Can anyone explain what BT are telling me?

We're with BT for broadband, for a couple of years on the standard service, and had started to reach (and a few times exceeded) the download limit of 10GB, so upgraded to Infinity with a 40GB limit.

Now, as far as I know, nothing major has changed in our usage since that upgrade - but in the first month we used 47GB, and in the second 58GB!

According to the technical expert I discussed this with, even doing the same amount, we'll use more download simply being on a faster connection. What?!?!?

Does that make any sort of [technical] sense?

I think he's suggesting you'll use the Internet more if it's quicker.

Do you download much? It's a high amount for just surfing....

I suspect he's inferring that having a fatter pipe facilitates a richer browsing experience and with that comes a increased liklihood that you will surf more and use more data.

Webpages nowadays contain a lot more data than they used to years ago.

I've never seen the point of capped plans. Uncapped isn't that much more and they hammer you if you go over it with no provision to cut usage to prevent bill shock. Conveniently.

Anyway, I would rather cut my tadger off than go back to BT. They were appalling. So appalling that they gave us our entire contract for 2 years for free.

87 calls to their indian callcentres (yes, I kept a record) later and I was on the verge of a breakdown.

Originally Posted by Horse

We're with BT for broadband, for a couple of years on the standard service, and had started to reach (and a few times exceeded) the download limit of 10GB, so upgraded to Infinity with a 40GB limit.

Now, as far as I know, nothing major has changed in our usage since that upgrade - but in the first month we used 47GB, and in the second 58GB!

According to the technical expert I discussed this with, even doing the same amount, we'll use more download simply being on a faster connection. What?!?!?

Does that make any sort of [technical] sense?

In a technical sense, that's bollocks. But as above, in a real sense, they're saying if you've got more, you'll use more.
While that has truth, an increase by a factor of x4 is way off. Something is up somewhere unless you're downloading and / or streaming video. Surfing would never account for that much increase.

Do you stream video? Did you watch stuff until you hit the limit and stop? That could be why.

Originally Posted by Horse

Does that make any sort of [technical] sense?

Yes, well kind of.

I think they probably assume your internet browsing is time limited, but on a faster connection you download more pages, hence more data in the same time.

Subscriber behaviour is a complex subject, I did quite a lot of work some years on network modelling and usage. I suspect now that there is much more data available to give networks info on usage, but the basics are probably still the same.

Originally Posted by burty

Yes, well kind of.

I think they probably assume your internet browsing is time limited, but on a faster connection you download more pages, hence more data in the same time.

Subscriber behaviour is a complex subject, I did quite a lot of work some years on network modelling and usage. I suspect now that there is much more data available to give networks info on usage, but the basics are probably still the same.

P0rn. Probably.

Originally Posted by mallett

P0rn. Probably.

Thought I'd covered that

Originally Posted by abssorb

Did you watch stuff until you hit the limit and stop?

Originally Posted by Horse

Does that make any sort of [technical] sense?

In terms of browsing the internet, websites don't/can't sniff for connection quality and serve different quality (higher data density) of content. If you use a proprietary service for watching TV or Games there may be a case where this service has sniffed the connection and filled the pipe to give a better experience. Ask the technical contact if they can supply a breakdown or data usage by service or port.

HTH

Next door have cracked your wireless encryption key and are downloading albino midget amputee porn 24/7.

Check your client list or ARP cache etc.. and enable MAC filtering.

Uploading your latest edition of 'Horse Does Hampshire' may account for the figures.

Good show btw.

Find the nearest teenager and beat them with a sockfull of wet sand.

Originally Posted by burty

I think they probably assume your internet browsing is time limited, but on a faster connection you download more pages, hence more data in the same time.

That's roughly what they inferred. But there's a finite amount of Youtube you can watch in a certain time, etc.

After the first warning email we actually went to the extent of switching off the PC, laptop and iPod when not in use, in case they were working in the background - but that's when the usage went up again!

Originally Posted by KungFooBob

Next door have cracked your wireless encryption key

Checked - I think I know all of the devices which have connected are ours . . .

If it worries you there are applications you can download that will monitor your data traffic. Its a long time sine I used one but they used to work. I can't be certain but I seem to recall one called bitmeter was sound.

I've used a bit of software called Cain in the past to route all traffic through one machine to log all traffic. It'd slow your connection down a bit, but it would provide irrefutable evidence to convict the nearest teenager of whatever it is they're doing. It's pretty much undetectable on the rest of the machines, it's called ARP poisoning. It's one of the reasons you shouldn't do anything serious using anyone else's wifi, particularly coffee shops and airports and the like.

Originally Posted by mallett

I suspect he's inferring that having a fatter pipe facilitates a richer browsing experience and with that comes a increased liklihood that you will surf more and use more data.

Webpages nowadays contain a lot more data than they used to years ago.

I've never seen the point of capped plans. Uncapped isn't that much more and they hammer you if you go over it with no provision to cut usage to prevent bill shock. Conveniently.

Anyway, I would rather cut my tadger off than go back to BT. They were appalling. So appalling that they gave us our entire contract for 2 years for free.

87 calls to their indian callcentres (yes, I kept a record) later and I was on the verge of a breakdown.

I just signed up to BT, 2 months and no internet, they are coming tomorrow to connect it. I like talking to the Indian call centres, its cheaper than phoning the rellies to find out what's happening in India, if I get it for free that's a bonus