Lets revisit "Bandwidth Hog"

qdada

qdada

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I posted the thread here because It relates to the Amazing! thread started earlier today.

OK now what is a bandwidth hog really ? I ask this because Telkom, Sentech and now iBurst have, in my opinion, abused it so many times. So what is it really ?

In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bandwidth hog. The reason I say this is that ISP's have used the term to relate to bandwidth usage as though we all experience the internet in the same way.

The term is used very conveniently by service providers who have made an error in their costing model by basing their cost structure on a simplistic per Megabyte model. These ISP's simply look at the total data, thumb suck a magic value based on a naive usage model of a dialup user and determine you have abused the service.

It is not the ISP's prerogative to make a value judgement how i use bandwidth. Whether I use the bandwidth for pr0n or database dumps should not matter!

How then can anyone make a judgement that any one individual is a bandwidth hog ?

Now I am not suggesting there should be an open season to download anything with a byte on the net. That is what Bandwidth Management Systems are for. It is insane starting an ISP business without one.

What I am saying here is ISP should move away from the per Megabyte Model. This model complicates our lives, leaving us fleeced and doomed to a local internet infrastructure repressed at sub-Megabit levels. How are we to compete in the global economy with such a depressing network?
 
I think the term bandwidth hog comes when the service you purchase is 3 GIG and you start going over a certain percentage of that, they would consider it abuse.
Bear in mind you are purchasing the service with a 3 gig cap for a reason (thats one for telkom to answer lol)
The principle is, that when you purchase 3 gig, you knwo that thats what you are purchasing so to complain when you start being cut of after using 6 gig seems a bit silly to me?
(and i state this as i know what i purchased even if i dont agree with it, and i dont) but there is no other alternative at the moment.
 
it could be fun to dig out the far distant threads, if any are still around, on the Sentech forums - from about 11 months back, covering those times when Sentech first pulled out this bollocks story about 'all problems being due to a small minority of abusers of the network'. The various arguments and flames now are almost exactly the same, except that more forumites seem to have believed the story put out by IBurst, for some reason..
 
there is no limit when you download at 64k, they only said you can download 3GB at 1mbit and after that you get 64k, not after that you get 64k up to 6GB then we cut you off. So if it seems silly to you, its only because you are silly
 
When you begin to compare users download statistics and you see spikes in the graph that show abnormal consumption compared to the user average is when you begin to class groups into several categories.

'Heavy User', 'Power User' , 'Bandwidth User' or 'Network Abuser' are what one would logically label these users when comparing them to the rest.

Out of interests sake when did WBS ever use the term: 'Bandwidth Hog'
 
technically they performed an illegal act yesterday, regardless of what they say is their good motivation and reasons. It was illegal, and material breach of contract.

Now they're scr*wed slightly - as currently (I think) they dare not put down in any official notice, mention of their action yesterday. This would be perfect evidence by anyone wanting to sue them.

So they're behaving like the fat kid who got bust peeing in the sink, namely - hiding out at the bottom of the garden and hoping to avoid a beating.

And they're either too stupid, or too arrogant to employ a halfway decent PR firm or anyone, for that matter, to officially reassure their remaining customers.

So they're the fat kid, hiding behind the bushes, at the moment. So much for IBursts dignity as a Company :)
 
So they're the fat kid, hiding behind the bushes, at the moment.

:D - that is such a funny analogy ! - hahah
aaaah - I love this forum !

:D
 
LoneGunman said:
technically they performed an illegal act yesterday, regardless of what they say is their good motivation and reasons. It was illegal, and material breach of contract.

Now they're scr*wed slightly - as currently (I think) they dare not put down in any official notice, mention of their action yesterday. This would be perfect evidence by anyone wanting to sue them.

So they're behaving like the fat kid who got bust peeing in the sink, namely - hiding out at the bottom of the garden and hoping to avoid a beating.

And they're either too stupid, or too arrogant to employ a halfway decent PR firm or anyone, for that matter, to officially reassure their remaining customers.

So they're the fat kid, hiding behind the bushes, at the moment. So much for IBursts dignity as a Company :)
Click to expand...

seriously dude, how many users who use iBurst give a ****? the problem in this country is even when companies do this type of stuff noone boycots or anything serious. i know i aint going to do much, i couldnt really be arsed as when wbs anger me i will walk away.
 
Amber said:
When you begin to compare users download statistics and you see spikes in the graph that show abnormal consumption compared to the user average is when you begin to class groups into several categories.

'Heavy User', 'Power User' , 'Bandwidth User' or 'Network Abuser' are what one would logically label these users when comparing them to the rest.

Out of interests sake when did WBS ever use the term: 'Bandwidth Hog'
Click to expand...

But why fight this consumption ? Clearly there is a need ? I know it costs money and yes I know Telkom isn't making things any easier. If we succumb to this per Megabyte model, we succumb to the similar abuse that has left us with per unit/minute telephone cost model by telkom.

Sometimes demand fuels innovation. If the US and S.Korea Communications companies followed the same model as we have in this country they would never have had cable and fibre direct to their homes.
 
Hallicon : let's not get into politics, but in South Africa there is a lack of "consumer protection" .We don't have the resources to complain, and actually get things sorted out. Add to that the lack of choice when it comes to choosing a service provider(of any kind), and you have a provider who can easily pull any stunt he likes to.
Sad but true
 
halicon said:
seriously dude, how many users who use iBurst give a ****? the problem in this country is even when companies do this type of stuff noone boycots or anything serious. i know i aint going to do much, i couldnt really be arsed as when wbs anger me i will walk away.
Click to expand...

