Download Limits

[royaltiger]

What are the download limits before being restricted, I'm on 50mb dont do a lot a downloading but did a large amount yesterday and seem to be only getting 5mb download and 3mb upload on speedtest.

[kwikbreaks]

There is no STM on 50Mbps but if there was and it was in line with the other products you'd get 25% (12.5Mbps) and it would last for 5 hours.

There is some upstream STM in upgraded areas but at 3Mbps you are exceeding what that gets set to (1.75Mbps)

Out of interest what do you call "a lot".

[royaltiger]

19GB, I know there is supposed to be no restrictions but I do get the feeling software is interfering with download speeds, one minute its ok then sluggish. Although I downloaded that amount in one go thats also the total amount for last month so cant be blamed as an excessive downloader although you are supposed to be unlimited and therefore download as much or as little as you want, I thought being on 50mb was supposed to put an end to poor download speeds but it still is no different to being on the 20 or 30mb.

[Jayster]

19GB, I know there is supposed to be no restrictions but I do get the feeling software is interfering with download speeds, one minute its ok then sluggish. Although I downloaded that amount in one go thats also the total amount for last month so cant be blamed as an excessive downloader although you are supposed to be unlimited and therefore download as much or as little as you want, I thought being on 50mb was supposed to put an end to poor download speeds but it still is no different to being on the 20 or 30mb.

You should be able to download as much as you want with only one sort of unofficial limit which is the detrimental use of your broadband letters, as far as I understand these get sent out to you if you download more than around 250GB a month (In peak times I think) and if your in a congested area.
I managed 475GB last month (Mainly off peak downloading) and have done well over 250GB many times before and never received a letter.
What protocol did you use to download that 19GB yesterday? If it was P2P or a similar protocol which is hard on a router you could try restarting your device.
Also have you tried a different server?
Only other things are power levels, congestion or some sort of problem in your area.

[royaltiger]

was using bittorrent, switched off overnight, still slow today, speed now hitting 10mb down and 3.45mb up.

[kwikbreaks]

Are you sure that the torrent client isn't still running?

[royaltiger]

Are you sure that the torrent client isn't still running?


It was running in background, improved upto 40mb now.

[roger skillin]

There is no STM on 50Mbps but if there was and it was in line with the other products you'd get 25% (12.5Mbps) and it would last for 5 hours.

There is some upstream STM in upgraded areas but at 3Mbps you are exceeding what that gets set to (1.75Mbps)

Out of interest what do you call "a lot".

There is traffic management on 50mb, i can vouch for this, my download went way down and my upload went to 1Mbps, i called them up and they told me i had been traffic managed on a certain date for going over the fair usage limit, i hardly download anything so it must be quite low, ridiculous that you pay for such a high speed but can't even use it

[kwikbreaks]

There is also NNTP and P2P shaping 5-12 weekdays and midday to midnight weekends but that won't affect speedtest sites. VM publish all this on their website but If you've found some additional unpublished traffic management policy please tell all.

The OP's problem is diagnosed now anyway - he was still running his torrent client.

[bigsinky]

You should be able to download as much as you want with only one sort of unofficial limit which is the detrimental use of your broadband letters, as far as I understand these get sent out to you if you download more than around 250GB a month (In peak times I think) and if your in a congested area.
I managed 475GB last month (Mainly off peak downloading) and have done well over 250GB many times before and never received a letter.
What protocol did you use to download that 19GB yesterday? If it was P2P or a similar protocol which is hard on a router you could try restarting your device.
Also have you tried a different server?
Only other things are power levels, congestion or some sort of problem in your area.


pffftttttt......amateur ;) i got a letter after downloading 1.2TB in 20 days in June :D VM kindly asked me to move the majority of my downloading to off peak hours 9pm - 9am

[qasdfdsaq]

That said the traffic shaping isn't 100% accurate and can sometimes pick up stuff that isn't NNTP or P2P. Some people have claimed it's even whitelist based.

[kwikbreaks]

There were certainly a lot of complaints that some games were being impacted.

I think most of the complaints come from people who don't know what P2P and NNTP are and don't realise that's what they are using or that it will be throttled.

[Dave9946]

The issue of download limits (certainly not unlimited) will never be resolved or explained for 2 reasons. The first being that VM refuse to publish a fair use limit unlike the other speeds. And if you then get a letter to say you have gone over the limit on the unlimited 50mb they refuse to state what bandwidth you have used or what the limit was at the time in question.

The first part they come up with stupid excuses and state the we dont have to say because our terms say we dont have to state limits. The second part of a refusal to have it stated on the actual useage you have used or the limit at the time in question if you get a letter saying you have used to much etc, well put it this way VM employes are rather vocal on many issues here yet they have never to memory given either an official VM responce or even any responce either personal or guess work on that as such and they would possably be better placed to explain that than many others could.

[colin25]

For me it was gaming...mine was being lagged badly

But...i also remember the bad old days...when I was pleased to see my character move like the matrix...and thinking wow...maybe I'm too fussy in my old age (self note, maybe should quit playing game :D )

[bigcat]

only getting 5mb download and 3mb upload on Luxury! Since I moved to Gateshead from Redcar my 50 mb connection is horrendous after 9pm, and any time of day I'm lucky to get 1mb upload speed! It's now 10:08pm, I've downloaded nothing all day, but am now downloading a documentary from newsdemon[poor via FTP as well] at the blazing speed of....50k/sec..and this is a regular occurence from 9pm onwards! The superhub has been changed twice, allegedly a Net Tech has tried to cure the issue but it's worse than ever now. I'm a former NTL employee (Network) so know the levels are ok, which only leaves traffic shaping as the culprit Thank god I'm moving back to Redcar next week, albiet as a National Customer not cable. But if thats as bad as this connection now it's bye bye Virgin from a loyal customer since the Comcast days! Sorry for hijacking this thread btw

[dave6x]

The issue of download limits (certainly not unlimited) will never be resolved or explained for 2 reasons. The first being that VM refuse to publish a fair use limit unlike the other speeds. And if you then get a letter to say you have gone over the limit on the unlimited 50mb they refuse to state what bandwidth you have used or what the limit was at the time in question.

The first part they come up with stupid excuses and state the we dont have to say because our terms say we dont have to state limits. The second part of a refusal to have it stated on the actual useage you have used or the limit at the time in question if you get a letter saying you have used to much etc, well put it this way VM employes are rather vocal on many issues here yet they have never to memory given either an official VM responce or even any responce either personal or guess work on that as such and they would possably be better placed to explain that than many others could.

You make some very interesting points in your post that would appear to be tantamount to unfair trading!

It would be worth referring this matter to OFCOM for their consideration.

[Ignitionnet]

Already been done, don't waste your time.

[Welshchris]

You make some very interesting points in your post that would appear to be tantamount to unfair trading!

It would be worth referring this matter to OFCOM for their consideration.

Ofcom wont deal with it.

They will point you into the direction of ISPA and CISAS.

and as Ignition stated its a waste of time as they are not breaking any laws.
Although they do state they are unlimited downloads it also says there is a Fair Usage Policy in place and because it states this in Terms and Conditions they are within the law, a lot of ISPs do this now and also a lot of Mobile Phone Companies do it for their txt messages when they claim to be unlimited txts yet in small writing states a max of 3000.

[Slef]

was using bittorrent, switched off overnight, still slow today, speed now hitting 10mb down and 3.45mb up.


just out of interest why dont you schedule these for overninht rather than daytime ?