Netflix data warning
 

Just sign up to Netflix a few months ago and got a warning from Virg9in about the amount of data that I am consuming.It is a lot of data but doing nothing illegal just watching movies.I paying £34 pounds a month which is not cheap.If you want to use sky go or lovemovies or any other service like this and virgin moan how much data we use just not fair.This is the future the way pay is going Virgin and sky want to much money.


Measurement Period: 30days 10h:2m:53s
Data Downloaded: 412GB 0Bytes
Data Uploaded: 57GB 318MB

Here the standard letter from them.

Want a faster broadband service in the evening? Read on!


As you may know with Virgin Broadband we don't limit the amount that you can download. However, we've recently noticed an unusually large amount of data being transferred over your broadband connection (daily between mid-day and midnight) at our busiest network time and this may have resulted in your connection being managed under our traffic management policy (you can review this policy at virginmedia.com/traffic).

To help you better manage your broadband performance and to keep things running smoothly here are a few tips:

1. Move 'non time critical' usage to after midnight

Okay that might sound late, but actually it's easy to schedule downloading big files such as Movies until then. Check out our FAQs and details of how to schedule downloads on common software at virginmedia.com/peaktimefaq


2. Make sure your PC security software is up to date and active

Not having security software installed or up to date can really slow you down. Try using Virgin Media Security. It's free and covers all the major security threats. Learn more and download by going to virginmedia.com/security.


3. Make sure your Wi-Fi is secure

Check that your wireless router is password protected and that you've got encryption switched on. Neighbours or anyone in your Wi-Fi range could be using your connection without your knowledge and slowing you down. For more detail on how to avoid this and change these settings go to virginmedia.com/help/wireless.


4. Other members of your household eating up your connection

Large amounts of uploading or downloading could be taking place without your knowledge. The most common application to use large amounts of data is file sharing software. If you use a Windows 98 or XP computer and you're unsure whether file sharing software is installed on computers in your home, or you wish to remove it if it is, a software utility called Digital File Check* is available that can check for you.

This can be found at ifpi.org/dfc * You can also learn more about File Sharing by going to our FAQ virginmedia.com/peaktimefaq

We strongly recommend that you follow these tips in order to get the best broadband performance in future. Especially the first tip of scheduling non-time critical downloads.

There are several tools you can use to check how much you're downloading or uploading such as tbbMeter (thinkbroadband.com/tbbmeter.html *) and there are others available at softpedia.com *

Thank you for your attention.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

When did you get this letter, I was under the impression they are no longer sending these out ?

Re: Netflix data warning
 

They still send out the letters, but what changed was the removal of any mention of any action being taken

So they are just there to advise people of there overall usage

Re: Netflix data warning
 

If you want to watch Netflix, do it after midnight and before midday. That's really user friendly... :rolleyes:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

It's just pointing out that the usage will trigger the STM, which not everyone may be aware of:

and then some tips on how to avoid being traffic managed. Nothing more than that

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Like Cobby says it's not user friendly at all.:rolleyes:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

And?

Re: Netflix data warning
 

How does this compare to other ISP's Traffic Management/FUP ?

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I's not apparent exactly which package the OP is on in terms of upload and download speeds. Fom the figures of download and especially upload there is a lot of traffic. VM's warning letter will relate to the overall use levels, not just netflix, and the upload is not explained by streaming use. It's worth noting too that upload speeds are only a proportion of download and I would suspect it is these which triggered the warning letter.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

One thing I have really noticed is the lack of management on my Sky unlimited connection. Also I have noticed a few users on various forums stating they can get better speeds via a 3G connection using tethering when STM kicks in on VM.

My advice is remember there are other options available to users and its worth looking into them.

---------- Post added at 12:32 ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 ----------


I can tell you Sky have absolutely no management at all and you will NEVER trigger any letters or anything.I have read of some people downloading TB's a month quite happily. I'm not a downloader but with 2 Sky HD boxes quite often using anytime+ and kids using various things on the web its not uncommon for our household to max our 16Mb Sky connection for 4 or 5 hours at peaks time.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Assuming this is standard ADSL and not Infinity then the reason they can do that is because (as is well documented) most users won't get anywhere near their headline speed in the first place. :)
As you can with VM. You connection does not stop; just slows down for a while.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Nope Sky's ADSL product and Upto 40/2 , upto 80/20 fibre products are all completely unlimited , does anyone know what BT Infintys policy is ?

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Currently on Infinity 2 it's unlimited apart from P2P Management. However neither Sky or BT yet have the number of customers on the range of high speeds that VM do

Re: Netflix data warning
 

There are loads of people near me all on Sky 40Mb and 80Mb products, My date has been pushed to the 30th June.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Wasn't suggesting there weren't anyone on Sky or BT fibre, but the customers numbers are different

Re: Netflix data warning
 

57 gig upload seems a lot for a month?

Re: Netflix data warning
 

So it is standard ADSL. I was right.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Sigggghhhhhh!:rolleyes:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I would agree , the download amount of over 400 gig is way over the average one would suspect , I suppose that amount of data is still over what many ISPs permit.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Is there a problem, Maggy? :confused:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Carl, you were wrong :p:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I was not wrong. ADSL is notoriously slower than VM FO cable. However, I did mis-read pb's post which also mentions greater speeds than ADSL could ever get; which should have been a clue :blush:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

A few day ago got the letter and an e-mail.I have 50mb xxl package and think thoses stats above were from when started with virginmedia 13th feb.My son uploads to youtube so could explain some of the upload.He also run minecraft server.

I moved from Sky which is unlimited and never had anything like this.I had a good connection for ADSL 16mb dl and 1mb ul.



