Bandwidth does not equal gigs

[Nick333]

Iv’e been thinking about the fact that we refer to data usage as bandwidth and I think maybe we should stop because it causes confusion about the real issues surrounding DSL services.

I’ve mentioned most of this in another thread already but it probably went unnoticed because it was a bit off thread and basically went to $#!t anyway.

I think it’s important to state however that these are my opinions based on my understanding of the subject, so if you actually bother to read this and think I’m way off the mark please feel free to tell me what your take is. I don’t claim that any of this is correct or definitive. My examples are thumbsucks. Only Telkom themselves know the real figures, so don’t jump down my throat about them ok.

Bandwidth refers to speed i.e Kbs or Mbs. Bandwidth can be measured in terms of how much you could theoretically download and upload in a given amount of time. Unless you’re running your connection at full speed all month it becomes irrelevant. To refer to a 3 gig account as 3 gigs of bandwidth is nonsensical because 3 gigs over a month equates to *&%^ all speed because I could move 3 gigs quicker by writing ones and zeros out by hand and posting them to you. (well maybe not really but hopefully you get my point.)

I think the equation should be something like Usage = Max speed x time. i.e 22.3 X 2592000 secs(a 30 day month)= 57.8 gigs.

You can also use a similar formula to calculate get your bandwidth (speed) from your usage i.e 3gigs devided by 2592000 secs(a 30 day month) = bandwidth(speed).
3gigs divided by 2592000 secs(a 30 day month) = 1.16 kBps.

Essentially all you guys paying for 512 and 1 Mbps and using 3 gigs of data a month are being ripped because when you only have 3 gigs of usage that’s your average download speed regardless of your line speed.

The real issue surrounding bandwidth is contentious because on adsl you’re basically sharing bandwidth with other users i.e 50 users on a 2 Mbs line (or 10 or 20. Only Telkom knows and they’re not telling) Obviously 50 users on a @ Mbps connection can’t all run at the top 512 connection speed of. So what Telkom does (and all ISP’s everywhere or so I’m told) is limit how much you can download in a month to ensure that you won’t run your connection at full speed all the time. This is how they can sell 4000 new DSL lines a week (or whatever they claim ) without having to supply more bandwidth. Clever hey ? Essentially they can have more customers (profit) without spending anymore money.


Def of bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/bandwidth.htm

 

[krycor]

btw anyone know in what the cap is calculated in ? bytes/ kilobytes/ Megabytes/ or Gigabytes.. why ? cause there is a difference when you do the conversion calc. ie 3,000,000,000bytes is less than 3Gbytes.. or am i just looking at it wrong?
e.g mine is currently at 2.337GB but is also 2,5 bil bytes or 2.45 mil kb etc

 

[Nick333]

btw anyone know in what the cap is calculated in ? bytes/ kilobytes/ Megabytes/ or Gigabytes.. why ? cause there is a difference when you do the conversion calc. ie 3,000,000,000bytes is less than 3Gbytes.. or am i just looking at it wrong?

You can convert it to bits bytes or whatever a gig is a gig i think.

 

[Flippit]

It's 3GB which is 3072 MB or 3 145 728 KB or 3 221 225 472 B. So yes, they give you three _real_ gigs.

 

[Roman4604]

Essentially all you guys paying for 512 and 1 Mbps and using 3 gigs of data a month are being ripped because when you only have 3 gigs of usage that’s your average download speed regardless of your line speed.

Bulk traffic transfer is not the only motivation for getting ADSL. Most are prepared to pay for high lines speeds because of the faster response times on interactive tasks (e.g. web pages snap open, large emails zip down in seconds, video clips buffer less initially etc.)

 

[krycor]

yay i might not reach the cap

 

[Nick333]

Bulk traffic transfer is not the only motivation for getting ADSL. Most are prepared to pay for high lines speeds because of the faster response times on interactive tasks (e.g. web pages snap open, large emails zip down in seconds, video clips buffer less initially etc.)

Valid points except wouldnt video clips qualify as a bulk transfer within the constraints of a 3 gig cap ?

Edit:Well its your buck. Personally i dont need webpages to open that fast, the couple of seconds it takes on my 192 connection is a minor annoyance.
Also the minute or so it takes to open a 1mb attachement isnt that much of a drawback. If i was downloading much larger than that regularly id be concerned with hitting my cap.

