Usage Monitor Gone Mad

[#1]

I went to surf the web today and noticed that the speeds were incredibly slow so I ran a speed test only find that the test result was 129kb/s. I checked the usage monitor only to find that I had used 16.6GB on-peak.  On checking the history I found that the monitor had recorded 12.3GB on-peak useage on 22/10  I monitor my usage every few days so that's it's managed and never go over my on-peak  allowance, a few days ago it was about 5-6GB peak usage.  Tonight it's showing 15.09Gb on peak for the 22/10 and it's still rising!!!
I contacted the CsC and the first agent stated that it was web use between 5pm - 9pm. I asked him to provide evidence of what I  had used but he couldn't and insisted that I had used the bandwidth. Later I spoke to a team manager who has now escalated the matter. I have also had to purchase additional GB's so that I can use the internet and have lost 10GB of on-peak usage, although PN have agreed to refund the cost of the additional fees when they find that their usage monitor is defective.
I don't download very often and if I do I always so off-peak. I don't use sites such as you tube very often, generally just surfing, a bit of gaming and occasional streaming as I have Sky Active on my PC. On the 22/10 I streamed for about 90mins from 19:30 - 21:00 and this would not have used more than about 600MB. I do not have a wireless connection or use bit torrent, nobody else uses the PC and I certainly wouldn't have downloaded 12GB (or 15GB as it stands now) on-peak.

[#2]

A couple of possibilities:
1. Do you use BBC's IPlayer?
2. I've noticed that in Firefox certain webcams carry on streaming data even after I've left that page and gone elsewhere. Only when I totally exit Firefox does it stop.
I suggest you download NetMeter which will show current network activity and records your usage.

[#3]

I do have BBC iplayer installed but I haven't used it in months, and there's nothing in the download folder anyway and certainly not 12GB or 15GB worth. I never visit streaming camera sites but I do use Firefox. I know 100% that I didn't use this bandwidth and is still doesn't explain why the usage for 22/10 is still rising. It showed 12.37GB at 2PM this afternoon now it's showing 15.09GB for the same date!
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/tywyn70/usage.jpg
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/tywyn70/usage2.jpg
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/tywyn70/usage3.jpg
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/tywyn70/usage4.jpg

[#4]

Have you pointed out to CS that the usage for 22/10 is still rising - that is most odd!
(BTW, if you open up the additional options below the compose box you'll find you can attach images without having to upload them to somewhere like photobucket first)

[#5]

Yes I  pointed it out to CS earlier this evening. I tried to upload the screenshots via the browse but it took so long that it timed out. It's clearly PN's problem, my total on-peak on Wed or Thurs this week was about 5 or 6GB. There is no way on earth I would have downloaded 12Gb or 15GB on-peak time five days into my monthly usage and I only used 8GB on-peak in the whole of last month, and as I'm on option 2  I manage my 15GB on-peak very carefully. The usage for 22/10 is still rising and it' currently at 15.39GB.

[#6]

It's now 16.26GB for on-peak 22/10 and rising

[#7]

is yours a wireless router with wireless enabled?  is something uploading without your being aware of it?

[#8]

My router is a Speedtouch 510 so it's wired. I have run a full virus scan using NOD 32 on my PC and nothing was detected. I keep the PC updated and in good order. The problem is PN's as I know that I didn't download anything on that day, I've still got my history, and the usage for 22/10 is still continuing to rise.

[#9]

have you raised a ticket on this?  it sounds like something is wrong with the measuring device.

[#10]

Yes there is an active ticket after the phone calls yesterday afternoon, I've also updated them. The 6GB that I bought yesterday is almost used as it now shows my total monthly on-peak as 20.77GB, so the internet will be unusable very soon. The usage monitor is broken.

[#11]

Quote from: artificer

is yours a wireless router with wireless enabled?  is something uploading without your being aware of it?

How would that increase the usage for several days ago. Once VMBU has started recording usage for the next day, usage for previous days should not change!
I suspect that there's a corruption on the usage data for 22/11 which means a record is being processed but not successfully being marked as processed and so keeps on getting added to his usage.

[#12]

Now it's 21.25GB for the 22/10 and counting. My on-peak service has also been restricted to 128 kb/s 

[#13]

Hi Tywyn,
That's a new one on me - never seen anything like that before. I'm just chatting to our support guys now, I suspect this will involve a callout - I'll post back more when I know more about the situation and I'll try and sort out getting that restriction removed too.
I'm very sorry about all this, as I said I'll post back when I know more about what's going on.
Matt

[#14]

Right, somebody should be giving you a ring shortly to remove the restriction and a problem's being raised too. We'll post back as soon as we've found out  what's going on, that should be first thing tomorrow.
Cheers,
Matt

[#15]

Thank you for your help Matt, I received a phone call from Dave the Team Manager who was very helpful. The restriction has now been removed and normal service resumed I suspect PN will investigate this as it's bizarre and will want to establish exactly how the usage monitor managed to record 21.25GB usage in the space of four hours on 22/10.
Edit: It' still rising almost at 22GB