I really don't want to jump ship but please look at your Caps

[Baz]

yeah im the same Gary but we rarely go over and my lot do use the off peak when I tell them.Ok it may be a waste when we dont use that much but its handy to know its there.

yes I saw that in the Q&A part and thats why I wondered if it means what I said in the other post about no access until you top up.have you had to buy extra yet


may be IDNet could even the allowances out a bit or may be some sort of adjustable tool that each user could control themselves when they know what their needs are 

[Simon]

"If you exceed your monthly usage allowance, you will be automatically redirected to a special Zen website when you connect to the Internet which enables you to increase bandwidth allowance and re-enable normal Internet access. When you reach this site, you can select how many extra GB you wish to purchase from 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB and 50GB. Any unused GB at the end of the calendar month will be held in a "bank" for future use"

That seems like a reasonable system - how much is it per Gb?

[Gary]

Just did a speedtest, I'm now getting 4.02Mbps down and 1.03Mbps up, I was getting 10-11Mbps download till this weekends shenanigans yet I'm still connected at at the usual sync and my SNR has not changed, no idea what's going on. 

[Gary]

That seems like a reasonable system - how much is it per Gb?

£1.52 I think on the Active tariff, Simon. More expensive than IDnet.

[Baz]

how much over did you used to go Gary and do you get near it now

[Gary]

how much over did you used to go Gary and do you get near it now

I used to go over by 1-2 GB when I had the old 5GB allowance. Now I go over the 50GB by say 5-8GB simply because there is more to download, i use Sky anytime+ my iMac, phones, TV and PS3 and blu-ray which are all connected to the net, it soon gets eaten up as well when youtube vids and iPlayer are downloaded so fast on ADSL2+ on fibre it would be hell I imagine. I could happily use more, but I hold back because of peak time restrictions, Zens tariff makes more sense.

[Simon]

Is it not a case, though, that the more you have the more you'll use, and will still end up going over the top?

[Rik]

Probably, I had 2GB/month when I joined IDNet, and it was adequate then.

[psp83]

Pfft, Battlefield 3 just released a 2.38 GB patch  There goes my bandwidth plans for today.

[mervl]

  The problem is that we all want a broadband service that's tailored for our specific needs, and it just doesn't exist and never will for the price we pay. So it's all about how far you are willing to compromise and I'm afraid not about how far your provider is willing to compromise with you - we're all far too small fry. I can fit into IDNet's straightjacket by moving my use off-peak and I treat hiccups as exactly that (noted, but I don't fret). I don't know whether there are enough others do the same to be commercially viable, since you only hear those who complain, so I can only guess at which group of us is the majority (but I have a fair idea and it's probably not what you'd want to hear). Ditto my service is consistently at close to sync, and BT both at the wholesale and local loop level are doing a reasonable job, and I've no evidence of any significant let-down for me from IDNet's service. OK so it's not your experience other posters, but how do you know I'm the exception rather than the rule rather than the other way around?

The UK's competitive market is all about chopping and changing your provider for any service to try the best fit for your (changing) circumstances in the modern world with its speed obsession and impatience - yoof get it and the rest of us have got to catch up; wait and whinge and sorry, you ask for what you get IMO. We all went into this game, as far as I'm aware, with our eyes wide open; and IDnet (God bless 'em) didn't drag you in under false pretenses.

[Steve]

Well said 

[Rik]

Hear hear.

[Gary]

The problem is that we all want a broadband service that's tailored for our specific needs, and it just doesn't exist and never will for the price we pay. So it's all about how far you are willing to compromise and I'm afraid not about how far your provider is willing to compromise with you - we're all far too small fry. I can fit into IDNet's straightjacket by moving my use off-peak and I treat hiccups as exactly that (noted, but I don't fret). I don't know whether there are enough others do the same to be commercially viable, since you only hear those who complain, so I can only guess at which group of us is the majority (but I have a fair idea and it's probably not what you'd want to hear). Ditto my service is consistently at close to sync, and BT both at the wholesale and local loop level are doing a reasonable job, and I've no evidence of any significant let-down for me from IDNet's service. OK so it's not your experience other posters, but how do you know I'm the exception rather than the rule rather than the other way around?

