Plus net fair usage withdrawn!

Great news for all the plusnet / Force9 critics:

Force 9 have withdrawn the fair usage and instead intend to "assist
[unsustainable] users in finding an alternative broadband provider".

Unsustainable usage would be using the equivalent of a 5:1 contention ratio.



http://www.plus.net/support/adsl/fai...e_update.shtml

Nat Stott wrote

> Great news for all the plusnet / Force9 critics:
>
> Force 9 have withdrawn the fair usage and instead intend to "assist
> [unsustainable] users in finding an alternative broadband provider".
>
> Unsustainable usage would be using the equivalent of a 5:1 contention ratio.


Dumping heavy users can't be described as fair usage. It's
typical pussnet bolloxspeak.

> Unsustainable usage would be using the equivalent of a 5:1 contention ratio.

Where are you getting that from? All the FAQ says is really heavy users
were between 1:1 and 5:1. I cant see anything anywhere specifying
what they class as unacceptable which is what worries me. Its too vague.

> Where are you getting that from? All the FAQ says is really heavy users
> were between 1:1 and 5:1. I cant see anything anywhere specifying what
> they class as unacceptable which is what worries me. Its too vague.


OK PN support mentioned the 5:1 on adslguide, not in official FAQ.

If thats correct the acceptable level of usage may be:

512k:- 30gb/mo
1mbit:- 60gb/mo
2mbit:- 120gb/mo


(Thats assuming a 512k connection used 1:1 and doubling from there)

String <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:4267e173$0$42326
$(E-Mail Removed):

> not in official FAQ.

"In changing our approach we will only need to address a very small
minority of unsustainable users rather than all of our customers. The
average profile of these users assumes a contention of between 1:1 and
5:1 on a consistent basis, which adversely affects the experience for the
majority. As we identify these users we will ensure that the negative
impact on the capacity available to all customers will be minimised. We
will also assist these users in finding an alternative broadband provider
where appropriate."

http://www.plus.net/support/adsl/fai...e_update.shtml

It only says "The average profile" so there is no guarentee that the 5:1
is where the limits end or any mention of how monitoring will be put in
place or enforced.

On the face of it, this seems like a massive improvement but without
clarification on where the limits are...

--
Colin
*Drop DEAD from the email address to reply*

On 21 Apr 2005 17:49:38 GMT, cw <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>String <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:4267e173$0$42326
>$(E-Mail Removed):
>
>> not in official FAQ.
>
>"In changing our approach we will only need to address a very small
>minority of unsustainable users rather than all of our customers. The
>average profile of these users assumes a contention of between 1:1 and
>5:1 on a consistent basis, which adversely affects the experience for the
>majority. As we identify these users we will ensure that the negative
>impact on the capacity available to all customers will be minimised. We
>will also assist these users in finding an alternative broadband provider
>where appropriate."
>
>http://www.plus.net/support/adsl/fai...e_update.shtml
>
>It only says "The average profile" so there is no guarentee that the 5:1
>is where the limits end or any mention of how monitoring will be put in
>place or enforced.
>
>On the face of it, this seems like a massive improvement but without
>clarification on where the limits are...

If such a small percentage of users use the system to it's full (and
why not), then they should not be overly worried - this stinks.

If your connection is maxed out then you are not causing grief for
others - the contention is what is supposed to automatically take care
of that - if you can bring so much down and have fast speeds, others
sharing what they sell as an xx/xx contention must not be affected.
They should reclassify 50:1 as xx:xx for all our customers, as we have
problems at the big pipe - which is not what they do. They sell a
contended service for a group of people, by which, if that was a
problem, heavy users maxing out could not dh that.

This is all about b/w at the big pipe - sode all to do with local
contention.

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 15:48:46 +0100, "Nat Stott"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Great news for all the plusnet / Force9 critics:
>
>Force 9 have withdrawn the fair usage and instead intend to "assist
>[unsustainable] users in finding an alternative broadband provider".
>
>Unsustainable usage would be using the equivalent of a 5:1 contention ratio.
>
>
>
>http://www.plus.net/support/adsl/fai...e_update.shtml
>
>
Does this mean all of us currently paying 39.99 a month for 2 meg will
automatically reduce to 21.99?

I'd requested a down grade because I don't use enough to justify
un-capped.

> It only says "The average profile" so there is no guarentee that the 5:1
> is where the limits end or any mention of how monitoring will be put in
> place or enforced.

A post by a PN support rep on the ADSLguide forums actually stated 5:1
as the level they'll take action which is what my figures were then
based on.

> On the face of it, this seems like a massive improvement but without
> clarification on where the limits are...


if they DO enforce 5:1 then the actual cap on usage is far lower than on
the FUP system.

Assuming a £22 a month (30gb cap) user on FUP:

Under the FUP cap:

512k = 73.6Gb total per month
1mbit= 117.622Gb total per month
2mbit= 175.19Gb total per month


But under "5:1" its

512k = 30Gb
1mbit= 60Gb
2mbit= 120Gb


This is roughly 50% of what the total allowed throughput was under FUP.

> If your connection is maxed out then you are not causing grief for
> others - the contention is what is supposed to automatically take care
> of that - if you can bring so much down and have fast speeds, others
> sharing what they sell as an xx/xx contention must not be affected.
> They should reclassify 50:1 as xx:xx for all our customers, as we have
> problems at the big pipe - which is not what they do. They sell a
> contended service for a group of people, by which, if that was a
> problem, heavy users maxing out could not dh that.
>
> This is all about b/w at the big pipe - sode all to do with local
> contention.


I think the issue here is plusnet inventing/mis-using terms again.
Contention as in the existing 50:1 system still exists. What this new
one means is a % bandwidth equivalent on YOUR line. These are 2
different things but using the same term muddles it.

This is not the same thing as shared bandwidth between a number of
users. The plusnet system mentioned today is basically defining heavy
usage as a % of the maximum your line could deliver you. Example 24/7
full speed use would be 1:1.
The new system means that if you max out your connection for 5 hours a
day every day you'll be running at roughly 5:1 (ok so there arent 25
hours in a day but you get my general idea).

> Does this mean all of us currently paying 39.99 a month for 2 meg will
> automatically reduce to 21.99?

You will be 2mbit/£21.99 a month. The "new" products are announced next
week.