Theyve got 1Gbps connections in Hong Kong now, that would be more than enough to make your webpages snap open wouldnt you agree ? Do you honestly think anyone would buy one if they were limited to say 100 gigs a month. Youd hit our 3 gig cap in 25 seconds(literally)

Im not about to tell you what to use your connection for but there is alot of cool legal stuff you can ,sorry could, use your dsl for ( theres a whole thread devoted to it.) but you cant because Telkom wants to limit your usage.
Dont you think there must be something else to use the internet for besides surfing and email if people in the rest of the world ( and here) are demanding and getting, (though only in the rest of the world) higher and higher bandwidth ?

 

[bwana]

So what Telkom does (and all ISP’s everywhere or so I’m told) is limit how much you can download in a month to ensure that you won’t run your connection at full speed all the time.

By all ISPs you mean in SA and not globally correct? Capping is not a predominant global trend after all. With many ISPs you can download/upload to the full extent of your line.

 

[Roman4604]

Valid points except wouldnt video clips qualify as a bulk transfer within the constraints of a 3 gig cap ?

True, thats why I used the word 'clip' and not 'stream' ... was refering to smallish stuff.

 

[Nick333]

By all ISPs you mean in SA and not globally correct? Capping is not a predominant global trend after all. With many ISPs you can download/upload to the full extent of your line.

I did mean globally but i did qualify that with so im told and i dont think it detracts from my point.

Ty for clarifying that.

 

[me]

Roman4604's point is important. Not every user wants to saturate their internet connection 24/7.

I'd get a 10mbit line to get improved speeds on the downloads I need, but I still won't use more than a few gigs a month. Someone else might want to do 24/7 torrent downloading, and would look for the speed / transfer combination that results in the greatest transfer per month. Different intentions.

Also, although the contention ratios sound evil, I haven't seen them cause any problems for myself or anyone I know. Averages are averages, and on average a contended connection will not be saturated by its users. That's how it manages to be the most efficient way.

 

[Nick333]

s.

Averages are averages, and on average a contended connection will not be saturated by its users. That's how it manages to be the most efficient way.

Especially if said users are limited to 3 gigs of usage a month.

Im assuming that you are aware of what the internet offers beyond surfing and email but if not read this thread:http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=31099

Admittidly there will always be people who arnt interested in listening to radio, buying music , streaming video or using google earth. But how many adsl users are even aware that these services are available ? My guess is not many because Telkom has created the impression that the internet can only be used for surfing, email(by the good guys) and p2p(by the bad guys).
Theres a reason uncapped service is standard in the UK and that is because the British are better informed internet users.

Edit : I think if more users were aware of what they could legally be using their cinnections for , the present contention rates would definitly become a problem. This is why Telkom have created this illusion of abuse. Of course they could still keep us penned in with the 3 gig cap.

 

[bwana]

Edit : I think if more users were aware of what they could legally be using their cinnections for , the present contention rates would definitly become a problem. This is why Telkom have created this illusion of abuse. Of course they could still keep us penned in with the 3 gig cap.

Indeed - thats why they increase the latency on things like voip and gaming. Then they try to recoup any potential losses by selling an over-priced unshaped account.

 

[Dovi]

Theyve got 1Gbps connections in Hong Kong now, that would be more than enough to make your webpages snap open wouldnt you agree ? Do you honestly think anyone would buy one if they were limited to say 100 gigs a month. Youd hit our 3 gig cap in 25 seconds(literally)

Um... YES!!!! Just because one has a 1Gbps connection with a 100 gig cap, doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to use it up? I could be quite content with a 1Gbps connection and a 30 gig cap! Okay true maybe depending if I streamed more I'd need a higher cap, but with a faster line speed, you don't need to download more files, you just have the conveniance of being able to get those files in a shorter space of time.

My 2 cents

 

[Nick333]

Um... YES!!!! Just because one has a 1Gbps connection with a 100 gig cap, doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to use it up? I could be quite content with a 1Gbps connection and a 30 gig cap! Okay true maybe depending if I streamed more I'd need a higher cap, but with a faster line speed, you don't need to download more files, you just have the conveniance of being able to get those files in a shorter space of time.

My 2 cents

That seems a bit like buying a Ferrari to do the weekly shopping to me.