Summary: As internet usage grows ISPs are faced with problems meeting the demand for bandwidth. The result may be a bandwidth cap or limit placed on your usage.
My ISP recently informed me that my "unlimited" high speed DSL is going to be capped at 5GB/month. They go on to say the unlimited provision still applies "for internet browsing, e-mail and intranet access." Reading the fine print in the new contract I see that it expressly forbids streaming of videos, downloading of music, videos or games, hosting broadcasts or internet phone use.
You posted a video (part 1) of how to install Acronis as part of a backup plan. I watched the video. Does that count against my 5GB/month limit? Suppose I have to watch an instructional video several times to jot down info? How can I know exactly how much bandwidth I'm ABOUT to use before actually watching the streaming video, downloading the music or video, etc? I read your article about using perfmon but that seems to track usage after-the-fact.
Are all ISPs moving in this direction (to cap bandwidth)? Any words of wisdom?
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Bandwidth caps are nothing new, but they do seem to be becoming more common. I've not actually heard of it on a hardwired DSL connection, but it doesn't surprise me, I guess. It's much more common in the wireless world - my mobile broadband connection, for example, has that same 5GB/month bandwidth cap.
There are aspects of what you describe that have me sincerely hoping that you misread or misinterpreted the contract. If not, it's one of the most draconian set of limitations that I've ever run across. So much so, that if it's exactly as you describe, I'd drop that ISP in a heartbeat.
But to be fair, while we might question their tactics to address it, ISPs are facing a difficult problem.
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The amount of data that is being pumped across the internet is enormous, and it's growth in recent years has been incredible.
At first, much of that growth was in the so-called "peer to peer file sharing networks". These tools are designed to make it easy to copy and share massive amounts of data. In recent years, sites like YouTube or Hulu are now bringing on-line video to the masses as a true alternative to things like TV. Add in sites like iTunes and Amazon and more are selling downloadable music and videos as an alternative to physical CDs and DVDs. You can quickly see that the demands for pushing data through the internet are growing at an incredible rate.
This has ISPs scared.
ISPs are scared because not all of them have the infrastructure - the hardware - to actually provide all that bandwidth to all their customers should they all start downloading more and more video. It's not practical to make sure that there's enough to cover it either; it would be exorbitantly expensive to do so. They may be building and adding capacity, but there's only so much they can add, and only so quickly. The result is a compromise.
And part of that compromise might be asking you, their customer, to slow down.
OK, so "ask" might not be the right word - in your case they're apparently telling you what you can, and cannot do.
The good news is that 5GB is a lot of data. You probably won't risk exceeding that with just email and normal web surfing. (In fact, if I understand your question correctly, these actually remain unlimited for you - they don't count against your cap.)
But as you point out, videos - like mine - probably count. And a lot of video watching can add up to a lot of data.
How much? That's hard to say. One recent video I posted is 3.5 megabytes in size - that means you could watch it 1,000 times and still not get reach your bandwidth cap. On the other hand, downloading a few 100 megabyte movies could get you close pretty quickly.
Unfortunately, while ISPs may implement these caps, rarely do they include the tools to monitor where you are with respect to the cap. My mobile broadband provider, Verizon, will show me how much I've used, but as I understand it they're the exception rather than the rule.
And as you say, even then it's all "after the fact". You don't know how much bandwidth you're using until after you've used it.
Measuring your bandwidth usage at home is difficult, particularly if you have more than one computer. There are some tools that will measure the usage of one computer, but when you connect multiple computers to a single internet connection things get difficult. Routers typically do not have the capability of measure usage.
So, what to do?
First, check with your ISP to see what kind of tools they may have to tell you where you are with respect to your bandwidth cap. If they have one, check in every day, or every few days as you use your internet connection, so you can get a sense for how quickly you're approaching the limit.
Second, to put it somewhat obliquely: download once, watch multiple times. By that I mean that it's common to watch a video multiple times, often by revisiting the site that hosts it. Depending on your system configuration and things like the size of your browser cache, each one of those visits could cause the video file to be downloaded again and again. Instead, see if there are explicit options to download the file to your computer's hard disk so that you can view it multiple times without needing to download. This isn't always available, and not always obvious, but when available can be a real bandwidth saver for videos that you expect to view multiple times. (I'm still experimenting with how best to provide video on my site, but I do know that there are tools that will allow you to download YouTube videos, for example.)
