View Full Version : I've been traffic managed ...apparently
I was trying to work out why I was getting such low upload speeds and bad ping speeds on my 20mb broadband. I did some testing using speedtest and found I was getting good download speeds 18-90mbps but my upload speeds were 0.11 - 0.2 mbps. I complained to Virgin Media and they went off to do some investigating. After a while they got back to me and said that I was being traffic managed as I had tripped their fair usage policy because I upload so much data. But , did they bother to inform me that this was happening - Oh No! they just restricted me and just kept taking the money!!
Now I work from home, in the I.T. Industry and that means that I am often connected to a work site for many hours at a time using VPN and controlling other computer using remote connections. All of my colleagues manage to do this on 2-4mbps lines but I'm struggling due to restricted upload speeds on the a 20mbps line and I would never have found out there was any restriction in place if I had not gone and investigated it myself - has anybody else had any experience of this? All they offered to do was sell me the 50mbps package, which I'm not going to pay for as I'm getting scalped on the one I already have.
Details of the Traffic Management policy that apply to your service can be found here http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.html
and also here www.virginmedia.com/traffic (http://www.virginmedia.com/traffic)
The fact that there is a traffic management policy is also on all the adverts and in the product documentation
MovedGoalPosts
15-09-2010, 14:53
You are working from home, using a resiential connection. Perhaps you should be on a business tarrif?
You are working from home, using a resiential connection. Perhaps you should be on a business tarrif?
100% agree - I work for a IT outsourcing company and I work from home, the company provide broadband at the companies cost which is installed as a business line - not with VM as my company use BT, but I also have VM BB for personnel use.
If your base location is classed as home worker then you can get your company to pay and install BB
I have colleagues working from home that do the exact same job as me but they are not being restricted on there pitiful 2mbps BT lines. I'm not doing anything abnormal here - this is 2010 any many people work from home using normal internet connections. What is so wrong about this is that they did not even bother to tell me they were doing it. Putting some policies online knowing that people do not read them does not constitute dealing fairly and honestly with me.
If I went out into the street and explained to somebody that I was about to mug them prior to doing it would not make it right or fair.
I have colleagues working from home that do the exact same job as me but they are not being restricted on there pitiful 2mbps BT lines. I'm not doing anything abnormal here - this is 2010 any many people work from home using normal internet connections. What is so wrong about this is that they did not even bother to tell me they were doing it. Putting some policies online knowing that people do not read them does not constitute dealing fairly and honestly with me.
If I went out into the street and explained to somebody that I was about to mug them prior to doing it would not make it right or fair.
Its about what your using via VPN which allows access to your companies network but if your downloading i.e. opening files from company network/C,G Drives etc then you are using high download usage, same with saving files and email.
Your colleagues may not access all the same areas etc etc but as stated before get your company to provide Business BB.
I agree VM should warn you or have a online tool, I know Sky have a online tool which tells you what you have used within any one month and also allows you to request email warnings when you’re about to breach limit.
But VM don’t just stop your access from the first time you breach your download limit - your account will be flagged and monitored and if you continue then it will be limited - something that is stated in the contract you signed up to.
You would need to upload 1.4gb of data between 3-8pm to trigger the traffic management on the 20mb service. That would take 4 hours if you uploaded at 100% the whole time.
I thought the traffic management policy was explained very clearly when i was deciding if i was going to sign up with Virgin, i opted for the 50mb in the end because of that.
http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.html
...and putting those links to the policies up has just annoyed me even more as the policy says there should be no restrictions in the morning on the XL package but I tested this morning and mine was ranning at 0.11mbps
---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:28 ----------
I have no way of tracking how much I upload - I do not normally upload or download files, I'm just linking via VPN. So they hold all the cards since they can arbitrarily decide when I've gone over and start restricting without even telling me.
---------- Post added at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------
In fact most of my work is done on a virtual machine at work so the files do not have to go up and down to my local drives
pip08456
15-09-2010, 15:34
...and putting those links to the policies up has just annoyed me even more as the policy says there should be no restrictions in the morning on the XL package but I tested this morning and mine was ranning at 0.11mbps
---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:28 ----------
I have no way of tracking how much I upload - I do not normally upload or download files, I'm just linking via VPN. So they hold all the cards since they can arbitrarily decide when I've gone over and start restricting without even telling me.
---------- Post added at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------
In fact most of my work is done on a virtual machine at work so the files do not have to go up and down to my local drives
In that case it is possible you have another problem. Would you like to post your modem stats?
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/26006-cable-modem-signal-levels.html
...and as far as the contract I signed up to - I've had my VM broadband for a long time - a lot longer than most people here and when I signed up for it I signed up to unlimited broadband.
I have no way of tracking how much I upload - I do not normally upload or download files, I'm just linking via VPN. So they hold all the cards since they can arbitrarily decide when I've gone over and start restricting without even telling me.They don't 'arbtrarily decide', it's done specifically against the published policy
...and as far as the contract I signed up to - I've had my VM broadband for a long time - a lot longer than most people here and when I signed up for it I signed up to unlimited broadband.If that's the case then even traffic managed your broadband will likely be going faster than the product you originally signed up for.
