New STM/Virgin traffic managent confirmed - so that's why it's slow!

[Sput]

Originally Posted by Sirius

I don't like STM because i honestly feel its been applied to allow VM to CRAM more users on to a already bulging network. And they say there is no smoke without fire and the smoke at the moment seems to be showing up after midnight

Yes I have it now at 03:49!!!

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Sput

Yes I have it now at 03:49!!!

know how you feel.

I seem to get it randomly at any time of the day or night. I cannot be arsed to ring tech support and talk to a guy in India who's only task in life is to read a bloody script then fob me off with the fault of the day.

[deed02392]

Originally Posted by Sirius

know how you feel.

I seem to get it randomly at any time of the day or night. I cannot be arsed to ring tech support and talk to a guy in India who's only task in life is to read a bloody script then fob me off with the fault of the day.

And that's the sad situation we have all been expected to get used to.

[rossdagley]

Originally Posted by Sirius

know how you feel.

I seem to get it randomly at any time of the day or night. I cannot be arsed to ring tech support and talk to a guy in India who's only task in life is to read a bloody script then fob me off with the fault of the day.

You'll think I'm making this up

Just phoned Broadband support on 151 after getting capped for the 2nd time this month. Never happened before (that I've noticed anyway), and I'm a very heavy user.

Stereotypical 1st line support script-reader answers, and yes, he was clearly in India - difficult to understand and took several "Sorry?"s and "Pardon?"s to get anything comprehensible out of him.

I explained that after getting capped yesterday, I (last night) setup my bandwidth manager to restrict download speed to 160Kb/sec during peak hours (defined on their website as 10am to 3pm, and 4pm to 9pm. At 8:30pm I notice I'm restricted to 600Kb/sec download speeds, and want to know why... I've downloaded just over 8Gb today (since midnight TODAY) and my badwidth usage is within their stipulated totals of 6Gb for the morning cap, and 3Gb for the evening cap.

Apparently there's a "problem with the server" and the "engineers" can't make any changes to my profile now. Genius. Another fob-off.

I then phoned 150 to make a complaint. Spoke to girl this time (also from India I think - another stong, almost impossible accent to understand). I couldn't make a formal complaint - she insisted on giving me the postal address to write in to.

What a far cry from the (still advertised) "no caps, no allowances" BS still being sold to consumers, new and existing alike. (http://www.virgin.net/helpme/broadba...ethereany.html - check it out).

I left Be* for VM because I was "only" getting 14mbit/sec on Be*. I'm very disappointed with VM, and would like to know if I can "vote with my feet" at this point (been with them only 7 months or so) as they've changed the contract - do I have rights to leave and return to Be*?

I get very fast access (as good as 20mbit advertised) when it's not capped. Its a pity I'm not around more at 2am when VM would have me use my "unlimited, uncapped" service I pay so much for...

[bigsanta11]

Originally Posted by pippincp

So why didn't you security (your words) your wireless when you first got it?
You are responsible for whoever uses your connection and to have 6 unknown people using your connection is just not reckless it's stupid.

I have to disagree with that like,so if someone gets control of your pc or is wardriving in a car outside your house ,and they are committing illegal acts,say dos attacks ,turned your pc into a zombie,you are saying that i'm the one who'll be hauled in front of the local magistrates ?

Not going to happen.

[Jelly]

Originally Posted by bigsanta11

I have to disagree with that like,so if someone gets control of your pc or is wardriving in a car outside your house ,and they are committing illegal acts,say dos attacks ,turned your pc into a zombie,you are saying that i'm the one who'll be hauled in front of the local magistrates ?

Not going to happen.

It's your connection and your responsibility. You'll have to prove it wasn't you, and "I don't have a secure network!" won't cut it.

Originally Posted by Jelly

It's your connection and your responsibility. You'll have to prove it wasn't you, and "I don't have a secure network!" won't cut it.

Section 5.3 of VM AUP

5.3. Users are responsible for the security of their own devices that are directly or indirectly connected to our network. This includes, but is not limited to: PCs, wired and wireless home networking devices and games consoles.

[Nicosia]

exactly why should Vm be responsible for that .. its up the the owner of the connection to security enable the wireless if he/she decides to. even though some people may not have a clue on how to or how to even enter the admin page of their router or know about neighbours using ur wireless

[jaycee]

Yes but they also cannot prove that someone did not illegally hack into your wireless via brute force. In the same vein the law cannot hold you responsible if your neighbours house burns down because someone broke into your house and set fire to it.

Reality check - likelihood and possibility.

They also cannot prove that someone came to your house with a gun, and is threatening to kill your family if you grass them up for using your broadband, but what is the likelihood of this?