And of course, don't run peer-to-peer file sharing software if your ISP has a bandwidth cap. That'll get you to the limit fairly quickly.
But ultimately, if your ISP provides no tools to monitor your usage as they see it, then I'm not aware of any reasonable solution to actively monitor your usage from your end with the goal of avoiding that limit. Perhaps readers will comment with additional ideas on this.
Now, about your ISP.
The statement that has me most concerned is this: "Reading the fine print in the new contract I see that it expressly forbids streaming of videos, downloading of music, videos or games, hosting broadcasts or internet phone use."
If they actually prohibit you from streaming videos or downloading music, videos or games, then they might as well be prohibiting you from using the 21st century internet. That's when I say run away - find an ISP that "gets" the internet and how it's being used.
On the other hand, I'm hoping for one of two misunderstandings:
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You are actually prohibited from being a source of those types of things for others. What the wording really means is that you cannot set up a server on your internet connection and allow others to download from you.
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The wording doesn't prohibit you from downloading those types of things, but is just trying to be explicit about what counts. Since your question implies that your ISP can somehow identify "internet browsing, e-mail and intranet access" and leave all that as truly unlimited, they're probably trying to tell you about the other things that aren't unlimited and can count against your bandwidth cap.
Both of those are pretty reasonable, so I'm hoping that's what your ISP actually intends.
It might be worth contacting them to clarify.
Related:
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What is bandwidth? Bandwidth is a term you hear frequently but it can be confusing and it's easy to gloss over exactly what it means.
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Can I monitor, or control, the bandwidth used on my home network? Can I monitor, or control, the bandwidth used on my home network?
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Are there any legitimate uses for peer-to-peer file sharing programs? P2P programs have a bad reputation because of the content they're often used with. But P2P technology is legal and useful for legal purposes as well.
Article C3831 - August 7, 2009
Here we go again!
The term bandwidth has had a clear unambiguous definition for at least 50 years, ie, bits per second (or its equivalents which is an instantaneous measure of capacity.
But now it is being used to describe the quantity of data being transmitted over a relatively long period of time, ie accumulated volume.
The application of the term "bandwidth cap" as used by the ISPs is actually the limitation they apply if a user exceeds their allocation of data volume accumulated over the billing period. That is, the ISP reduces the bandwidth made available to the "naughty" user for the rest of the period or for some other rolling period.
So I blame the ISPs for being lazy and misusing the term bandwidth; From their perspective a user exceeded the accumulated volume allowance is a "bandwidth capping" case beause that is what they impose as a consequence. But a more accurate and less confusing term would be "exceeded volume".
But the REAL issue is that the vast majority of ISPs do not provide you tools to monitor your usage, or even provide you an advance warning. The warning message could easily be remedied by legislation, or fair trading requirement.
Increasing internet usage and the inevitable rise in exceeded volume events needs to be formally addressed.
Posted by: Bevin Pettitt at August 11, 2009 7:17 PMI wholeheartedly agree with Bevin Pettitt that this is something that leaves the consumer totally in the dark. I asked Comcast if there was a way I could see or get some type of documentation showing what my monthly usage was in relation to the cap. Of course no such data is available to me either by phone call or by billing statement. This is akin to speed limit signs all being taken down but speeding laws and fines still enforced. It's obvious these caps can affect legitimate sites like online backup services, video download sites like Amazon and Netflix, and gaming distributors like Steam. Isn't that action creating a restraint of trade and wouldn't these companies have a legal standing to do something about it? With more and more publications go to online downloads this problem with unrealistic caps is going to create problems for consumers. Doesn't Amazon's Kindle use downloads for its books? What about all the online billing and bill payment services? Surely all that contributes. And doesn't SPAM now truly have a financial effect, especially in quantity? These arguments went completely under the radar in all the information I receive from the various groups i belong to that fight for Net Neutrality and fair usage.
Posted by: Jim at August 12, 2009 2:10 PMNo one has commented on VOiP as the writer mentioned "no internet phone use" Perhaps the ISP is trying to eliminate competition as most likely they offer the same service at a higher price with some limits on features. Could this be an "anti-trust" issue?
