What is going on with STM?

cook1984 · 14-04-2009, 19:24

I have just been hit with STM, but only after downloading ~2.8GB during the peek evening time of 4pm-9pm. Dead on 2.8GB it kicked in. I am on L (10 meg).

The official rules state that the limit is 1.2GB during this period. 2.8GB relates to nothing at all, although of course it's probably more like 3GB when you count overheads.

My download speed was a steady 9.6Mb until throttling kicked in and it went down to a pathetic 2.3Mb.

Also, yesterday I uploaded well over 1GB during peek times and was not hit with STM.

Could this be an unannounced change in the rules? Maybe preparation for an upgrade to the speed of L, since it's now the same as M only with a larger limit before STM hits?

14-04-2009, 20:45

I sometimes wonder if STM only kicks in on the limits given if there is a high volume of network traffic in a given geographic area

In my case a while ago it was just over limit, so now if i have got anything big to download e.g movie from Apple's ITunes store I do it after 9pm

Ignitionnet · 14-04-2009, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlayzell

I sometimes wonder if STM only kicks in on the limits given if there is a high volume of network traffic in a given geographic area

Sadly it's not that clever, if it were I could see some more point in it.

Tech_Boy · 14-04-2009, 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadbandings

Sadly it's not that clever, if it were I could see some more point in it.

Comcasts is

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/09...gement-archite

cook1984 · 15-04-2009, 00:15

It looks like it's just really badly configured in a lot of places. I've been hit with STM outside the advertised times (probably due to the clock on the UBR being wrong) and now the limits seem to be random.

I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less. At work I deal with Easynet a lot, a company that provides business connections to other companies. Their clients rely on them for things like working from home via Remote Desktop connections and of course email. Recently one of our clients who uses them was offline for a day and a half because Easynet misconfigured a router, then took a day to be convinced that they had even made a mistake, finally admitted it and then got it wrong a few more times before eventually fixing it.

You wouldn't believe how much they charge for that level of "service" either.

Ignitionnet · 15-04-2009, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tech_Boy

Comcasts is

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/09...gement-archite

Comcast spent a few quid on their solution they didn't just pop a few commands into a CMTS. Their solution uses a combination of internally developed software and Sandvine equipment while VM's solution is a few commands on the Cisco, which is obviously not as clever as the Comcast solution but it's free!

The clocks on the CMTS are configured fine - they use NTP to sync to central servers so should have no problems. It's just that the software is buggy.

Still makes me laugh that when you google Subscriber Traffic Management the first hit is Virgin Media, with Cisco relegated to second.

DABhand · 16-04-2009, 17:44

The throttling is a joke, and is really theft in a way. And they still use the top 3% excuse.

Unfortunately most of the customer base have no clue about it and dont know how to complain, and thusly exec's are rubbing their hands with glee at the income flooding in.

People really need to spread the word and tell VM that 75% is totally unacceptable. And obvious that its leeching bandwith for the 50mb users :P

EDIT: And why are the 50mb customers not throttled? Surely they make a larger impact to bandwith usage than the others. Damn VM exec's are really dumb :P

telfordcable · 16-04-2009, 21:56

I agree with DABhand.

It not fair on those on 2Mbps with worse STM than 20Mbps and of course 50Mbps is non-STM but it will be sooner or later (i think it will be straight away once all the 100% roll out of 50Mbps is complete. I think you are right a throttling of 75% is so unfair, it better say around half of it 50% is better than 75%.

TOF1998 · 27-04-2009, 13:24

Hi

Ive been away from PC for last 3 days, pc was turned off as well as modem and router.(so no-one stealing bandwidth )
I started to download W7 RC1 x64 this morning ,it got to about just under 2 gig downloaded and i was throttled back to 512....
I was under the impression that i could download 9 gig up to 3.00pm and 3 gig after 4.00pm..
It appears that stm is kicking in randomly (wtf )
Will be complaining again to VM....(for all the good it will do )

Cheers

Brian

20Mb service...( laughable )
Wolverhampton area

AndyCambs · 27-04-2009, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOF1998

Hi

Ive been away from PC for last 3 days, pc was turned off as well as modem and router.(so no-one stealing bandwidth )
I started to download W7 RC1 x64 this morning ,it got to about just under 2 gig downloaded and i was throttled back to 512....
I was under the impression that i could download 9 gig up to 3.00pm and 3 gig after 4.00pm..
It appears that stm is kicking in randomly (wtf )
Will be complaining again to VM....(for all the good it will do )

Cheers

Brian

20Mb service...( laughable )
Wolverhampton area

Ensure it's not your router causing a problem and connect directly to the modem just to check it first.

TOF1998 · 27-04-2009, 16:48

Done that already,

Its Definately Throttling ,

CS said " i have reached my limit of 3gb download for today and that is why im being throttled "
I told her i was on 20mb service, to which she replyed, well perhaps you might consider 50mb upgrade.
At which point i put the phone down.....

Im going to give it the full five hours and see if my speed returns, and if not , then i guess im back on the phone

Cheers
Brian

chickendippers · 27-04-2009, 18:02

Post on the virginmedia.support.broadband.cable newsgroup for an answer from a competent British agent: http://www.virginmedia.com/help/cable/newsgroups/

BenMcr · 27-04-2009, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOF1998

Done that already,

Its Definately Throttling ,

CS said " i have reached my limit of 3gb download for today and that is why im being throttled "
I told her i was on 20mb service, to which she replyed, well perhaps you might consider 50mb upgrade.
At which point i put the phone down.....

Im going to give it the full five hours and see if my speed returns, and if not , then i guess im back on the phone

Cheers
Brian

Would like to point out that only TSC can see if someone has hit the threshold on the day itself

CSC can only see historical information

broadbandking · 27-04-2009, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOF1998

Hi

Ive been away from PC for last 3 days, pc was turned off as well as modem and router.(so no-one stealing bandwidth )
I started to download W7 RC1 x64 this morning ,it got to about just under 2 gig downloaded and i was throttled back to 512....
I was under the impression that i could download 9 gig up to 3.00pm and 3 gig after 4.00pm..
It appears that stm is kicking in randomly (wtf )
Will be complaining again to VM....(for all the good it will do )

Cheers

Brian

20Mb service...( laughable )
Wolverhampton area

Its only 6 gig in the day