Is it likely that someone would go to that much trouble to break into a secured home wifi network just to download illegal copies of music?

And to extend your "fire" metaphor a little - there would have to be some proof that your house had been broken into and set on fire, don't you think?

[jaycee]

Innocent until proven guilty - they cannot simply say "we think you downloaded music, have a fine" unless they can prove your connection was used, by you, with one of your machines. This is why Police sieze the machines when they have suspicion of fraud, child porn, etc... they cannot convict without proof that the material is on the machine.

So far, the BPI dont have that power, and the Police have better things to do than waste resources on such matters. The RIAA have been spitting out subpoenas for peoples hard disks for just this reason - but that is the US, not here.

Your point does not lessen the fact that the owners of home wifi networks have an obligation under VM's AUP to at least to attempt to secure their links - if there had been a "brute force" attempt to hack the router, this would show up on the firewall logs, surely, which would mitigate any possible proceedings. If the subscriber could provide this evidence, there would be no case. The plaintiff would have provided evidence (IP logs and time), and the defendant would have to counter that (besides saying "it wasn't me, guv").

In a civil case, the BPI would provide evidence to show that a machine/network had been used to download copyrighted music without permission - it would then be up to the owner of that network/machine to show otherwise (by use of network logs, etc); and remember, the difference between a criminal case and a civil case is that in a civil case, the plaintiff must simply convince the court or tribunal that their claim is valid, and that on balance of probability it is likely that the defendant is guilty. There is a big difference between criminal proceedings (fraud and child porn) and civil (copyright violation).

[rossdagley]

Two day ago I started logging in great detail my usage as VM had decided to start capping me a few days previously.

I note with great interest that I'm being capped this evening at 500Kb/sec even though I've downloaded nowhere near their limits. Check http://www.dagley.co.uk/virgin for the table showing what I've downloaded and when today.

So, I complained:

Although I am subscribed to your uncapped, unlimited internet service (as you still advertise on your website - http://www.virgin.net/helpme/broadba...ethereany.html) I have been restricted via your automated capping system for two nights in a row even though I am well within your allowed download limits.

As you have introduced these changes to our contract without consulting me, and subsequently you are restricting my bandwidth without my consent and in violation to your own Terms of Service, I want to know what you are going to do about it.

As an example, I am currently capped to a download speed of approximately 500KB/sec in line with your capping policy as outlined on http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php.

However, as you can clearly see from this page I am WELL WITHIN my allowed usage according to YOUR timescales as set forth in the previous link.

Please now see: http://www.dagley.co.uk/virgin/

As you can see, during the period 10:00 to 15:00 I have downloaded FAR LESS than the 6GB you allow (2.2GB) and the same in the evening period (2.1GB).

Why am I now capped in the evening for the third day in a row? And please - before you even go there - be aware I'm fairly "technical" having been a Network & Server administrator for the last 12 years of my career - please don't try and fob me off as I've seen VM do with other customers. No I don’t have anyone else using the account, and no, I’ve not been subjected to a horde of marauding, war-driving lemmings brute force attacking my router.

Yesterday I phoned your “technical helpline” and was treated to a barrage of insulting belittlement from your representative as he tried to convince me it was a “server problem” and as the “system was currently down” he could “inadvertently cut off my account for up to 7 hours” if he tried to touch anything now. How helpful. And what complete tosh.

This is absolutely outrageous - I pay a great deal of money (VM is as I'm sure you're aware one of the most expensive ISP's for home use in the country) for this "service" and quite frankly you're failing in every regard.

Combine this with your interest in Phorm and unless you do something immediately, you'll be losing THIS customer as I'll be voting with my feet.

I await your imminent reply with interest.

I suspect nothing will happen. At which point Virgin Media can take a hike, and it'll be back to Be* for me.

---------- Post added at 23:18 ---------- Previous post was at 21:48 ----------

Anyone else being capped when they shouldn't be? Or no one taken the time to find out?

[moaningmags]

Did you hit the upstream limit? Asking as you only mention downloads, but uploads count between 3pm and 8pm.

[rossdagley]

Originally Posted by moaningmags

Did you hit the upstream limit? Asking as you only mention downloads, but uploads count between 3pm and 8pm.

Nope - under 30% of my "allowance" during these times. Woke up this morning - downloads still running, only now at my usual (20mpbs) speed. And will continue to do so until 10am, when my limiter will kick in.

In case anyone else wants to throttle their bandwidth in this way, check out Softpedia's Bandwidth Manager as thats what I'm using - allows time/date etc throttling. Exactly what's needed when you're on an uncapped (but capped) service...