MWEB - Message from CEO - Acceptable Use Policy

[killadoob]

Downstorm works for me, takes about 1 minute to load though. Doubt they are blocking any websites, might just be downstorm.co.za is slow or something .

 

[Alestorm]

Did it take much to read over the part where it says it can be used to run a small office (business)?

Of course there's a difference between a commercial use for the connection and using the internet to run a small business. It's quite clear what they mean in any case.

 

[DJ...]

Downstorm works for me, takes about 1 minute to load though. Doubt they are blocking any websites, might just be downstorm.co.za is slow or something .

Ah okay. Might just be my slow line that makes it timeout before yours does. Oh well. all in all I'm still a very unhappy MWEB user. I couldn't care about SEACOM's issues to be honest. Your average non-geek consumer couldn't care less about who MWEB purchases its uncapped bandwidth from. We just want a working product...

 

[Alestorm]

It's probably due to seacom. If when seacom comes back up and my torrents still go at 50kbs at 1 o'clock in the morning I will give them a call.

Might be something else there, I got a torrent last night at 7pm 300Kb+. Some filesharing hosts could hit 400Kb at that time too. Could just be a bad torrent?

 

[Alestorm]

If you think you're safe 'coz you're not a high data user -think again; the T&Cs are so broad that practically any internet activity can be interpreted as 'abuse'; leading to termination.

So what should we be worried about, MWeb disconnecting their entire client base because they can? Seeing as 99%+ of their users won't hit 400GB+ consistently for a few months there's really nothing to worry about imo.

 

[DJ...]

Might be something else there, I got a torrent last night at 7pm 300Kb+. Some filesharing hosts could hit 400Kb at that time too. Could just be a bad torrent?

It's all torrents for me. Tried various torrents with high numbers of seeders and peers. They all download at the same speed - between 0.1kB/s and 2kB/s if I'm lucky...

 

[killadoob]

Ah okay. Might just be my slow line that makes it timeout before yours does. Oh well. all in all I'm still a very unhappy MWEB user. I couldn't care about SEACOM's issues to be honest. Your average non-geek consumer couldn't care less about who MWEB purchases its uncapped bandwidth from. We just want a working product...

Yea you don't have to be a geek to know about seacom. It was a pretty big milestone for SA in general and i dunno about you but when i purchase any product i like to know about it. I could not imagine just buying stuff without knowing a thing about it.

O look uncapped internet for 200 bucks, sign me up!!!!!! . Does not work for me.

 

[Chevron]

Might be something else there, I got a torrent last night at 7pm 300Kb+. Some filesharing hosts could hit 400Kb at that time too. Could just be a bad torrent?

At first I thought so too, as some of the stuff is old, but one of the items have over 6000% "availibility". and my uploads seemed fine, actually higher than downloads. I'll try something more "new" tonight just to confirm.

 

[mrudling]

Nothing better than answers...

Hi there

I received a call from you guys today stating that I have abused the AUP and my account will be terminated or I will have to upgrade to a different package that is more suited to my needs.

Two points were brought up, one being that over 3 months I have used an excessive amount of data. Second point was that have been using a VPN to do so.

WRT to my data usage, the first month I understandably downloaded a lot. The second month you can see a large drop off in data and this month there has been an even larger drop in usage. I would like to know what is considered abuse so that I can manage this more carefully. Additionally, why is this being brought to my attention 3 months later? My monthly usage is decreasing, would that not indicate to you that my download patterns are already changing and will likely fall in line with your AUP?

WRT to the VPN, this was used to protect my privacy. I believe I have a right to do so. Understandably if large amounts of data are being transmitted over this protocol it could become an issue for you. However, if you look at the times of the data usage over this protocol you will notice that it is primarily after hours when it will not be at a determent to the MWEB network. Please advise on this.

I would like to continue to use my current product and support you, however you need to clarify to me what I can and cannot do with reasonable guidelines that I can adhere to. If I believe these are “unfair” I can then make an informed decision as to whether I would like to continue my service or change my account.

Hi Mark

Your concerns have been noted and taken into consideration, however the fact remains that by your own admission you have utilized a VPN Service to defeat the shaping on your account. I would like to refer you to our previous communication on this matter, which remains relevant.

