Should i worry?
 

Good morning all.

I was wondering if someone could put my mind at ease and give me some rough ideas on how much i can use my 50M package.

A little background - been with virgin since day 1 of the public release of their BB started on 600k then just took every upgrade until im now on 50M.

Last year I got sent a letter as during the space of 2.5 days (a weekend) i downloaded a lot of files (it was a backup of my works server to my NAS)
The letter informed me i had a mark against my account and 2 more could result in being cut off.

I called the number and they confirmed the dates that i did download a lot did generate the warning letter.
They told me only download/upload between 9-9

I work from home and since then have mainly been worried about using it for anything other than web browsing and email during 9-9.

Now i am not a heavy user but sometimes i may need to download the odd GB during 9-9 but i dont. I asked virgin how much do they think i can get away with they couldnt give me any numbers as it all depends who else is using it on the same bit of their network as me. The guy i talked to mentioned that he wouldnt risk downloading even 1 GB between 9-9.

I love the service but for my work i sometimes need to download or upload stuff during the "peak hours" can anyone offer any guidance? from reading virgins website i cant find concreate info.
The site suggests there are no limits on the 50mb service for download:
http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/tra...r-uploads.html
my reading of that is the only restriction is uploading between 3pm and 8pm if you do over 6GB then its slowed down by 65% for 5 hours.

If this is the case then thats fine i doubt i will upload over 6GB in 1 day more than once a year and if i do im fine with doing it out of hours or if i do it during 3-8pm im happy for it to be traffic shapped.

So in short :) what shall i do? what do other people do to keep virgin happy?
Lets say i download 10 GB a day during the day would that get me in trouble?

in short i am just worried to use it and have been for around 7 months but reading the website kinda makes me want to use it again without any fear but really dont want to get kicked off.

Re: Should i worry?
 

How much did you down/uploadload over this weekend? I can download 9GB+ form Steam in a day and I'm yet to get a letter. If you're not a heavy user and you're not download the motherload from work you shouldn't have a problem.

Re: Should i worry?
 

the time i got told off i was downloading full speed for 2.5 days.

on average id say i pull 5GB a day its just waiting till 9 to do it is the pain

Re: Should i worry?
 

Hi, if you download that heavily, why didnt you upgrade to the 100mbit tier? ( if it is available )

As 100Mbit being the highest tier is the least traffic shaped tier,

Customers with Broadband size: 100 (100Mb) – your usage excluding file sharing traffic (see below) is unaffected.

Customers with Broadband size: XXL (50Mb) – your downstream usage excluding file sharing traffic (see below) remains unaffected and we'll soon be increasing your upload speeds from 1.5Mb to 5Mb. However during peak times we'll need to slow you back to 1.75Mb if your upload usage is particularly high.

File sharing

At peak times we also slow down the speed of file sharing traffic – that's services like Limewire, Gnutella, BitTorrent and Newsgroup (Usenet) traffic. You will, of course, still be able to use these services, but downloads and uploads will take longer during these peak periods.


So on 100Mbit only thing that is traffic shaped is file sharing.. other than that there is no download limit imposed, or temporary speed restrictions so if you are not using a file sharing platform for all intense and purposes it is unlimited.

Also see,

http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/tra...nt-policy.html

As it may explain why you was given a warning letter previously on a lower tier.

If you was previously on 20Mbit, there is a 3500MB limit during the evening, if you go over there is a 75% reduction in speed for 5 hours.

during the day time that limit rises to 7000mb

50mbit is listed as not having a download limit, although they may impose a speed restriction as above of 1.75Mbit if your upload usage is high.

100Mbit is the only one which has minimal traffic shaping.

Re: Should i worry?
 

Just do it to be honest, it is what it is and if they do write to you do what everyone else who gets those letters seems to do and write to Ofcom / ISPA / MP / PM / MEP ;)

Re: Should i worry?
 

Indeed. You're paying for an "unlimited" service. You shouldn't have to worry about how you use it, that's the whole point of paying more for unlimited.

Being harrassed for using too much of something you shouldn't be able to use too much of is something you should complain about, not put up with.

Re: Should i worry?
 

Dam well said sir :tu:

Re: Should i worry?
 

I think if VM had their way nobody would use their connection. I wouldn't worry about it dude, I have downloaded over 60gb during the day before and I have never had a letter

Re: Should i worry?
 

^ That. You pay for it, use it as you see fit. If they start sending you letters, then complain to OFCOM about their use of "UNLIMITED" when it's clearly not.

Re: Should i worry?
 

Nothing to do with Ofcom that would be the ASA and it's currently fine however a report on this and broadband speed advertising is due Thursday which should clarify.

Re: Should i worry?
 

pah!!!!! try 1.2TB in 20 days. yes i did get a letter asking to move my downloads to after 9pm. :D only 900GB this month so far. slowing down in my old age ;)

Re: Should i worry?
 

We're leaving the summer so it's a quieter period, less movies to copy at this time of year.

Will warm up towards Christmas for obvious reasons. Decent peeps will give their Amazon, play.com etc, accounts some exercise, the digital chavs will give their Usenet accounts some exercise. :)

Re: Should i worry?
 

hey i resemble that remark. i like to get my 45 quids worth every month ;)

Re: Should i worry?
 

The remark was aimed at you, so the idea was that you resemble it.

Copying stuff without paying is hardly something to be proud of and what you pay Virgin each month is absolutely nothing to do with it :)

I resemble the part of the people who use Amazon or Play to get Blu Rays, I do occasionally wonder what they'd cost if it weren't for people helping themselves, but then I like a quality original in an original case with special features intact, and knowing I've rewarded the people who invested the money and time in making the product gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

I should patent the term 'digital chav' - I quite like it, and it's very appropriate :)

Re: Should i worry?
 

Can't patent it but you sure can trade mark it.