How does the ISP set speed limits?

[Sam_101]

MTN's Uncapped Home Internet Plan comes with a 5G router and has different speeds at different prices. 35Mbps, 60Mbps and Unlimited. I'm guessing if I get the 60 and want to upgrade later they don't have to come change anything with the hardware its all on some software. My guess is the different FUP limits to get throttled are also set that way and its all automated. My question is, who sets it initally? The sales rep when I pay for it, or the tech guy that later comes to my house to install it. i.e who do I have to bribe ? lol

 

[Rickster]

MTN's Uncapped Home Internet Plan comes with a 5G router and has different speeds at different prices. 35Mbps, 60Mbps and Unlimited. I'm guessing if I get the 60 and want to upgrade later they don't have to come change anything with the hardware its all on some software. My guess is the different FUP limits to get throttled are also set that way and its all automated. My question is, who sets it initally? The sales rep when I pay for it, or the tech guy that later comes to my house to install it. i.e who do I have to bribe ? lol

Probably the same as any provider, they (sales person) have a package dropdown list with a price attached to it.

Therefore speed and price are hard linked and cannot differ.

 

[Sam_101]

Probably the same as any provider, they (sales person) have a package dropdown list with a price attached to it.

Therefore speed and price are hard linked and cannot differ.

oh. that's too bad. I didn't know how they did it and I was reading some reddit thread to find out and the guy there said he's a tech guy at an ISP and he just sets the max for his customers or doesn't set the throttle. Probably US though.

 

[PsyWulf]

Either the port speed is changed or there's a soft-limiter depending on the connection type used. That gets set up when the account gets allocated and/or connected. Everything is pretty automated

 

[Sam_101]

Either the port speed is changed or there's a soft-limiter depending on the connection type used. That gets set up when the account gets allocated and/or connected. Everything is pretty automated

I see. It’s not even speeds that are my issue. It’s the speeds after reaching FUP limits. It’s so difficult looking for non-fibre options without the ridiculous throttling. And I don’t know if the VPN “solution” is something that really works

 

[IamNoone]

I see. It’s not even speeds that are my issue. It’s the speeds after reaching FUP limits. It’s so difficult looking for non-fibre options without the ridiculous throttling. And I don’t know if the VPN “solution” is something that really works

The VPN solution will not bypass the FUP. It is set on the actual connection. The VPN runs on that connection. The ISP/Network provider manages the speeds via an automated system with threshold rules.

 

[Sam_101]

The VPN solution will not bypass the FUP. It is set on the actual connection. The VPN runs on that connection. The ISP/Network provider manages the speeds via an automated system with threshold rules.

the FUP is the only thing I'm concerned with. The sales rep at MTN said she also has the plan and when she reaches her limit she just restarts the router and her speeds remain the same but I obviously don't trust her she's clearly trying to make a sale. Throttled down to 2mbps i'm assuming that would mean my house losses ability to stream and probably only social media on our phones would work?

 

[IamNoone]

the FUP is the only thing I'm concerned with. The sales rep at MTN said she also has the plan and when she reaches her limit she just restarts the router and her speeds remain the same but I obviously don't trust her she's clearly trying to make a sale. Throttled down to 2mbps i'm assuming that would mean my house losses ability to stream and probably only social media on our phones would work?

Streaming at a decent quality you need about 3-4mbps. Social media should not use much data but at 2mbps it will be a stretch to stream and use social media at the same time.

 

[PsyWulf]

the FUP is the only thing I'm concerned with. The sales rep at MTN said she also has the plan and when she reaches her limit she just restarts the router and her speeds remain the same but I obviously don't trust her she's clearly trying to make a sale. Throttled down to 2mbps i'm assuming that would mean my house losses ability to stream and probably only social media on our phones would work?

Traffic shaping based on protocol is handled differently from throttling the entire account at usage thresholds. Throttling ignores the type. VPNs would help with "shaping" (well,sometimes - sometimes the traffic can still be inspected)

 

[IamNoone]

Traffic shaping based on protocol is handled differently from throttling the entire account at usage thresholds. Throttling ignores the type. VPNs would help with "shaping" (well,sometimes - sometimes the traffic can still be inspected)

Afrihost's Fixed LTE Uncapped has a threshold of 1TB and then the connection is throttled to 1mbps until the end of that month. Tried a VPN to bypass this but it did not work. Rather switched to fibre when it became available

 

[PsyWulf]

Afrihost's Fixed LTE Uncapped has a threshold of 1TB and then the connection is throttled to 1mbps until the end of that month. Tried a VPN to bypass this but it did not work. Rather switched to fibre when it became available

Yes.

 

[Sam_101]

Streaming at a decent quality you need about 3-4mbps. Social media should not use much data but at 2mbps it will be a stretch to stream and use social media at the same time.

that's what I thought. They shouldn't be allowed to call it "uncapped home plan" if they throttle it to 1mbps or 2mbps after certain usage because it's basically unusable for the home at those speeds. I told my mom she must look at the FUP limit and that's what you paying for..not uncapped.

 

[Sam_101]

Afrihost's Fixed LTE Uncapped has a threshold of 1TB and then the connection is throttled to 1mbps until the end of that month. Tried a VPN to bypass this but it did not work. Rather switched to fibre when it became available

unfortunately there's no fibre available in my area yet. Supersonic throttles down to 10mbps which is fine. Rain has no FUP throttling. but the reviews on both are beyond shocking and scary. I've seen Afrihost and MTN 1TB thresholds they are both out the price range if I want to pay those prices to has to be when i have fibre. My other option is a Telkom Fixed LTE 2TB plan with no threshold as its capped already. Surely 2TB is basically uncapped I don't think the whole family could even use that. streaming is the most data intensive thing we do.

 

[longboy]

I can confirm that using a Tor bridge bypasses all shaping and throttling.

The connection is not suitable for streaming unfortunately cos of the kuk latency.

 

[MagNorthDigital]

How? With the tried and trusted irish pub method of course. 4 beers and a dartboard.