how much you have to download on each package to get shaped

[Ben B]

Sorry if it's been posted before but i think that some people are unaware how much they have to download before they are shaped as it is different on whichever broadband package you are on.

Broadband Size: M
During peak times, the top 5% on the Size: M package download at least 350MB of traffic each.

Any users hitting this amount during peak times (4pm till midnight) will have their broadband speed temporarily traffic managed – their download speed will be set to 1Mb, with their upload speed set to 128Kb. This will last for 4 hours from when the traffic management policy is applied.

Even if a Broadband Size: M user has their speed temporarily traffic managed, they can still download over 1,000 music files per day.

Broadband Size: L
During peak times, the top 5% on the Size: L package download at least 750MB of traffic each.

Any users hitting this amount during peak times (4pm till midnight) will have their broadband speed temporarily traffic managed – their download speed will be set to 2Mb, with their upload speed set to 192Kb. This will last for 4 hours from when the traffic management policy is applied.

Even if a Broadband: Size L user has their speed temporarily traffic managed, they can still download over 1,500 music files per day.

Broadband Size: XL
During peak times, the top 5% on the Size: XL package download at least 3GB of traffic each.

Any users hitting this amount during peak times (4pm till midnight) will have their broadband speed temporarily traffic managed – their download speed will be set to 5Mb, with their upload speed set to 256Kb. This will last for 4 hours from when the traffic management policy is applied.

Even if a Broadband Size: XL user has their speed temporarily traffic managed, they can still download over 4,000 music files per day.

Info is from http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/internet/traffic.html

Hope this is useful to people! :)

Ben B.

[dev]

it may be helpful but inaccurate as different areas have different limits, i've gone hit 4gb (on 20mb) before being shaped

[saabmania2]

i think that most people are finding like myself that there is no need for the limits, i'm on the supposive 20mb service and get shaped nearly everyday when yet i don't get anywhere near downloading 500mb let alone 3gb:mad:;)

[colirv]

This is probably a stupid question, but are these limits per day or per month?

[Druchii]

This is probably a stupid question, but are these limits per day or per month?
Per day, actually just for the hours between 4pm and midnight.

[colirv]

Fine - that's me safe then!

[CIS]

I do agree with a FUP, but these levels are not really acceptable for any package, I would say the reason people go for the XL package is because they are people that download and want the speed. Now I know I cannot go onto steam (or any other game download service) and download a DVD game at my full 20meg. I can go online and pay for a game, but I cannot even download it on my current “XL” package at full “XL” speeds.

And as for 350MB on a 2meg line, well that’s just totally ridiculous and does not really add up at all.

If you are on 2meg and you go over the limit, your bandwidth is cut in half (1meg)
If you are on 4meg and you go over, your bandwidth is cut in half (2meg)
But if you are on and paying for 20meg, your bandwidth is then cut by a quarter (5meg)

Whoever these “boffins” were, they need to go back and rethink these limits.

When I was on a phone line ADSL package we had an allowance (FUP) of 100GiG a month, for this we paid £47 (which I was happy to pay) you then knew were you stood, I never downloaded 100 GIG a month, maybe 5 gig one day (for work and whatever) and the next week maybe a total of 1 gig. The point was, we were not made to feel totally restricted, like caged animals in a Zoo, too afraid to download for the thought of getting ones service cut BY QUARTER!

I don’t think it’s good enough, when a service is advertised as “XL” and only really delivers size “small”

I really feel for people on the 2 and 4 Meg lines, as their allowance is a total disgrace.

[XFS03]

...if you are on and paying for 20meg, your bandwidth is then cut by a quarter (5meg)...
...afraid to download for the thought of getting ones service cut BY QUARTER!...
Just to be pedantic, the service is cut by three quarters...or cut to one quarter.

[CIS]

Yes sorry, it was a mistype.

[xspeedyx]

well i dnt really check but I got hit by the stm and it was over 3gb but o well