The UK's competitive market is all about chopping and changing your provider for any service to try the best fit for your (changing) circumstances in the modern world with its speed obsession and impatience - yoof get it and the rest of us have got to catch up; wait and whinge and sorry, you ask for what you get IMO. We all went into this game, as far as I'm aware, with our eyes wide open; and IDnet (God bless 'em) didn't drag you in under false pretenses.

No they didn't, but that was a long time ago, and maybe my gods have changed...

[Simon]

But so have IDNet, when you consider what the allowances were three or four years ago.

[psp83]

But so have IDNet, when you consider what the allowances were three or four years ago.

But allowances need to change for faster products..

When I was on ADSL2+ I was on Home Pro, it had 40GB peak (can't remember off peak, 140gb?) now the same package has 50/150, same as the FTTC package I am on.

This allowance is fine for a upto 24Mbps product but it's not fine for upto 80/20. FTTC packages need to be doubled (peak) IMO.

If I wasn't doing freelance work and I had a normal 9 - 6 job, I wouldn't be able to stay up gone midnight to watch streams, so I would technically only be paying for a 50GB allowance as I wouldn't be able to use the off peak bandwidth until weekends.

For me to stay I would need to see either one happen.

Peak time bandwidth doubled

Or

Peak times changed.. 9am - 8pm peak, 8pm - 9am off peak & weekends off peak.

[Steve]

Dare I say that perhaps their (IDNet) band allowances are designed around the customers that they wish to service,they are not Zen or AAISP etc. Those of you who are not on fibre have an easy choice, this thread relates to FTTC and bandwidth allowances not IDNet bandwidth allowances in general. FTTC comes with a minimum 1 years contract ,18 months BT and Sky. Probably most of us on FTTC with IDNet had no previous experience of VDSL and for me certainly unsure as to how it would affect future internet usage. I'm fortunate that our households usage has seen no dramatic change over the last 7 months. I know that should we suddenly change our lifestyle and sit glued to the TV / monitor watching streamed video I would have to think about an alternative ISP, but unless I go to the darkside it's probably going to cost me  around £10 a month more.

I think IDNet have in the past responded promptly to BTw changes in price structure so I can only assume that they currently cannot afford to change the pricing structure on FTTC.

[psp83]

I know that should we suddenly change our lifestyle and sit glued to the TV / monitor watching streamed video I would have to think about an alternative ISP, but unless I go to the darkside it's probably going to cost me  around £10 a month more.

But that's the point I'm making, I don't do no stream watching (netflix etc) during peak time and every month I have to managed what I do very carefully. I wait to midnight before I start watching streams.

As Bill has said before, click the wrong link and by the time you notice, 2gb is gone.

During the day and evening my connection is mainly used for work stuff & general browsing.

And its fair to say, why should FTTC users have the same allowances as ADSL2+ users? Surely allowances should match the product. Faster product = more bandwidth.

My contract is up at the end of the year, so if no changes are made I will be moving to another ISP. I think that's plenty of time to give IDnet a chance to do some changes..

[Steve]

Paul I wish I knew what BTw charged ISPs for bandwidth but I don't. I agree it's easy to consume bandwidth on FTTC, however looking at IDNet's pricing it currently looks more expensive to service an FTTC product than adsl2+ and I don't know the reason why.



Edit: https://www.btwholesale.com/pages/static/service_and_support/service_support_hub/online_pricing_hub/SPPL_Page/part_7_wbc.html


If I read it correctly the monthly charge to a CP is £8 more for an FTTC line  than an adsl2+ line.

[.Griff.]

I must admit I've witnessed all the moans, groans and discontent with something of a grin on my face.

It's so refreshing not having to ration your bandwidth allowance over the month and simply use the internet when and how I want. For all the criticism levelled, quite rightly most of the time, at BT I can't find a single fault with their FTTC offering. 