Kind regards
Security & Abuse Team
Fax: + 27 021 5968915
[email protected]
[email protected]

Thank you for your response, however you have failed to answer any of my questions...
If I don't use a VPN, will you keep my account active on my current package?
What is deemed "a large amount of data"?
Why are you basing your judgment on my previous month(s) usage?
Why was I not notified earlier, or at least issued with a warning?

If you investigate more carefully, you will find that the majority of my traffic is done after hours, where it places little load on the system, Also, you will note that my first month I downloaded 700+gigs, without the use of any vpn service. Clearly you don't NEED a vpn to pull a large amount of traffic.

Effectively you have provided us with a car and a highway. You have then pulled me over for speeding and want to take away my car and road, however you have not told me what the speed limit is!, how do you expect people to obied accordingly?

I would appreciate actual answers this time please.

Thank you
Mark

Hi Mark

As stated, our previous communication remains valid in terms of the outcome.

The decision is based on your usage over an extended period of time during which we have observed continuous use of an unshaping technique on your account, and you have acknowledged your intention to utilise the service in this manner. We therefore feel that no further explanation is required regarding the matter,

Thank you.

Kind regards
MWEB Abuse & Security Team
Fax: + 27215968915

 

[DJ...]

O look uncapped internet for 200 bucks, sign me up!!!!!! . Does not work for me.

I can practically guarantee you that the majority of users didn't know a thing about Seacom until it went down. It was big news on this forum and other tech related forums and news sites, however your average Joe wouldn't or couldn't care less. It means nothing to most people. When I buy a game console, I don't want to know who produced the dvd mechanism and its rpm count. I just want it to work.

However I don't speak geek so will rather just watch this thread from the sidelines and learn a little more instead of spouting off about how bad MWEB is, like I have been. I'll give them a chance, this time, and only until Seacom is back up and running...

 

[DJ...]

Wow, that is a rather large middle finger being provided by mweb to mrudling. Shocking customer service imo. That is deplorable...

 

[Chevron]

snip

Those responses were ass. It's weird that they are coming down like this. Obviously your usage will drop as you get everything you want. You will be more "profitable" to them the longer you stay on. It's also obvious that the person you corresponded with has no real power and just a messenger boy.

 

[Alestorm]

Nothing better than answers...

Have you tried telling them that you didn't know the VPN unshapes downloads and you'll stop using it for downloading in the future? They might let you stay on if it's reasonable.

At the moment they're obviously looking at it as if you use this VPN specifically to bypass their shaping. It's also not about the amount of GB's you do in a month, as anyone can pull down a large total, but they need to slow down the download speed so that there's more bandwidth for everyone else. Bandwidth doesn't actually work in GB's per month etc.

 

[marine1]

So basically Mweb release a product.
The product is advertised: shaped uncapped. NOT everything dead except HTTP.
I go and buy the product based on that information knowing full well that certain protocols are shaped which I accept.

Mweb change their minds as do most SA companies as at present there is no protection for the consumer which is about to change.
They now decide to almost block every protocol except HTTP.

I then find a way to get around this rubbish as this is not what I signed up for. I bought "UNCAPPED SHAPED" internet not uncapped that is so heavily shaped, all you can do is browse. Rapidshare is almost DOA as is torrents anhd NZB's.
You now tell me that because I have more brains than the whole of MWEB (you idiots should have seen this comming, what did you think was going to happen when you offered this product?) and I have found a way to get what I initially signed up for, you will now cut me off and cancel my account.
This is pathetic and unethical.

It does not matter to anyone else but me if I want to download the internet. That is what I initially paid for and what I signed up for.
Problem is that Mweb have this clever little term "T&C's can change at any time"
I wonder how far this will go opnce someone willl enough balls, takes this to the CPA courts.

Afrihost, Mweb, etc are all the same.

These products should not be offered as uncapped. They are NOT uncapped !!

 

[SSung]

Looks like there's lotsa birdies at MWEB; each singing a different tune...

