Limited Unlimited plans for the NBN

[misi]

http://www.afr.com/p/technology/now_that_the_telcos_have_your_unlimited_YIkI6iy7pStKVWm4FrU9nK

One of the less well-known telcos made a splash last week, announcing unlimited data plans on the National Broadband Network. The word unlimited certainly commands the attention of the paying public, so expect to see plenty more unlimited offers jostling for your dollar. But understand that unlimited doesn’t mean the same thing to the service providers as it may to you.
...

But the telco was keen to assure the market that they would be. They assured one publication they were “well-positioned to counter any impact from heavy downloaders” and that “these are true unlimited plans but obviously we have industry standard acceptable-use policies and are in a position to monitor closely and respond quickly”. In other words, the plans are “truly unlimited” but there certainly won’t be truly unlimited use. “Obviously we don’t mind having heavy users. We just don’t want users abusing the connection,” the telco said.

So there you have the two perspectives writ large. A consumer advocate would argue that unlimited should mean unlimited and if that isn’t what a telco is offering, it should use another word to describe its offer. The telcos say they should be allowed to call a plan unlimited, even if it has rules for excluding very heavy users, or leeches, exploiters and abusers as the telcos like to describe them.

I remember such limited unlimited plans from Dial-Up.
Seems ISP are not tired to use them again and again...

 

[foxidrive]

Unlimited. It means without limit.

At least to normal people it does.

 

[JasonM]

Funny, the AFR was the only one to make this claim. They didn't even contact us btw.

We have customers downloading 3TB per month - while that's the upper end, we have had very few genuine complaints the whole time we have offered it. Almost 2 years now...

The key is ensuring you buy enough bandwidth - and charge your customers enough so you can afford it.

 

[misi]

We have customers downloading 3TB per month

Are they watching live television?

 

[JasonM]

The TV uses a lot less data than that....

We aim for Netflix being watchable in high quality during peak-time. And we use our own service, so.....

Netflix you'd be lucky to get to 500G per month on average, closer to 100G for the average household.

 

[JasonM]

Btw, Although I cannot name names, there was a specific person we all remember who became a customer of mine recently. It was this person that reminded me of little gurus. I am not sure they even know I run half the place.

 

[foxidrive]

We have customers downloading 3TB per month

Either they run a sideline making copies of everything to sell, or they are collectors who will probably never even watch 1% of the stuff they download.

Might you bluray is a new buzzword - and people like having quality that is 2000% better than they need just to watch a flick.

 

[Guess]

Just got a letter from Tel$tra this week to say that my 200GB limit is now 500GB at NO EXTRA charge.... Well, that's nice.. If only my 'so called' ADSL2+ which was 'once upon a time' a nice fast speed, would be flat out even reaching 500GB if it ran at its current full speed for the whole month. Grrrrrr...

 

[foxidrive]

Hey Guess, what speed did you get and what do you get now - in sync speed?
You're savvy enuff to connect the modem directly to the wall and no alarms or fax or any other phones sh1t either -
does it change?

The acid test is to also try another modem 'o course - if you do all this then what is Telstra's excuse

 

[misi]

Btw, Although I cannot name names, there was a specific person we all remember who became a customer of mine recently

Our thanks to him!

 

[misi]

The TV uses a lot less data than that....

Than for what?
3TB= 100GB per day.
What to do with that?

Either they run a sideline making copies of everything to sell, or they are collectors who will probably never even watch 1% of the stuff they download.

I think that's correct.

 

[Guess]

Hey Guess, what speed did you get and what do you get now - in sync speed?
You're savvy enuff to connect the modem directly to the wall and no alarms or fax or any other phones sh1t either -
does it change?

The acid test is to also try another modem 'o course - if you do all this then what is Telstra's excuse

Not sure how to explain, So here's the figures.
The low speeds are when I use straight internet, regardless of which modem I use. ( less than 7 Mb/s)
The faster speeds are when I am using PureVPN. ( greater than 7 Mb/s )

Telstras answer to my complaints is, " If you are receiving internet regardless of speed and drop outs are less than 4 times per day, then it is working "..



Phoneline setup is, Line enters house from pit in street to ceiling. In ceiling, I have a Telstra branded line splitter ( a grey box for indoor/outdoor use ) with Line 'A' unfiltered running direct to my Office and Modem. Line 'B' filtered runs to alarm, then Bed phone, Family phone, Foxtel point, then Office phone point and Fax then Kitchen phone point.

 

[foxidrive]

The low speeds are when I use straight internet, regardless of which modem I use. ( less than 7 Mb/s)
The faster speeds are when I am using PureVPN. ( greater than 7 Mb/s )

I gather then the modem sync speed is high all the time but the connection throughput is variable.
ISPs throttle all the time these days.... and that's business as usual.

with Line 'A' unfiltered running direct to my Office and Modem. Line 'B' filtered runs....

Just commenting here that one filtered outlet might be a little impedance mis-matched with a stack of phone devices.

 

[TeeEm]

Telstras answer to my complaints is, " If you are receiving internet regardless of speed and drop outs are less than 4 times per day, then it is working "..

At least you've got a connection Guess.

Telstra was working on a pole at the end of our street in Mt Gravatt on FRIDAY 10th at about lunch time. I asked them on the way out what time will the phone be back on and they said in 1/2 an hour, when we got back home still no phone. Waited till 4 pm went down the road and they had gone but still no phone. Rang faults via Manilla or somewhere and after checking everything in our house which was pointless after me telling them about the guys up the pole, a fault was lodged. Went to Telstra shop at Garden City on Saturday to find what was happening and eventually via I assume Manilla again I related the whole story again and was told there was no mention of the workers up the pole on the report. So then I was told the earliest a service could be organised would be between 1 - 5 on WEDNESDAY 15th ! When it was all their own making.

At present using a Vodafone dongle to post this. Which is not too bad I suppose.

 

[misi]

At present using a Vodafone dongle to post this. Which is not too bad I suppose.

I'm trying to call your home phone, without success. (Unfortunately I don't know the dongle's number)
What's with you?
Is your health OK? You might need to call urgently a doctor or ambulance.
Well, if you are just in your 20-50's it's not a big deal....but if not...
Should I ring Telstra to check your phone line?*
* (I hope you got the message on your dongle)

 

[TeeEm]

I'm trying to call your home phone, without success. )

Funny, I haven't had a Telstra redirect call to my mobile. Methinks you are telling porkies.

 

[misi]

Methinks you are telling porkies.

Caught me...
So the calls are redirected...
Then no problems at all. You can live without ADSL for a few days, weeks...no need to tell porkies to Telstra...

 

[TeeEm]

Caught me...
So the calls are redirected...

Hopefully, although I haven't had one yet ! But there again there is a distinct possibility that they have stuffed the redirect too, going on their current and past performance.

 

[misi]

Hopefully, although I haven't had one yet ! But there again there is a distinct possibility that they have stuffed the redirect too,

Have you got any VOIP such as Mynetfone, Pennytel, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, etc.?
Try to call your home number from them.
What happens?

 

[TeeEm]

Unfortunately the line connection is disconnected at the junction on the pole at the end of the road as it was alright until those clowns started working on it.
I've been through all the the stupid tests and resets via Manilla, having extreme difficulty trying to understand their pronunciation as they read though their test sheet.
I don't have any use for VOIP etc.