Cable Forum - View Single Post

DieDieMyDarling · 07-11-2004, 14:55

It's good to finally see some people against the cap. About time!

Just like the lower band Broadband users were unable to make full use of their service, because it wasn't actually fast enough to view the content on BroadbandPlus, we're gonna come to the point where 3mb users can't use their connection to view the data it's supposedly built for, ie. internet TV, Internet radio, downloading game demo's (some of which are becoming almost as big as the games themselves), Movie Rentals (coming soon), and anything else a 3mb could really take advantage of!

The maths say that a 1mb user will be able to use their connection flat out for 23 mins a day, to stay within the 5GB limit per month. I've seen it argued on here that the faster speeds will encourage people to try things they've not tried before, going from 300k to 1mb, but once they DO try these things, they'll soon realise just how small 5GB is! And, as a result they'll have to upgrade to the 2mb service to continue using all these new and wonderful internet services (which i'm sure is what Ntl had in mind). Note: the 2mb service could be used for 69 mins flat out at full speed per day, to stay in line with the 30GB cap, which is probably about the average use for a low user.

2mb will become the low speed service for people wishing to use the service for more than browsing and emails. And with a 30GB cap it isn't a bad service. It'll be good competition against other services (apart from AOL and any other uncapped services).

But the real problem i have is with the 3mb service, it's supposedly the new frontier, the highest speed in the UK, taking Ntl to the forefront of ISP's. As such it should then be in line with technology, recent and immediate future.
Ntl also mention networking and an internet service for all the family to enjoy.

Taking an average family of 2 parents and 2 kids, that gives you 4 people using the connection. With possibly an average of 2 pc's connected in that family. 40GB a month cap on the 3mb service equates to roughly 58mins flat out full speed useage per day. That's for at least 4 email accounts, 4 sets of different tastes downloading movies, music, software, games, patches etc.
It gives you 2 adults that might want to download pornographic material from subscribed services, where some of the movie clips can be as large as 300mb. When movie rentals go online that'll be even bigger files being downloaded. Not sure how that's gonna work but even if the movies are only in divx that's 700mb per movie, if they're in full DVD format then that's 3-4gb per movie, not including extra's discs.

Then there's all the internet chatting, whether it be text chat, Voice chat and even Video chats (which use up a fair amount of bandwidth). Sending and recieving photo's, and possibly home movie clips.
Internet TV.
Internet Radio.
Internet Gaming.

Suddenly 40GB doesn't seem that high.
It amounts to 58mins of flat out full speed useage per day, to stay within the 40GB limit per month. If this movie rental service uses full DVD format, that amounts to about 8-10 DVD's a month. 2-2.5 per week. Which allows for NO other use throughout the month.

I think Ntl have really missed the boat on this one. If only 5% of users use up most of the bandwidth, instead of introducing a 3mb service, they should have offered 1mb low useage, with 5GB cap. 1mb medium useage, with 20GB cap (still higher than BT). And for High users a 1mb line with either uncapped service or something like 100GB. Many people have stated they're prepared to pay extra for an uncapped service.

If when these new services begin, AOL are still an uncapped service, their advertising will play on it even more, and i can see a LOT of people moving over to ADSL. The only thing to hold them back is the fact that Ntl have a 3mb line, but without the ability to use it to it's full capacity, it's merely a number and means nothing more.

07-11-2004, 14:55	#423
DieDieMyDarling Inactive Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Belfast Age: 51 Services: 10 mb NTL Broadband, Sky TV (full package). Posts: 309	Re: [Now Official] More ntl speed changes It's good to finally see some people against the cap. About time! Just like the lower band Broadband users were unable to make full use of their service, because it wasn't actually fast enough to view the content on BroadbandPlus, we're gonna come to the point where 3mb users can't use their connection to view the data it's supposedly built for, ie. internet TV, Internet radio, downloading game demo's (some of which are becoming almost as big as the games themselves), Movie Rentals (coming soon), and anything else a 3mb could really take advantage of! The maths say that a 1mb user will be able to use their connection flat out for 23 mins a day, to stay within the 5GB limit per month. I've seen it argued on here that the faster speeds will encourage people to try things they've not tried before, going from 300k to 1mb, but once they DO try these things, they'll soon realise just how small 5GB is! And, as a result they'll have to upgrade to the 2mb service to continue using all these new and wonderful internet services (which i'm sure is what Ntl had in mind). Note: the 2mb service could be used for 69 mins flat out at full speed per day, to stay in line with the 30GB cap, which is probably about the average use for a low user. 2mb will become the low speed service for people wishing to use the service for more than browsing and emails. And with a 30GB cap it isn't a bad service. It'll be good competition against other services (apart from AOL and any other uncapped services). But the real problem i have is with the 3mb service, it's supposedly the new frontier, the highest speed in the UK, taking Ntl to the forefront of ISP's. As such it should then be in line with technology, recent and immediate future. Ntl also mention networking and an internet service for all the family to enjoy. Taking an average family of 2 parents and 2 kids, that gives you 4 people using the connection. With possibly an average of 2 pc's connected in that family. 40GB a month cap on the 3mb service equates to roughly 58mins flat out full speed useage per day. That's for at least 4 email accounts, 4 sets of different tastes downloading movies, music, software, games, patches etc. It gives you 2 adults that might want to download pornographic material from subscribed services, where some of the movie clips can be as large as 300mb. When movie rentals go online that'll be even bigger files being downloaded. Not sure how that's gonna work but even if the movies are only in divx that's 700mb per movie, if they're in full DVD format then that's 3-4gb per movie, not including extra's discs. Then there's all the internet chatting, whether it be text chat, Voice chat and even Video chats (which use up a fair amount of bandwidth). Sending and recieving photo's, and possibly home movie clips. Internet TV. Internet Radio. Internet Gaming. Suddenly 40GB doesn't seem that high. It amounts to 58mins of flat out full speed useage per day, to stay within the 40GB limit per month. If this movie rental service uses full DVD format, that amounts to about 8-10 DVD's a month. 2-2.5 per week. Which allows for NO other use throughout the month. I think Ntl have really missed the boat on this one. If only 5% of users use up most of the bandwidth, instead of introducing a 3mb service, they should have offered 1mb low useage, with 5GB cap. 1mb medium useage, with 20GB cap (still higher than BT). And for High users a 1mb line with either uncapped service or something like 100GB. Many people have stated they're prepared to pay extra for an uncapped service. If when these new services begin, AOL are still an uncapped service, their advertising will play on it even more, and i can see a LOT of people moving over to ADSL. The only thing to hold them back is the fact that Ntl have a 3mb line, but without the ability to use it to it's full capacity, it's merely a number and means nothing more.