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Originally Posted by Ignition
The average usage for a broadband user in the UK is 6GB (This includes 'heavier' users).
5% of users are responsible for 65% of usage.
Remove that and the average drops below 5GB. I would hope that the caps make more sense. You can't please everyone all the time, however the majority that will be fine with 5GB along with the >95% that are fine with 30GB or 40GB will be pleased.
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I'm a bit shocked the averages use is that high, after you take heavy users out of the equation.
This figure is taken while most ntl users are on 300k, which isn't proper broadband, i recall people saying they can't even sign up to Broadband Plus on this speed, as it doesn't support many of the multimedia streams.
So ntl are upgrading everyone that's on 300k, to 1mb. All those people who couldn't sign up to Broadband Plus, and had a limited internet experience, will now be able to do things they couldn't do before, just as people who move from dial up to 300k, it opens up new ways to enjoy the internet.
Now, if those people (however many hundred thousand of them) all get 1mb speeds in the next few weeks/months, they ARE going to try downloading things they wouldn't have before, they're gonna start listening to internet radio, watching internet tv, downloading bigger movie clips, etc.
I've seen people mention that just because you get a faster speed, you don't have to download more, but in this case it does mean that, because the new, faster speed opens up new possibilities.
So, ntl in their infinite wisdom (teehee) have decided to impose a cap, based on current use, taking the 'less than 5gb' average use of non-heavy users, and at the same time give those very people a connection which is over 3 times the speed. You can't honestly expect someone not to change their internet habits, while changing to a speed so much faster than the old one. Ntl have only introduced this much faster speed to lure the public with misleading advertising (they won't mention the cap in the ads, just that they have the fastest lower teir). Simple reason for this is, they're desperate to offer the fastest speeds, and keep ahead of ADSL, but can't actually support it.
Same with the 3mb line, they introduced it to keep up there with ADSL, but to offer a speed like this with a 40GB cap, is just ludicrous. People who will pay for a 3mb line, are going to be heavy users, people who use the internet a lot, and want to download BIG files, fast. And to give them a service that can only be used less than an hour a day is just pointless.
Regardless of how we all feel about caps, i really do think ntl have made a big mistake. AOL are already playing on the 'uncapped' ads, and with other ADSL companies moving into new area's, it won't be long before ntl are left behind, and losing their customers by the hundreds, and possibly thousands, to other providers, who will undoubtably play on a lot peoples fears of going over the cap, most people won't know how much 5gb is, and the sheer fear of it, will be enough to make them think twice about where they go.