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"Unlimited" broadband and Fair Use Policies
https://forum.dead-donkey.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11871		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  ViSCeRaL [ Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  "Unlimited" broadband and Fair Use Policies
I recently used Uswitch.com to switch my gas and electricity to a cheaper supplier. While on the site, I noticed there was a price-check/comparison service for broadband suppliers. I put in my details and the results were that I could get a 6MB connection with Tiscali for less than my current 2MB with Bulldog.

All well and good, but even though I was searching only in "unlimited" products, I know for a fact that Tiscali impose a Fair Usage Policy. Now, my point is, how can a service promote itself as unlimited if, by nature of the FUP, it can impose limits on the service?

Furthermore, could this be a breach of Advertising Standards for representing a product as unlimited when it is not?

I've always considered Bulldog to be unlimited, I guess I should check their T&C's to see if they have a FUP.

Any opinions?
Author:  PC_Arcade [ Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "Unlimited" broadband and Fair Use Policies
ViSCeRaL wrote:
I recently used Uswitch.com to switch my gas and electricity to a cheaper supplier. While on the site, I noticed there was a price-check/comparison service for broadband suppliers. I put in my details and the results were that I could get a 6MB connection with Tiscali for less than my current 2MB with Bulldog.

Avoid Tiscali like the plague, search around for the myriad of complaints against them
Quote:
All well and good, but even though I was searching only in "unlimited" products, I know for a fact that Tiscali impose a Fair Usage Policy. Now, my point is, how can a service promote itself as unlimited if, by nature of the FUP, it can impose limits on the service?

The "FUP" (I hate that term as it makes it sound if you use more you're being somehow "unfair") is considered to be use to punish extreme cases (like the bloke in the all you can eat buffet who eats everything put out leaving non for anyone else :lol: )
Quote:
Furthermore, could this be a breach of Advertising Standards for representing a product as unlimited when it is not?

Apparently not, it's unlimited in time, not in bytes - This was challenged at the ASA when NTL introduced their "cap"
Quote:
I've always considered Bulldog to be unlimited, I guess I should check their T&C's to see if they have a FUP.

Any opinions?

AFAIK Bulldog do have an FUP, however it's not something they use (I guess except in extreme circumstances)

Opinions : Loads. But it basically boils down to the fact that ALL UK ISP's are total and utter mismanaged shit.
Author:  ViSCeRaL [ Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: "Unlimited" broadband and Fair Use Policies
PC_Arcade wrote:
ViSCeRaL wrote:
I recently used Uswitch.com to switch my gas and electricity to a cheaper supplier. While on the site, I noticed there was a price-check/comparison service for broadband suppliers. I put in my details and the results were that I could get a 6MB connection with Tiscali for less than my current 2MB with Bulldog.

Avoid Tiscali like the plague, search around for the myriad of complaints against them


I wasn't really thinking of switching to them, I've had a bee in my bonnet for a while now about their adverts for "Unlimited" (with FUP)


Quote:
Quote:
All well and good, but even though I was searching only in "unlimited" products, I know for a fact that Tiscali impose a Fair Usage Policy. Now, my point is, how can a service promote itself as unlimited if, by nature of the FUP, it can impose limits on the service?

The "FUP" (I hate that term as it makes it sound if you use more you're being somehow "unfair") is considered to be use to punish extreme cases (like the bloke in the all you can eat buffet who eats everything put out leaving non for anyone else :lol: )


Thing is though, if a restaurant puts on an all-u-can-eat buffet, and Mr Creosote :lol: comes along and scoffs everything, it's down to the restaurant to deliver on the "unlimited" promise, not down to the customer to suffer cause some hog ate everything. Same with broadband. Surely it must balance out anyway. For every 24/7 downloader there must be at least 5 people who only surf the net and check their email. :lol:


Quote:
Quote:
Furthermore, could this be a breach of Advertising Standards for representing a product as unlimited when it is not?

Apparently not, it's unlimited in time, not in bytes - This was challenged at the ASA when NTL introduced their "cap"


Time not bytes, they're twisting the use of "unlimited" there I think.


Quote:
Quote:
I've always considered Bulldog to be unlimited, I guess I should check their T&C's to see if they have a FUP.

Any opinions?

AFAIK Bulldog do have an FUP, however it's not something they use (I guess except in extreme circumstances)


I didn't know that, but expected it to be the case.

Quote:
Opinions : Loads. But it basically boils down to the fact that ALL UK ISP's are total and utter mismanaged shit.


Amen to that brother. :beerchug:
Author:  PC_Arcade [ Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yeah, it's all a bit of a con IMHO and ofcom have shown just how innefectual they are in dealing with complaints against ISPs.

The restraunt analogy shows how unfair the whole thing is (i.e as you correctly state with ISPs moving the blame onto the customers rather than themselves)

Unfortunately, knowing the total mess in the UK, it's going to get MUCH worse before it gets any better.
Author:  spudthedestroyer [ Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:48 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Avoid Tiscali like the plague, search around for the myriad of complaints against them


and Bulldog don't? :lol: I don't pay that much notice to criticism on the internet, its like sand at a beach :lol:

The reason bulldog don't dick around their customers as much as other isps is that they couldn't really organise a piss up in a brewary... so once your connected and problem free they can't be arsed doing anything else. That's why they are one of the reasonable isps, ie. no capping, cheap, etc.

I wouldn't say its because they were good that they offer this, its because they are complete morons :lol:

As long as you have no reason to contact them, bulldog are fine and dandy as an isp.

As for the uk, its all bts fault. The government should just carve that company up asap. They don't deserve to be in business for what they've done over the past decades.
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