usage allowance

[#1]

Quote from: rtjones2

I have just switched from extra to pro and used 35mb last month. This would be fine under extra but would have cost an extra 10 pound with pro. Basically i will have to modify my usage to avoid additional charges for the remainder of the trial.

So back to my origional point to get a true idea of usage patterns on the Fibre trials in order that correct pricing  etc can be considered for when the product goes live,  should something be put in place for usage allowances so individuals do not modify/restrict there usage...Dave.... 

[#2]

NO because on existing up to 8MB Max connections there are people who are bumping against their usage allowance who modify they usage so they don't pay extra, there are people on the up to 20MB connections who modify their usage because of the allopwance. But people on these two different types of connection get the same usage allowances. When FTTC products are launched they will have usage allowances. If you gave FTTC users extra usage for free you would be skewing the test and you'd end up with people using more during peak times they they would once the full FTTC products are launched.
FTTC is going to be more expensive than the current products because BT charge more. Your usage is NOT restricted - if you want more usage you can use more if you are prepared to pay for it. Perhaps that would be the more realistic test - find out how much people are prepared to pay for the higher usage they find themselves using because of the higher speeds.

[#3]

I understand your point Jelv, All I am saying is and some individuals do not seem to get this,  that I am modifying my usage as are others so how can PN set allowances/prices when they do not get a true picture of what services, times fibre will be used for so they can set traffic restrictions, as I have said before this is a trial to TEST the service etc.. Any company before they bring a prodcuct to market tests it through all scenario's to see how it performs under different conditions, I like to know what I am paying each month so i can budget accordingly, what my allowance is etc and I will stick to it and modify my usage accordingly. If I am not happy with the allowance/pricing then I will go eslewhere to another ISP that can offer me what I want. I dont want to have to pay £5 on top of the £5 I am paying to download and rent a HD film from the PSN because I may go over my allowance, a servcie that fibre is ideal for. 1 movie a weekend soon takes you over that.
From what I can see and correct me if I am wrong , those who seem to be disagreeing with my question to Dave are those that are not on the trial, If I cant have it why should they mindset ? All I wish to do and for this trail to ultimatley to do is provide the best product/package for the end user when it goes live as I am sure everyone else does. At the end of the day if allowances are to stay the same and plus net already have an idea on usage/pricing, then so be it.

[#4]

Hi Nibor,
Your main issue seems to be related to downloading large films from PSN. Can't you download them overnight? That would fit with the product description of plusnet pro as I think most people would describe a 4GB+ film as a 'large download'. Whether you can schedule them or not I I wouldn't know as I don't have a ps3.
"Free usage between midnight-8am (perfect for scheduling large downloads)".
Then you could keep your 20GB for other non PSN film activity?
Tom.

[#5]

Im just using the PSN thing as an example, unfortunaley you cannot schedule downloads on the PSN, otherwise like you mention that would be the best option.

[#6]

just had a quick fly through the isp's currently offering fttc and quoted the base value packages, wonder where abouts PN will fit in with that price guide on there value fttc product

Quote

adsl24, 30gb peak, unlimited offpeak, £42 mac, £42 activation £24.99 p/m aquiss, 45gb peak, unlimited off peak, £29.00 p/m bt,     40gb peak & off peak, £50 activation £19.99 p/m eclipse,50gb peak, unlimited off peak 11pm -9am, £39.95 p/m fast,   20gb peak & off peak, upload unlimited, £51 activation £21.99 p/m IDNet,  15gb peak, 45gb off peak, £24.99 p/m Vivaciti, no info on website need to contact for prices timico, 10gb, excess usage £2 per gb, £75 connection charge £39.00 p/m

there may be extra chargers hidden that i didn't see as i flew through the sites

[#7]

Also Asbo, for the BT one I think the upstream is limited to 2Mb. You have to go for the 24.99 if you want the 10Mb upstream. I think on this trial we're all being trialled with 10Mb upstream.
I don't know about any of the other isps but I know that limiting the upstream to 2Mb is not uncommon, I guess openreach must have a cheaper package for 2Mb upstream.
Tom

[#8]

yes i was going to quote the upload speeds but thought best to just leave as quick value guide for people to get an idea of what PN's value package will be and no doubt PN will follow suit and use the 2mb up on the fttc value package (if there is one)
its the mid to high value packages am most interested in my self so may be when i get the time i will pick through the mid range packages, i can see a lot of isp's using usage limits and a handful risking unlimited (manily those that have massive tv, mobile, landline ect bundle packages to subsidize the unlimited fttc product they sell.
bt infinity's unlimited package is so tempting to me for my needs, but PN have till march to avert my eyes with a sensible usage limit fttc product with fair traffic management policy

[#9]

Quote from: nibor

I understand your point Jelv, All I am saying is and some individuals do not seem to get this,  that I am modifying my usage as are others so how can PN set allowances/prices when they do not get a true picture of what services, times fibre will be used for so they can set traffic restrictions,

Either I or you are missing the point of the trial. To me the trial is only to test the connection from the house to the street cabinets back to the exchange, nothing to do with download profiling.  Also like any other new toy the initial use will have little bearing how you will use the connection a few months time.

[#10]

Is it just to test the connection form the house to the street, perhaps we need further clarification as plus net have remained soemewhat silent on this post ? At the end of the day this is just my suggestion, if I was launching a product i would want it to be tested fully. And if anyone thinks that being on the trial we are getting something for nothing, it cost me a fair bit of money to go on it as i needed to purchase a router as non were available from plus net.
I  dont understand why some people find this whole suggestion so terrible as it would not effect anyone personally and only benefit customers when the product goes live. etc it just seems to me,  the "if im not getting it u cant" mindset. Like it or not usage patterns etc will play a big part in the Internet as bandwidth increases and customers switch to downloading/uploading and streaming to get there media content, a core factor for customers wishing to switch to fibre.

Anyways Plus net can we put this baby to bed and here your views etc and what testing you are looking for etc...

[#11]

I had to move from BBYW Option 2 to Extra due to the amount of streaming I've been doing on FTTC  (NFL Gamepass in HD).  Unfortunately, it's pretty much unwatchable at peak times due to the traffic shaping.
What I want is a Pro package with a sane download limit.  How about we say £25 a month for a 60GB unshaped/prioritised connection?  Even if you won't do fully unshaped, a prioritised connection (make streaming and web browsing Titanium while keeping P2P shaped) would be ideal.
As it is, I'm thinking I'll have to move to Pro and come up with some way of not needing sleep so I can do what I want to do online and remain sane.

[#12]

There's a very, very good reason why Plusnet won't be giving you unshaped 60GB for £25 - they'd be making a loss!

[#13]

the fup on the unlimited over at bt is now set at 300gb up from the old 100gb, so how do BT do that then surely they are not making enough profit on the vision ect products to sub that kind of usage even with the throttling they do

[#14]

BT do traffic management like Plusnet.
Andrews and Arnold on the other hand, can give a non-managed FTTC service with 2GB 09:00-18:00 Mon-Friday and 100GB at other times for £28.  It's very tempting to switch, but I want to see what PN will offer first.

[#15]

yep i know they do throttling, so why is PN with there even more aggressive throttling not able to give anything nearing 300gb or even bt's old 100gb
i was shocked my self when reading the bt forum that there FUP unspoken cap was raised by 200gb to 300gb. i didn't think such usage would ever be profitable