Tiscali at it again with threatening emails

Hello Everyone,

Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is it
with this stupid ISP? I cant understand what is going on and why they keep
sending me the email below: I dont recommend you using this ISP if this is
how they treat their customers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Customer,

Further to the recent email we sent to you regarding heavy usage;
your broadband Internet usage has again been highlighted as
exceptionally high during peak periods and is affecting the
service we provide to other customers.

Please carefully read the following email to avoid any further
warnings. This is your final warning, if you do not reduce your
usage during the peak periods we will manage your service during
the peak hours.

Please ensure you read our Fair Use Policy
(http://www.tiscali.co.uk/fup) so you are clear on your obligations
with regards to internet use during the peak hours.

You may upload and download as you wish outside the peak hours;
but we ask that you are considerate when using the internet during
the peak period. Peak hours are from 6pm to 11pm Monday to Sunday.
To avoid any further heavy use warnings
we strongly recommend you adhere to the following guidelines:

o) Do not download large files during the peak periods

o) Do not use Peer-to-Peer file sharing software during peak
periods (e.g. Kazaa, BitTorrent)

o) Try and keep internet use to email and web browsing during
these times.

If you do not reduce your usage during these peak times
(6pm to 11pm) we will manage your usage. This means that
you will share bandwidth with other heavy users during
peak times instead of sharing bandwidth with normal users.
Your service will continue to be unlimited, but by sharing
bandwidth with other heavy users you are likely to experience
slower speeds during peak times.

If you have a query regarding this letter then you can email
(E-Mail Removed)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Anyone else suffering from this constant abuse??

Steve (Tiscali customer and not proud of it)

Steve Piper wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
> evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is it
> with this stupid ISP?

Are you sure someone else isn't using your connection?

Richard Oliver wrote:
> Steve Piper wrote:
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during
>> the evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What
>> is it with this stupid ISP?
>
> Are you sure someone else isn't using your connection?

Or that your computer isn't infected with something that's hogging
bandwidth?

Tim

Steve Piper wrote:
> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
> evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is it
> with this stupid ISP? I cant understand what is going on and why they keep
> sending me the email below: I dont recommend you using this ISP if this is
> how they treat their customers.


Do you have an unsecured wireless network by any chance? It might not be
/you/ that's using up your bandwidth allowance.

Anyway, I don't see what was threatening about the letter - they aren't
even talking about cutting you off, just slowing you down a bit.

Owain

"Richard Oliver" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Steve Piper wrote:
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
> > evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is
it
> > with this stupid ISP?
>
> Are you sure someone else isn't using your connection?

Only my computer connected with a USB modem.

"Tim Downie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Richard Oliver wrote:
> > Steve Piper wrote:
> >> Hello Everyone,
> >>
> >> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during
> >> the evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What
> >> is it with this stupid ISP?
> >
> > Are you sure someone else isn't using your connection?
>
> Or that your computer isn't infected with something that's hogging
> bandwidth?
>
> Tim

Got all up to date spyware and antivirus software running.

Bandwidth meter shows almost no activity in the evening, certainly no P2P
applications.

Steve Piper wrote:
> "Richard Oliver" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Steve Piper wrote:
>>> Hello Everyone,
>>>
>>> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
>>> evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is
> it
>>> with this stupid ISP?
>> Are you sure someone else isn't using your connection?
>
> Only my computer connected with a USB modem.

Then you need to write to them and tell them to put up or shut up.

"Steve Piper" wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
> evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is it
> with this stupid ISP? I cant understand what is going on and why they
keep
> sending me the email below: I dont recommend you using this ISP if this
is
> how they treat their customers.

You should know better, choosing the worst ISP on the planet.

Grim Reaper wrote:
> "Steve Piper" wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
>> evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is it
>> with this stupid ISP? I cant understand what is going on and why they
> keep
>> sending me the email below: I dont recommend you using this ISP if this
> is
>> how they treat their customers.
>
> You should know better, choosing the worst ISP on the planet.
>
>
>
I escaped from them a couple of years back but it was a whole lot of
trouble.
I thought though that CPW/TalkTalk/Fresh were now the worst for
anything. It was a nightmare sorting out our mobile phones and landline
we used to have with them. Despite Charles Dunstone's assurances it
appears their customer service remains to be no such thing.

"Owain" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Steve Piper wrote:
> > Despite not using my internet connection for anything heavy during the
> > evenings, I keep getting these threatening emails from my ISP. What is
it
> > with this stupid ISP? I cant understand what is going on and why they
keep
> > sending me the email below: I dont recommend you using this ISP if this
is
> > how they treat their customers.
>
>
> Do you have an unsecured wireless network by any chance? It might not be
> /you/ that's using up your bandwidth allowance.
>
> Anyway, I don't see what was threatening about the letter - they aren't
> even talking about cutting you off, just slowing you down a bit.
>
> Owain

The company advertise their service as 'Unlimited'. This gives prospective
customers the impression that the service is unlimited, ie no limits on
downloading at any time. A service is either 'Unlimited' or 'Limited'. In
the case of Tiscali, the service is clearly 'Limited' even though they
promote it as Unlimited. Therefore, their advertising is false and untrue.
If they have a fair use policy in place that puts limits on usage in any
way, then that should be made clear in any advertisements for the service.
Calling something Unlimited when it is not, cannot be right.