Usage limitations

I am confused by the limitations that some ISPs offer on some of their
service packages. They speak of a certain number of Gb per month
downloads or uploads. What does this mean and what counts as
downloading? Every time I visit a web site and click through pages on
it, then go to another one, do those visits count as downloads? I
assume downloading emails counts towards a monthly allowance, as would
downloading virus checker updates, and MS XP updates. But what else?

I see the term "light user" used. What is a light user? I am online
for maybe 1 - 2 hours a day, with minimal downloading, as I understand
the term. Am I a "light user?" Does refreshing the groups list on my
usenet program count as downloading? I suppose I just need to know how
ISPs define this term.

Thanks for help on this. Metronet sound interesting but they have this
download limitation, if you want, and I would like to know what they
mean.
John
In limine sapientiae

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, ejwaddr-
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> I am confused by the limitations that some ISPs offer on some of their
> service packages. They speak of a certain number of Gb per month
> downloads or uploads. What does this mean and what counts as...

Every time you access something on the internet your computer sends a
request out (uploading) and then the reply comes back from where-ever
(downloading). What some ISPs are doing is monitoring how much of this
activity you are doing, and if you are using it too much for their
liking they'll charge you extra. For a (very!) rough analogy, you could
imagine uploading and downloading as a telephone call (which for
broadband it isn't remember!), and the 'amount you download' as how long
you're on the phone. Say BT allow you 500 minutes per month, and you go
over that, they charge you extra. Those providers give you a certain
allowance (except measured in Gigabytes rather than minutes, so it's the
AMOUNT you download rather than long it takes you) and when you go over
it you get charged. Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/325of which takes
you to the BT Broadband site with a rough estimate of how much data
various activities take (also note 1GB = 1024MB as stated on the site in
the blurb at the top!).

> I see the term "light user" used. What is a light user? I am online
> for maybe 1 - 2 hours a day, with minimal downloading, as I understand
> the term. Am I a "light user?"

You're probably classed as a "light user" - it's one of those vague
terms (much like "acceptable use") which varies depending on which way
the wind is blowing Basically, a "light user" doesn't sit with their
broadband line downloading stuff 24/7 at full pelt. Surfing the web is
quite "bursty" by nature (as in you download something for a couple of
seconds and then you don't download anything for a minute or two, then
do it again) which is classed as "light use". Downloading programs and
music from Kazaa and the like where you're downnloading for constant
periods of time (and for a long period of time) pushes you towards a
"heavy user". Probably around 5GB a month or so might be classed as
"heavy use", but again it varies depending on ISP.

As for Metronet, they've got some good write-ups (have a look round
www.adslguide.org.uk at the forums etc.), and if you want to know how
much your bill will be roughly it might be worth looking at the BT site
above and working out how much you'll be downloading, and seeing how
much it costs. If you're definitely a "light user" it'll probably work
out cheaper than having one of the capped services.

Hope that helps, and if anything doesn't make sense just say so!

Chris

Great. Thanks a lot. I'll have a look at that site.

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 12:02:42 +0100, Chris Francis
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, ejwaddr-
>(E-Mail Removed) says...
>> I am confused by the limitations that some ISPs offer on some of their
>> service packages. They speak of a certain number of Gb per month
>> downloads or uploads. What does this mean and what counts as...
>
>Every time you access something on the internet your computer sends a
>request out (uploading) and then the reply comes back from where-ever
>(downloading). What some ISPs are doing is monitoring how much of this
>activity you are doing, and if you are using it too much for their
>liking they'll charge you extra. For a (very!) rough analogy, you could
>imagine uploading and downloading as a telephone call (which for
>broadband it isn't remember!), and the 'amount you download' as how long
>you're on the phone. Say BT allow you 500 minutes per month, and you go
>over that, they charge you extra. Those providers give you a certain
>allowance (except measured in Gigabytes rather than minutes, so it's the
>AMOUNT you download rather than long it takes you) and when you go over
>it you get charged. Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/325of which takes
>you to the BT Broadband site with a rough estimate of how much data
>various activities take (also note 1GB = 1024MB as stated on the site in
>the blurb at the top!).
>
>> I see the term "light user" used. What is a light user? I am online
>> for maybe 1 - 2 hours a day, with minimal downloading, as I understand
>> the term. Am I a "light user?"
>
>You're probably classed as a "light user" - it's one of those vague
>terms (much like "acceptable use") which varies depending on which way
>the wind is blowing Basically, a "light user" doesn't sit with their
>broadband line downloading stuff 24/7 at full pelt. Surfing the web is
>quite "bursty" by nature (as in you download something for a couple of
>seconds and then you don't download anything for a minute or two, then
>do it again) which is classed as "light use". Downloading programs and
>music from Kazaa and the like where you're downnloading for constant
>periods of time (and for a long period of time) pushes you towards a
>"heavy user". Probably around 5GB a month or so might be classed as
>"heavy use", but again it varies depending on ISP.
>
>As for Metronet, they've got some good write-ups (have a look round
>www.adslguide.org.uk at the forums etc.), and if you want to know how
>much your bill will be roughly it might be worth looking at the BT site
>above and working out how much you'll be downloading, and seeing how
>much it costs. If you're definitely a "light user" it'll probably work
>out cheaper than having one of the capped services.
>
>Hope that helps, and if anything doesn't make sense just say so!
>
>Chris

John
In limine sapientiae

"John Edgar" <ejwaddr-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for help on this. Metronet sound interesting but they have this
> download limitation, if you want, and I would like to know what they
> mean.

I suggest you download a program like http://www.dumeter.com/ which will
message how much you are downloading each day/week/month.

This will then help you decide which ISP/product is best for you..

Regards
Sunil

> Thanks for help on this. Metronet sound interesting but they have this
> download limitation, if you want, and I would like to know what they mean.
> John
> In limine sapientiae

I am on Metronet, have been for over 5 months. March bill came to £17.98
for approx 2.5GB of download/upload. They are fast, good tech support if
you need it, works for me. Usual disclaimer.

Dave

--
And you were born knowing all about ms windows....??

Dave Stanton <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>. ..
> > Thanks for help on this. Metronet sound interesting but they have this
> > download limitation, if you want, and I would like to know what they mean.
> > John
> > In limine sapientiae
>
> I am on Metronet, have been for over 5 months. March bill came to £17.98
> for approx 2.5GB of download/upload. They are fast, good tech support if
> you need it, works for me. Usual disclaimer.
>
> Dave

I use "Onlineeye Pro" (http://www.pmasoft.net) and its working great !