[Now Official] More ntl speed changes

[Neil]

Originally Posted by zovat

Certainly 30-40Gb per month does not seem to be particularly low.

It's still an average of 1.33333 gig per day though, so there's no real change, except you will hit the cap/'usage guideline' that bit faster....

At least ntl have been a bit more open & upfront about their 'cap' this time around, it remains to be seen whether they amend the Ts & Cs to reflect 40 gig per month as a blanket monthly figure, or amend the current 'usage guideline' that they have in place.

The way I see it is this regarding the usage allowance - If someone consistantly goes over the limit and it is seriously effecting others service for customers in their region then you probably get a polite notice to alter your usage.

If someone ocassionally goes over the limit and I am pretty much sure this applies to a signifcant amount of customers, then I am sure it will be overlooked, pretty much like its doing now.

You only have to think seriously about how many customers have posted on any forum that they have been disconnected or are going to be disconnected. Since the AUP change last year I do not know of anyone who has mentioned on any site that they had their services removed or discontinued. This can only point to one thing that it is a very rare occurance when ntl does act.

I am no fan of restrictions, personally it doesn't effect me one way or the other but I didn't particularily like the way ntl introduced them, one Friday afternoon, back in Feb 2003. But looking at the time factor since that time, when has ntl ever been seen to strictly enforce this?

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Neil

It's still an average of 1.33333 gig per day though, so there's no real change, except you will hit the cap/'usage guideline' that bit faster....

At least ntl have been a bit more open & upfront about their 'cap' this time around, it remains to be seen whether they amend the Ts & Cs to reflect 40 gig per month as a blanket monthly figure, or amend the current 'usage guideline' that they have in place.

There is a change because 40 gig per month is less than what is currently allowed.

Most users will not hit the "cap/usage guideline" faster because they will still do the same things that they usually do.

How can you say that NTL have been more open and upfront this time when they have not officialy announced any change to the guidline?

[kronas]

this is superb news just what i wanted, although the caps are not concrete i expect NTL to come down on people like a ton of bricks if they exceed future limits

[zovat]

Originally Posted by Neil

It's still an average of 1.33333 gig per day though, so there's no real change, except you will hit the cap/'usage guideline' that bit faster....

Actually I make it 1.314204359 - 40*12/365.24 (allowing for leap years/millenia) (sorry - couldn't resist being pedantic )

Originally Posted by Neil

At least ntl have been a bit more open & upfront about their 'cap' this time around, it remains to be seen whether they amend the Ts & Cs to reflect 40 gig per month as a blanket monthly figure, or amend the current 'usage guideline' that they have in place.

True, it is nice to see NTL being up front about this.

I an not a fan of capped broadband, as it seems to be a bit of a misnomer. But as my usage patterns do not cause issue with the cap, I have never really had issues with NTL having them.

It will be interesting to see what happens - Maybe this is just a way of trying to get those "power users" to subscribe to a business contract in order to have unlimited downloads.


Does anyone know whether the upload will change or not - I know it has been asked, but I do not see an answer..

[Graham F]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

There is a change because 40 gig per month is less than what is currently allowed.

Most users will not hit the "cap/usage guideline" faster because they will still do the same things that they usually do.

How can you say that NTL have been more open and upfront this time when they have not officialy announced any change to the guidline?

Lets be fair ntl have yet to announce this change other than in their results, which says this change will happen in Q1 2005. So nearer the time i would expect ntl to do a press release with a full PIB on it which will explain all of this to ppl... patience ppl

Unfortunately, it makes sense on ntl's behalf, that they drastically reduce the cap on the new 1MB service, to discourage current 750K users from "downgrading" to 1MB next year.

A lot of current 750k users may be perfectly happy with their speed, and may think that 2MB isn't realy needed.

The measly 5GB cap will probably put them off from downgrading.

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Lets be fair ntl have yet to announce this change other than in their results, which says this change will happen in Q1 2005. So nearer the time i would expect ntl to do a press release with a full PIB on it which will explain all of this to ppl... patience ppl

I fully agree with what you say which is why I said "when they have not officialy announced any change to the guidline? ".

I think it is great news from NTL and never expected that they would come up with two significant speed increases inside a year. Let's hope that the NTL PR department make the most of this.

[madcap]

I'm happy with the speed but worried about how caps may be enforced, at the moment I have a 40GB a month USENET account which I use up every month, now with the current guidelines they have left me alone (no usage letters) but if it is stictly enforced then I'm buggerd as I've got my normal browsing and online gaming usage on top of that. Yes they could say 40GB is an incerase but it is avery small incerase and at 3Mb that could eaten up very quickly. Hopefully if this a move to come into line with telewest then the caps wont be enforced as they dont have any caps at all at this time it just depends on which way they go after a merger i.e. capped/uncapped.

[Nor]

Its a reduction really, although it looks reasonable similar. The current guidelines allow you to download say 70gb a month and stay within the rules. On the basis that you download alot on the 4 days a month you're able to exceeed the 1gb cap.

Not that thats very reasonable use of the service. Personally I don't think I go over the guidelines much. Most days I only download 50mb from basic surfing. Just abit concerned with a 5gb cap that I'll be constantly looking at what I've downloaded instead of being rather carefree.

[themelon]

Capped Broadband is the way everyone will go sooner or later.

As more and more people get Broadband be it ADSL or Cable, Its a choice, either let bandwidth hogs using fileshare drive our connections to 14k speeds.

At least the 1Mb service isnt as pointless as the 1GB cap services certain DSL ISPs (cough BT, Wanadoo, Tiscali) are offering.............these days you turn frigging Windows on and it downloads some rubbish service pack and a gazillion patches which right royally srews your computer and its about 200mb!

[madcap]

I personaly feel that a 2GB a day (i.e. 60 a month) cap on a 3Mb connection would be better, obviously it would suit me anyway lol.

[Salu]

I wonder if this will actually lead initially to a drop in revenue for NTL as people view this as a chance to get an upgrade and a drop in price? In other words, will people change from the existing 750K for £25pm to the 1MB option at £18. I would think that the vast majority of users will not be troubled by a 5GB cap...so NTL will lose £7 per month, per customer.

The other thing is what happens when you go over your limit? Are you charged per MB or will the same relaxed rules as now, still apply?

Also have we had news on the upload speeds?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Salu

The other thing is what happens when you go over your limit? Are you charged per MB or will the same relaxed rules as now, still apply?

No confirmation yet.

Originally Posted by Salu

Also have we had news on the upload speeds?

Same I'm afraid.

*These have yet to be confirmed by ntl, figures provided by internal source. Itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s not yet certain if the above monthly usage allowances are just guidelines, however the currently usage allowance for existing speeds, is 1GB per day †“ but this is seen as a guide only and not necessarily an enforcement. NTL has not been known to strictly enforce the current usage allowance.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/...-speed-changes

[kronas]

in my view NTL will enforce its rules whatever they may be, they have more to lose now interms of trying to keep heavy downloaders minimal and turning over revenue to keep bandwidth bills down, so its good in the sense speeds are to increase, but bad for people such as myself who argue against caps.