Posted by: John at August 14, 2009 6:36 AMLeo, although the questioner mentioned their limit was 5GB/month, you might want to stress that that limit amount, used on a daily basis, is really not that much, if you are into videos and music.
5 gigabytes sounds like a lot of leeway but it all boils down to daily usage. If you tell the questioner he could view a 3.5MB video 1,000 times, keep in mind that your usage for the month is a "goner".
The usage should be spread out in order to not be chastized by your ISP for overusage of bandwidth, otherwise, an unsavvy person might think "Wow, 1,000 times!" .... hence, he goes and downloads 100 videos.....lol
Posted by: Linda at August 16, 2009 1:38 AMI use one of the sattalite companies and this month I was told that I had exceded my threshold of 17000Mb (yes megabytes) for the month. I have not done anything different than I have been for the last 12 mos. I told them they dont give me a cut rate when there is an outage and cant use the internet nor do they give any kind of credit for any of the downtime that is not my fault. As a punishment, my speed went from 216kps down to 23 kps for the download. I told them that was worse than dial up and maybe I should go back but then it takes me out of this centuries need for internet. I am glad I only have this one computer and not a child that plays games on here. I hate being restricted and told I cant use the internet to get movies, software, shareware, watch utube and so on. I mean, what is it all out there for? I feel deprived and dont know what to do with it. For the first time I was excited about getting the live feeds from The Big Brother reality show on Real Player. Now, after I paid for the season, I cant watch it because it eatsup my bandwith allowance. Something has to give.
Posted by: Shirley Howard at August 17, 2009 7:42 AMShirley Howard: Boy, I'd sure like to know what satellite carrier you have that would give you 17,000 megabytes per month (17 GB's).
I'd like to switch over.
I don't know of ANY satellite company that gives you THAT much! LOL
Posted by: Linda at August 17, 2009 3:53 PMWe have the same problem in the UK with ISPs regularly imposing caps. My ISP is BT whose basic broadband package has an allowance of 10Gb/month which, for me, is fine. My daughter, however, uses Sky which imposes a cap of 2Gb. Your article is also correct in that ISPs, universally it seems, offer no automatic means of monitoring which, frankly, would be very simple for them to do. To get around this I use a utility called Bandwidth Monitor which, the misnomer notwithstanding, does exactly that. Some monitors use a good deal of memory but, at about 3,000K, this one seems acceptable. Go to bandwidthmonitor dot com for more information and download.
Posted by: Bill Chubb at August 19, 2009 4:58 AMWell i just experience the bandwith limitation. i had ten days to go my subscription but i was cut off because my ISP said i've over use my bandwith which is about 4 or 5gb. then i wonder what i was downloading.ISPs should provide a way for us to know how much bandwith we use and the one available for use.
Posted by: IROEGBU JOHN at August 20, 2009 3:37 AMOk the satellite carrier is Wild Blue. If you think you cant go over 17G a month have at it. I know it is high and I dont understand why I have capped. I dont download movies or music. I sometimes watch a utube that is sent through my email. I only do facebook. I finally was able to get big Brother live feeds from real player that I paid for for the 2 mos they are on. It asolutely ate it up. I had no clue that there was a cap. I guess this old woman didnt read it or didnt understand it but the pro package says "you can download movies, music, games etc". I thought when I got it I would have wonderful service. I have only hit a max of 512mbs when it is advertised twice that high. I guess I am lucky to get this much after looking at everyone elses cap but honestly, how can a person use this much? I was back at 60% usage in 2 days. I have never worried about it in the last 10 mos. Just this month.
Posted by: Shirley Howard at August 22, 2009 7:43 AMShirley,
There is info in the below pdf that shows how to get to your 30-day usage in WildBlue:
http://powwwer.net/Newsletters/FAP%20QA.pdf
Here's a link in case you would want to monitor your usage:
http://ghostwalker5.deviantart.com/art/WildBlue-Usage-109679549
This way, you would actually have something to compare with WildBlue's "usage" as opposed to what you've documented and argue with them on this. Good luck.
Unless you're using a lot of streaming video/audio from the internet you should be okay normally.
Posted by: Linda at August 25, 2009 11:16 AM