I am with you here.

We have to demand for more. When we succumb, we do nothing but perpertuate abuse. I am so happy that the fruits of this forum's labour are being noticed else we'd be dismissed long ago as whingeing Armchair Activists.
 
Well, like many other users I purchased the extra 1GB bandwidth to get back online after my account was suspended. The big question is though whether after I use the 1GB will I be throttled or will my account be suspended again ?

I was also told that there were some users who did not even reach there cap and their account was suspended !
 
qDot said:
But why fight this consumption ? Clearly there is a need ? I know it costs money and yes I know Telkom isn't making things any easier. If we succumb to this per Megabyte model, we succumb to the similar abuse that has left us with per unit/minute telephone cost model by telkom.

Sometimes demand fuels innovation. If the US and S.Korea Communications companies followed the same model as we have in this country they would never have had cable and fibre direct to their homes.
Click to expand...

It seems to me the only reason why WBS did this was to protect themselves. Do you think 70-100 or even 300 users leaving Iburst will affect there growth as opposed to 50-60% of their user base leaving because of bad speeds? Broadband is in demand and cheap broadband.

I will repeat that the way WBS chose to protect their business was short sighted and had very little consideration of their users, but which users. Their move only had a positive influence on my connection and many others who were suffering from slow speeds.
 
re will account be suspended or throttled after cap. Yeah, thats the biggie which'll decide IBursts future rep - I'm waiting to see who passes their cap/freshly bought b/w first - to see what happens to them. That'll show us whether its worth sticking with IBurst or finally walking away..
 
scavern said:
Well, like many other users I purchased the extra 1GB bandwidth to get back online after my account was suspended. The big question is though whether after I use the 1GB will I be throttled or will my account be suspended again ?

I was also told that there were some users who did not even reach there cap and their account was suspended !
Click to expand...

I spoke with Shaun this afternoon and he assured me that no “disconnect actions” will be taken again, and when u’ve reached your cap again (i.e. the 1gig u are revering to) you will be throttled to 64k and not disconnected.
 
BicPen - yeah, I got told that too. However my trust levels at the promises of Shaun or any of the employees at IBurst is a bit low right now - especially seeing as they dont/wont put these promises or assurances in writing. Whats that ole thing about 'fool me once, shame on er..um..shame on ME...fool me twice..er umm..err.. (thats the George Bush version :)
 
scavern you will be throttled, WBS said it was a once off thing because peopel abused the fact that they never had a workign bandwith manager in place... but now they do.

on the topic though, just because I download more than another user, or 1000 other users doesn't make me a bandwith hog. Let's look at what these users internet habbits, they check a website or two and download email so yes 3GB is probably enough for them for an entire month. My job however involves managing commercial websites overseas that have large databases (over 2GB a pop), with my job alone I will probably use 15GB a month minimum updating, backing up and modifying databases. Then the work I do for a production company involves me downloading freshly edited short movies (200MB minimum) to make sequenced screenshots (cannot be done remotley due to the lack of a window manager on the server). Then work I do for a small B movie DVD publisher involves me downloading movie press kits to make dvd covers and menus, and flyers on occasion, those presskits are 100MB at least. Then theres the school stuff I use the internet for (I am in uni) and finally my extra-curicular activities. I will gladly pay for an extra 3GB block when I need it (and have done so at least 4 times already) but if I can get away with 64kbit I will.

Just because all you do with the internet is check some blogs and maybe buy a dvd and write to your grandma doesn't make me a bandwith hog. I have no local clients and so I have to fit in with the way they do things overseas, so I can't think twice when told I need to transfer x or upload y. If WBS can't fit my needs I will just have to go somewhere else, but up untill yesterday they could. I am hoping now thier bandwith manager works I can carry on as usual.

My question is to all these people who are paying for a 1mbit line and downloading under 3GB a month is what do you need a 1mbit line for? It's not as if webpages open any faster, on a 384 line they load pretty much instantly already... so whats up?
 
what a web they weave......

LoneGunman said:
technically they performed an illegal act yesterday, regardless of what they say is their good motivation and reasons. It was illegal, and material breach of contract.

Thing is that several wbs employess are reported to say that "there is no limit"
you are throttled to 64K"

So we have gone full circle, from first being blamed as bandwidth abusers being cut off and suspended, to being told that now the new system works we wont have to limit you beacause you will not be able to abuse with this new throttling system.

The only conclusion is that there is a new bandwidth manager because the old one didnt work, it not my fault it didnt work.

Why were we cut off to start with?

So many analogies have been thrown around like icecreams and reservoirs etc, but i see it like this


I am told I Can siphonas much water out of a damn as i like with a 64mm hose
I can siphon 24/7 beacause of the thin pipe i wont be able to take too much

So i start the hose and in the morning the dam is empty, WTF?
oh WOW!!!our calculations are incorrect,but you have abused the water.
Why are you using a such a big pipe?
Well you guys gave it to me to use, "hang on thats not a 6.4mm pipe"!!!

Its Suposed to be a 6.4mm pipe!!!!!

Well you abused the water anyway, no more for you!!!



Alternately,Kobus and Gerhard drive to Hluhluwe from Gauteng and buy pineapples a whole truck load.

The Pines cost R5.00 each ............. they drive back to Gautengand sell them for R5.00 each.

When they count there money, Gerhard says "Hey Kobus, we better buy a bigger truck, coz we havnt made any profit.

nice post LG keep the faith!!!
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