Virgin Media traffic management

I am aware of the traffic management policy that Virgin Media uses. I
have a Size M connection (2Mb) and it is limited to 1Mb for 5hrs if
more than 300MB are downloaded between 4pm to 9pm.

http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php

Therfore in theory, with a 2Mb connection it will take 20 minutes to
download 300MB so I should be able to start a large download after
about 8:45pm and ensure I do not go over the 300MB limit before 9pm.

However, I have noticed that my connection is still being limited
after 9pm.

Can anybody explain why this is, and if possible, could you try it
yourself and see if Virgin Media are doing what they say the are
doing.

Many thanks,

Martin

On Tue, 6 May 2008 11:26:51 -0700 (PDT), colenum
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>Can anybody explain why this is, and if possible, could you try it
>yourself and see if Virgin Media are doing what they say the are
>doing.

Martin VM and their high end staff are well known for lying
and you can bet your life they are not doing what they say they are
doing which is why many of us are leaving ,I am away from VM on the
22nd of next month and it cannot come quick enough .

On Tue, 6 May 2008 18:45:02 UTC, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> On Tue, 6 May 2008 11:26:51 -0700 (PDT), colenum
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
> >Can anybody explain why this is, and if possible, could you try it
> >yourself and see if Virgin Media are doing what they say the are
> >doing.
>
> Martin VM and their high end staff are well known for lying
> and you can bet your life they are not doing what they say they are
> doing which is why many of us are leaving ,I am away from VM on the
> 22nd of next month and it cannot come quick enough .

Hmm.
--
Bob Eager
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

On 6 May, 19:45, mym...@hotmail.co.uk wrote:
> On Tue, 6 May 2008 11:26:51 -0700 (PDT), colenum
>
> Martin VM and their high end staff are well known for lying
> and you can bet your life they are not doing what they say they are
> doing which is why many of us are leaving ,I am away from VM on the
> 22nd of next month and it cannot come quick enough .

I'm sorry to hear that but I have not had any problems with the
quailty of service from VM, and I am not too bothered about the
traffic management (unlimited was 633GB per month on my 2Mb connection
and now it's 567GB per month with traffic management). However, if it
turns out that what they advertise is not true, I will take the matter
further.

"colenum" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:10f9000f-885e-4b2e-906a-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am aware of the traffic management policy that Virgin Media uses. I
> have a Size M connection (2Mb) and it is limited to 1Mb for 5hrs if
> more than 300MB are downloaded between 4pm to 9pm.
>
> http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php
>
> Therfore in theory, with a 2Mb connection it will take 20 minutes to
> download 300MB so I should be able to start a large download after
> about 8:45pm and ensure I do not go over the 300MB limit before 9pm.
>
> However, I have noticed that my connection is still being limited
> after 9pm.
>
> Can anybody explain why this is, and if possible, could you try it
> yourself and see if Virgin Media are doing what they say the are
> doing.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Martin


I would have thought that obvious. It depends on the start time and the
size of the download irrespective of when it finishes.

Clearly it doesn't compare amount downloaded against a clock in real
time.


--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

> I will take the matter
> further.

Time to take the matter forward. Its is theoretically impossible for
you to download more than 300mb in 15mins. If actual download is
2048kbps then you will download at 256kb/s, for 15mins that around
250mb. That's theoretical, if you download at an average or sustained
rate for the whole time. If you download of torrents then unlikely you
will have been downloading at a sustained rate.
On their side though, you may have well clocked up that remain 50mb in
the peak hours from browsing, youtube and listening the on-line radio.
If the include you download limit as both upload and download then,
you would be looking at 280mb in 15mins, theoretically speaking.
that's with a download rate of 2048kbps and upload of 448kbps.


--
http://technicianspot.blogspot.com/

"colenum" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:10f9000f-885e-4b2e-906a-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am aware of the traffic management policy that Virgin Media uses. I
> have a Size M connection (2Mb) and it is limited to 1Mb for 5hrs if
> more than 300MB are downloaded between 4pm to 9pm.
>
> http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php
>
> Therfore in theory, with a 2Mb connection it will take 20 minutes to
> download 300MB so I should be able to start a large download after
> about 8:45pm and ensure I do not go over the 300MB limit before 9pm.
>
> However, I have noticed that my connection is still being limited
> after 9pm.

Because once STM kicks in, it doesn't stop until it finishes, ie 5 hrs after
starting.
Start the d/l after 9, then there's no problem ;-)

As an aside, according to Alex Brown, VM have requested, in the next code
update for their UBR's, that STM finish at its appointed time,, ie 9pm,
regardless of when it kicks in.

Mind you, with the possibility of extended STM around the corner (from 11am,
if you're not already aware), I daresay a few folk might just say enough is
enough.

P.

naza wrote:
>> I will take the matter
>> further.
>
> Time to take the matter forward.

Maybe.
How are you determining that you've been STM'ed? Just "not doing
anthing" until 2045 may not be good enough - from 4pm onwards browsing,
email, IM and other background activity will be eating a little of your
300MB.

I would suggest using a traffic meter (VM have a recommendation, I use
DUMeter on Windows and also mrtg on my linux box) to be sure.

Also if you post in the virginmedia.self-help.broadband group as soon as
you suspect that its happened, the suport guys will check for you.

colenum wrote:
> I am aware of the traffic management policy that Virgin Media uses. I
> have a Size M connection (2Mb) and it is limited to 1Mb for 5hrs if
> more than 300MB are downloaded between 4pm to 9pm.
>
> http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php
>
> Therfore in theory, with a 2Mb connection it will take 20 minutes to
> download 300MB so I should be able to start a large download after
> about 8:45pm and ensure I do not go over the 300MB limit before 9pm.
>
> However, I have noticed that my connection is still being limited
> after 9pm.

Once STM kicks in, it remains in force for 5 hours - ie trigger it at
20:59, its active till 00:59.

"Woody" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OZ1Uj.99189$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "colenum" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:10f9000f-885e-4b2e-906a-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am aware of the traffic management policy that Virgin Media uses. I
>> have a Size M connection (2Mb) and it is limited to 1Mb for 5hrs if
>> more than 300MB are downloaded between 4pm to 9pm.
>>
>> http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php
>>
>> Therfore in theory, with a 2Mb connection it will take 20 minutes to
>> download 300MB so I should be able to start a large download after
>> about 8:45pm and ensure I do not go over the 300MB limit before 9pm.
>>
>> However, I have noticed that my connection is still being limited
>> after 9pm.
>>
>> Can anybody explain why this is, and if possible, could you try it
>> yourself and see if Virgin Media are doing what they say the are
>> doing.
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> Martin
>
>
> I would have thought that obvious. It depends on the start time and the
> size of the download irrespective of when it finishes.
>
> Clearly it doesn't compare amount downloaded against a clock in real time.

VM (like all UK telcos) use and synchronise to a signal from the atomic
clock at Rugby.

Next conspiracy theorist, it's your turn to take the stand ...