This totalled over 6GB.
Yesterday, I would have been browsing the internet from 7-8AM, then nothing until 6-11PM, which again would consist of web browsing and a few episodes of 'Mr Robot' this totaled over 10GB.
Today between 7-8 am I somehow used over 1.4GB of data, but did nothing different to yesterday. and being in the property all day and streaming music I have used less than 1GB (so far!)
How can any of this be right?
11 REPLIES 11
alexemmaburns
Rising Star
Posts: 197
Thanks: 6
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Registered: ‎16-02-2016

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Mine reckons I used 141 gb  this month already I can't see how though
Chris
Legend
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Usually very accurate.
Watching a show online, especially in HD, can use a few GB easily. Add browsing, YouTube/videos in to that and it's easy to use several GB without realising it.
Quote
I am a little concerned as there was no one in the property on Sunday day time from 8 til 4 and nothing was downloading

During that period you used less than 1MB per hour, which is what I'd expect for background traffic.
Quote
Today between 7-8 am I somehow used over 1.4GB of data

That was your total for the day to that point, not just what was used in one hour.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Quote from: alexemmaburns
Mine reckons I used 141 gb  this month already I can't see how though

Your line is consistently transferring a lot of data, quite a bit on the upload too (which may also be causing the ping issues you've reported). Can you try stopping any uploads/downloads and testing your ping again?
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
therealgriffins
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎31-07-2015

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

I still don't think this is accurate.
Last night I did very little online (no streaming and little browsing) and I somehow managed to use 1.2GB, how? Yet on Tuesday night when I watched 3 episodes of Mr Robot on Amazon Prime I only used 1.38GB.
I think Plusnet need to review their usage calculator!
alexemmaburns
Rising Star
Posts: 197
Thanks: 6
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-02-2016

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Hi Chris thanks for the reply, I don't understand that as I rarely upload anything we watch stuff on sky, sometimes I download shows on my sky box to watch from the boxset section. We mostly do gaming at night between 6pm and 11pm and the rest of the time we are browsing the Internet is there anything there that should suggest the amount of traffic from our line?
wisty
Pro
Posts: 591
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Fixes: 8
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Are you using Windows 10 (I'm not sure about Windows 8 )?
Take a look at Settings/Windows Update/Advanced Options/Choose How Updates are Delivered
If the button marked "PCs on my local network and PCs on the Internet" is clicked, you may be acting as a (n inadvertent) server for Microsoft's Update System
alexemmaburns
Rising Star
Posts: 197
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Registered: ‎16-02-2016

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Hi Wisty my laptop packed in think the processor is kaput, so all we use is a Samsung galaxy tablet and a Google nexus tablet for the minute, but when I was using laptop (a couple of months since last powered up) it was on windows 8, could it cause problems even if the laptop is powered down?
therealgriffins
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎31-07-2015

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

Hi Wisty,
I changed this setting when I first installed Windows 10, so its not that.
I just don't believe Plusnet are reporting the right figures. I struggle to believe that between (6PM & 11PM (the house is generally unoccupied during the day) that I am using over 1GB of data, by simply browsing the internet on two mobile phones. Also the day I stream 3 episodes from Amazon Prime I only use 200mb more that when I don't?
Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
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Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

There are a couple of easy ways to check usage:
1. Switch your router off for a couple of days, the more the better.
2. Check usage reported on PN after the switch off days - should be 0
3. After you switch it back on, look on your router stats and see if the traffic sent on the router matches or is at least close to what your router is reporting.
Whilst you are at it, you might want to check on your router that all the connections, especially wireless, are the ones you were expecting.
I have a SamKnows box, which generates far mor checks than I am prepared to put up with, so it has now been switched off.
All devices get updated on a regular basis, as do apps on your devices, are they set to do so automatically? I was a little shocked to get through 10Gb the other day when I connected a new iPhone.
From what I have seen of my usage, it seems to be pretty accurate.
steed
Rising Star
Posts: 114
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Registered: ‎12-08-2007

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

I browse for about 2 or 3 hours a day and use around 0.5 to 0.75 Gb a day according to Plusnet usage figures. Nothing media intensive, no streaming videos, no virus, malware, or software/app updates downloaded either.
It used to be around 200mb to 300mb a day, but over the past several months it has jumped to more than double, despite pretty much viewing the same websites.
Swipe
Grafter
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Registered: ‎30-05-2010

Re: How accurate is Plus.net usage statistics

wrong thread, post deleted