Connection

Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 314750000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK
Security Enabled BPI+
Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 62 55616000 Kbits/sec 314750000 Hz 11.7 dBmV 43.2 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 57 55616000 Kbits/sec 290750000 Hz 13.4 dBmV 44.1 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 58 55616000 Kbits/sec 298750000 Hz 12.8 dBmV 44.0 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 61 55616000 Kbits/sec 306750000 Hz 12.4 dBmV 43.3 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 63 55616000 Kbits/sec 322750000 Hz 11.4 dBmV 43.7 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 2 20480 Kbits/sec 35800000 Hz 45.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 1094
Max Traffic Rate 53000000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 3044 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 1093
Max Traffic Rate 5140000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 8160 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 8160 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort
Current System Time:Thu May 24 17:56:12 2012

So no Netflx until after midnight no iplayer until after midnight and my son can't do any gaming until after midnight.

Sorry I been not able to post as VirginMedia cut off my connection off for the last two days for 12 hours fault in my area.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

MM also gave an example of Fibre BB which is unlimited but you chose to ignore. It is not only Sky ADSL that is unlimited.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Pleeaassseeeeeeeeeeeeeee don't quote that guy, I have him on ignore and I only see what he types if someone quotes it.

If you don't quote him I don't have to read his ramblings.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I didn't ignore it. VM is also unlimited so it was irrelevant.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

As long as you can account for all the usage (and it seems you can), just ignore the letter.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

It may have unlimited usage, but unlike Sky (ADSL *and* fibre) VM broadband is subject to traffic management...which I believe was the whole point of the discussion?

The OP received a letter from VM, pointing out that their usage may trigger VM's STM.

Muppetman11 asked "how does this compare to other ISP's Traffic Management/FUP?".

Telly Bear replied with "I can tell you Sky have absolutely no management at all and you will NEVER trigger any letters or anything".

You then said "Assuming this is standard ADSL and not Infinity..."

To which, Muppetman11 then pointed out "nope Sky's ADSL product and Upto 40/2 , upto 80/20 fibre products are all completely unlimited".

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Ah so my point is proven. It's unfair to say that you can't use Netflix. It's your overall usage levels that have created the issue. Even though the service is marketed as "unlimited" the reality is that VM do apply use criteria. It seems that so far people like ASA, OFCOM don't have a problem with the dictionary and public consumer definition of unlimited actually meaning some restrictions. It's just a pain that, apart from the STM thresholds we don't know what the heavy use criteria will be.

Is the minecraft server home hosted? If so, especially if it's reasonably popular, that is likely to be the real issue. At the end of the day home connections were never intended to support busy servers.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

AFAIK the dictionay hasn't changed.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Yes. So it was Infinity. And yet VM is still Unlimited (by amount); albeit with STM (by speed.)

---------- Post added at 22:44 ---------- Previous post was at 22:42 ----------

Whether you, I or anyone agrees with it or not, Within the broadband industry, "Unlimited" has always referred to the amount that can be downloaded.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

<Mod edit: Deleted> what is the actual issue with this thread beyond the OP noting that Virgin Media are still sending out letters for excessive usage albeit without mentioning sanctions, which begs the question of why they're bothering to send such letters if not to lean on customers which is cynical and against the spirit of the regulations even if not the letter of them?

Seriously it's none of VM's business what customers are using if it isn't against their policies, they can't have it both ways and send official looking letters to people while trying to make out that they are obeying the Ofcom regulations. Either they leave people alone beyond their STM provisions or they open the can of worms and police people via direct contact. To do neither while still contacting customers under the pretence of 'informing' them about their usage is ridiculous and I would welcome someone forwarding such a letter so that I can engage Ofcom on this matter as it's likely a breach of the regulations VM have agreed to.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

That is not the point you were making though. Your point was that ADSL is unlimited with no traffic management because it is slower.

ISPs such as Be and Sky are offering genuinely unlimited BB with no traffic management and Sky are offering Fibre and Be are offering line bonding so both are achieving speed that are not 'notoriously slower' than VM's BB. In fact some former VM 10 meg customers can exceed VM's BB spped on ADSL with the added benefit of no throttling.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Well it was my opinion. I did not state it was fact.

Good for them. Do they have more customers than VM? If they do then I'm probably wrong.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

It makes no difference if they have more customers or not. They exist and offer products with no traffic management.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

If you have less customers on your network then there might not be any need to implement measures such as STM.

Don't get me wrong. I don't like such measures as much as the next person (and have never said I did) but I do understand why they are there.

I hope that one day VM will have invested enough in their network to not have to use such measures. But I don't suppose that will ever happen with a consumer product as I don't suppose we're paying enough :D

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I agree there has be to some Traffic Management if it affecting other users.I was quite surprise of the high usage I never check it.I didn't think it be a problem.My only point was with all the demands with TV over the internet like skyGo Netflix Lovefilm and gaming is VirginMedia cable network ready for the future.Keep giving us higher and higher connection speeds but we have to be careful what we do with it.As long as it not anything illegal it should not be a problem.I think about time they invest in more bandwidth so there network can take the higher demands of the modern day technology.:D

Re: Netflix data warning
 

I don't know who has the most customers but I know Sky has more "Tripple pay" customers than Virginmedia. That's customers who take Phone,BB,TV. I also believe Virgins cable network covers 12 million homes but only 4 million take its BB services, So its running at less than half the customers it covers so its hard to see that it needs STM due to being overloaded.

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Well said Sir :clap:

Re: Netflix data warning
 

Minecaft not used for busy servers my son uses it for his friends only.;)

---------- Post added at 10:56 ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 ----------

Thanks for the feedback been interesting.