cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

help needed to understand usages

wordsfan1
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎25-10-2012

help needed to understand usages

Hi
hope I've posted in right place. I have value phone n broadband package. This is supposed to be 10gb per month. I only really use android phone as computer died. Now daughter wants to use net on win. When i look up usages on my account it looks like I've nearly used allowance but end of bar chart says only 1gb. Can anyone help me understand the usage info given? Also does using net on win use a lot of data? Thanks
7 REPLIES 7
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: help needed to understand usages

The extent of the horizontal strip on the VMBU page doesn't represent total usage against your monthly allowance. The strip gives a breakdown of peak time (charged) usage in maroon and off peak (free) usage in blue. The length of the strip is scaled to reflect total current usage and as that total approaches the right-hand edge the scale will change to allow more usage to be shown.
The value shown in large digits in the box does reflect total charged usage which can be compared with your 10GB monthly allowance. Be careful with interpretation of the units - 1GB = 1000MB, and 1MB = 1000KB.
How much of your allowance is taken up by accessing the Intenet depends on the activity. Emails and general browsing don't use a lot, playing videos or using catch-up TV (eg iPlayer) uses much more, though normally an hour a day would comfortably fit within your allowance. The daily totals on the "calendar" will show how usage is building up.
David
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: help needed to understand usages

Are you sure an hour of iPlayer per day would be OK? I thought an hour was at least 1Gb, worse if HD, so potentially 30GB per month?
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: help needed to understand usages

I meant to say 'up to an hour'  Embarrassed and I had in mind SD rather than HD - but didn't complicate matters by saying so. My thoughts were to try to allay the user's concerns, encourage monitoring and see how things go. If necessary the allowance can be increased by changing product but giving it a try seemed best for now.
David
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: help needed to understand usages

Don't disagree with that at all. I periodically check my VMBU. It may be a good idea if wordsfan1 went to Manage my usage (login required) and set a maximum spend bearing in mind even if you only go over your allowance by a few 10KB you will get charged £5 for 5GB. In my book, best to set the maximum spend to £0.00. As you get near your usage allowance you will get an email to the email address registered in My Account (login required) and if you hit your limit, your speed is capped until you either add more usage or your next billing period starts. I believe you get another email to say you've been capped.
Also note, currently, if you change product, the default is set back to not limited.
harvestgoddess
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎15-11-2012

Re: help needed to understand usages

In simple terms its a absolute scam , tip if your a high usage user plus net is not the isp for you
zubel
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,793
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎08-06-2007

Re: help needed to understand usages

Thanks for posting that in a completely unrelated thread.
Perhaps you should familiarise yourself with the T&C of the product you ordered.
Devonian
Grafter
Posts: 1,854
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎01-05-2011

Re: help needed to understand usages

Quote from: harvestgoddess
In simple terms its a absolute scam , tip if your a high usage user plus net is not the isp for you

How is it  a scam... It quite clears all over the website about usage limits and extra charges.
I agree, if your a high user then PN is not for you... but how s that a scam?