[mervl]

at BT I can't find a single fault with their FTTC offering. 

Yep I reckon that VDSL2  (FTTC) as implemented by BT is a much superior product to ADSL (and I don't mean just speed), and correspondingly the need for active management and the "credentials" of your Provider are much less important. (EDIT and don't forget these are international standards devised by the best brains in the business in the International Telecommunications Union acting under the auspices of the UN). And OpenReach are much improved . Frankly it's what we should expect as technology marches forward. So it's a different game, and forget your old prejudices.

But correspondingly the ability of your Provider to deal with any minor blemish is probably less too as the tech gets more complex.

[kerrso05]

Griff....I don't know anything about you but I suspect you were on Idnet at one stage and have now moved to the "Dark Side" known as BT......I take it that is why you have a grin on your face because they have unlimited downloads? Is it working for you?

Reading through most of the comments on this thread nearly everyone that is on FTTC our like me and are not happy with the Caps..............so what do we do? Do we leave when our contract is up (for me that is two months away....so very little time left to make up my mind) or do we write to Idnet (all at the same time) and ask them politely to look at the very restrictive caps and ask them to rethink their policy through again in light of the competition like Zen (who have no peak and non peak times) or like ADSL24 (who have the  Peak times change)? Or do we do as some people have suggested on this thread, stop moaning and whinging and either put up or shut up?
For me the FTTC capping policy has to change and IMHO will eventually change, but when?.......when we have left!!!

Also has anyone else noticed that there has been a deafening silence from Idnet on this subject.....maybe they have been on holidays today but you would think somebody from the company would come forward and tell us if they are looking at the caps

[psp83]

Also has anyone else noticed that there has been a deafening silence from Idnet on this subject.....maybe they have been on holidays today but you would think somebody from the company would come forward and tell us if they are looking at the caps

They are not back in the office until Wednesday because the bank holidays.

[.Griff.]

Griff....I don't know anything about you but I suspect you were on Idnet at one stage and have now moved to the "Dark Side" known as BT......I take it that is why you have a grin on your face because they have unlimited downloads? Is it working for you?

I was with IDNet on their "Home Fibre Plus" package for 18 months, August 2010 to February 2012, and since then I've been with BT Infinity 2.

With IDNet I was effectively "rationing" my allowance over the course of the month which was far from ideal. The rather draconian approach to peak hours didn't help and I've posted previously comparing other FTTC resellers approach to peak hours with the majority being a lot more relaxed and a lot removing peak hours entirely at weekends. Something IDNet have been reluctant to adopt as yet.

After 18 months I took a leap into the unknown and migrated to BT Infinity as it was not only cheaper but it didn't have any bandwidth restrictions. It's only been four months so far but the product/service itself has been perfect.

The naysayers and doom merchants will state with almost certainty, and arrogance, that BT will oversubscribe the network and it will all fall down like a pack of cards but I see no evidence of that at all so far.

[kerrso05]

Griff thanks for giving me the information on your background. You (like me) were obviously once keen to support Idnet but just couldn't work under these very restrictive caps and had no other choice than to leave. As you can see from this thread and the support it is getting there are quite a few of us who are torn in what to do next....do we leave and were do we go to or do we contact Idnet and see if they can do anything to change these caps.

The good thing from what you are saying is that we have nothing to fear moving to the likes of BT Infinity......this is good to know because their deal is exceptional. The only 'fly in the ointment' as I see it, is that they (BT) lock you into a contract of two years.....I really don't like long contracts because as you know, businesses change and you could get a change of policy and suddenly Traffic Shaping could be introduced or restrictive caps (like Idnet already has) introduced. At least with Idnet you can get out after a year. It was BT Infinity who contacted me a couple of weeks ago that started this debate off
Thanks again for your contribution to this debate.....good to hear that BT are looking after you

[Steve]

I think it's 18 months not 2 years with BT but it's still a longer commitment than others.