As per VM http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.html it should only be a 5hr block of normal speed, VM do provide monitoring tools http://www.hageltech.com/dumeter/about.
I suggest you download dumeter and monitor the increases and see whats using the most upload/download.
If the likes of email etc then maybe change the sending and recieiving setting to every 30mins if you have a lower refresh time. if your company is like mine emails are huge and same with the files which when saving to company network kill you upload speed.
Trail it and get on to you company so they can provide business BB.
The cable modem I have does not seem to have much in the way of stats - it has a small section on status and an event log - is there a better way to obtain stats rather than logging on to it?
I don't see how you can complain.. The limits are readily available, they detail online methods of keeping track of your usage, also the fact that you're using a residential connection for business which is strictly against the terms and condsitions..
You get what you pay for..
The cable modem I have does not seem to have much in the way of stats - it has a small section on status and an event log - is there a better way to obtain stats rather than logging on to it?
Download http://www.hageltech.com/dumeter/about.
I'm not complaining about the limits - I'm complaining that they don't even bother to inform you that your service is being limited, I've spent ages trying to get to the bottom of what is going on - I thought I had a problem with my router and it took and 2 days of investigation to come back to me and tell me that I was being limited. And that still does not explain what was going on this morning.
---------- Post added at 16:04 ---------- Previous post was at 15:53 ----------
Thanks for the link - but I'm not sure that it's that helpful - it seems to show the stats for the PC I install it on - so surely in order to get the complete picture of what is going on I would have to install in on every PC I have in the house. Also I use linux which does not have a download client. Plus it would not show any stats for xbox, ps3, media streaming radio,
I'm not complaining about the limits - I'm complaining that they don't even bother to inform you that your service is being limited, I've spent ages trying to get to the bottom of what is going on - I thought I had a problem with my router and it took and 2 days of investigation to come back to me and tell me that I was being limited. And that still does not explain what was going on this morning.
---------- Post added at 16:04 ---------- Previous post was at 15:53 ----------
Thanks for the link - but I'm not sure that it's that helpful - it seems to show the stats for the PC I install it on - so surely in order to get the complete picture of what is going on I would have to install in on every PC I have in the house. Also I use linux which does not have a download client. Plus it would not show any stats for xbox, ps3, media streaming radio,
Work PC first - see what your using during the working day and try to eliminate it.
Home PC , xbox, ps3, if got kids and these are being used all the time if not online gaming downloading/uploading files etc etc then I would suggest upgrading to 50mb, if you have a house hold full it would be wise to have 50MB.
But if you ca get your Work to provide BB then you should not have to upgrade 20mb should be enought to cover usage for these items but just look at whats being used, how long and what your downloading/uploading.
Thanks for the help - I rang up about upgrading and it only worked out £5 more a month for the 50meg with the rest of my package so I'm going to that.
I still think it would be good customer practice to communicate with people when they are applying a limit.
I also suspect that may not be the cause of the problem this morning but since I'm having a new modem for the 50mb I will wait until I have it in place before pushing it further.
---------- Post added at 17:08 ---------- Previous post was at 17:04 ----------
...and if it doesn't work the the Wrath of Khan will seem like a spilt cup of tea at a parish garden party
I get throttled most days, When your upload is maxed out it affects your download speeds so could be something to d with that, you should be fine on 50meg
surfingmonk
15-09-2010, 21:14
Is there a way to find out if I'm being traffic managed? I got 20mb, and I share with my 3 flatmates so I want to know if I need to shout at someone or its just going slowly for the fun of it...
broadbandking
15-09-2010, 22:00
Am I missing something the traffic management policy is clear too me, put the op said he was been limited early morning, that smells like another issue unless you downloaded 7Gb after 10am.
pip08456
15-09-2010, 22:13
Is there a way to find out if I'm being traffic managed? I got 20mb, and I share with my 3 flatmates so I want to know if I need to shout at someone or its just going slowly for the fun of it...
Do a speed test with just one PC/Lappy hardwired to the modem.
Theoretical speeds 20Mb/4=5Mb each (it doesn't actually work that way though).
agoodtech
15-09-2010, 23:56
It doesn't sound like its a traffic management thing to me.
Are you connecting wirelessly? If so try hardwiring a device or two using an ethernet cable directly into the modem(as pip said), see if you acheive better results.
If no joy I would suggest it's a problem with your connection from the modem to the street cabinet.
Demand they send a service tech to sort out your problems if the 50mb install don't help. That upload speed is jokes...
pip08456
16-09-2010, 00:10
It doesn't sound like its a traffic management thing to me.
Demand they send a service tech to sort out your problems if the 50mb install don't help. That upload speed is jokes...
If you are referring to my answer to surfingmonk's post then I cannot see the point you are trying to make.
He just wants to know how he can tell if he's traffic managed on his 20Mb service. (50Mb does not have traffic management).
If you are referring to the OP then he is also on 20Mb connection, he hasn't posted his modem stats so that we can see if it's a connection issue or any other data.
Just seems like a rant about STM (been here a few years now) and he's decided to onto the 50Mb service rather than get his employer to provide the tools he needs to work from home. ie a business connection.
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