 

[LancelotSA]

Reading people's emails sent to MWEB makes me think we need to reiterate some of the terms of the contract with MWEB :

6.3 We reserve the right to suspend the provisioning of the ADSL Service to you in the event of a breach by you of the Agreement, or as a result of your non-payment to Telkom of any amounts due to Telkom in respect of your Telkom Telephone Service. You will, however, under these circumstances be able to be reconnected to the ADSL Service upon payment of a re-activation fee.

6.4 We will always use reasonable endeavors to notify you in advance of the suspension or termination of the ADSL Service as contemplated above.

6.5 You indemnify us against any damage, loss, cost or claim which you may suffer or incur arising from the suspension or termination of the ADSL Service.

12.2 You will not use the ADSL Service, directly or indirectly, in a way that:

12.2.7 otherwise breaches the Terms or the Agreement; or

12.2.8 in MWEB’s sole discretion constitutes abuse of the ADSL Service or of MWEB’s systems.

You notice the use of the term sole discretion?!?! Pointless arguing with them.

Now some of those terms some people may be seen to be contravening by bypassing shaping rules, no matter the time and whether you feel it has an impact or not :

12.5 You may not restrict, inhibit or interfere with the ability of any person to access, use or enjoy the Internet or the ADSL Services, or create an unusually large burden on our network or otherwise generating levels of traffic sufficient to impede others' ability to send or retrieve information, or use the ADSL Services in an abusive manner.

12.6 We reserve the right to establish policies, rules and limitations, from time to time, concerning the use of the ADSL Service. You must comply with any bandwidth, data storage and other limitations we may impose, in our sole discretion. Failure to comply with these rules will result in your service being restricted, suspended or terminated, in our sole discretion.

12.12 If the ADSL Service is used in a way that we, in our sole discretion, believe violates this Acceptable Use Policy or any of our rules or limitations, we may take any responsive actions we deem appropriate. Such actions may include without limitation, temporary or permanent removal of content, cancellation of newsgroup posts, filtering of Internet transmissions, and/or the immediate limitation, restriction, suspension or termination of all or any portion of the ADSL Services or your account.

Again we have use of the term "sole discretion". Not if you or or like what they are doing but at their discretion!




And if enough users try and cheat the system and they are not able to remove the individual cheaters then this will be the final outcome, and we all lose!

12.11 We can terminate the ADSL Service at any time if we decide to discontinue the ADSL Service offering for any reason whatsoever, without any further liability to you.

 

[AntiThesis]

I'd love to see an explanation for Mweb's responses to mrudling. Please, total transparency everywhere though. None of this "PM me details and I'll see" kinda stuff.

Let's attempt to see this through and perhaps end with a good result.

Fact is, it's easy for a company to alienate a great deal of power users on this forum. Let's see.

 

[milomak]

It's probably due to seacom. If when seacom comes back up and my torrents still go at 50kbs at 1 o'clock in the morning I will give them a call.

I think they are pushing us to Openweb. If they had a power user package of their own maybe they wouldn't be losing clients. Even though these clients were probably money losers, it's the power users that the gen pop go to for advice on who gives the best net service. If by next week things are still slow I'll be on GOLD. Don't care about the schlep of changing anymore.

i am considering gold. just for the fact that if i have uncapped i do not want to be worried that it could be cancelled.

is your schlep because you have your line with mweb as well?

 

[LancelotSA]

I'd love to see an explanation for Mweb's responses to mrudling. Please, total transparency everywhere though. None of this "PM me details and I'll see" kinda stuff.

Let's attempt to see this through and perhaps end with a good result.

Fact is, it's easy for a company to alienate a great deal of power users on this forum. Let's see.

You are choosing not to see their answer in the response. They stated they are opposed to VPNs being used to download! It does not matter if mrudling feels it was out of peak period or not! Bottom line is that he was using a service to bypass any speed limitations imposed by MWeb. The claim of it being for privacy purposes has become the latest defence it seems....

 

[mrudling]

I know I was not in line with their AUP. But, the way they are handling it and how they are treating the customers is wrong. Clearly they dont want me as a customer anymore and that is fine, its there right to tell me that, but I do feel that this entire thing should be handled a lot better. If its a thing of the VPN, cool, it will stop using it. If its a totla usage thing, cool, tell me what is "to much" and I will stay within those limits, or goto a nother proivder/product that will be better suited for my needs.

I dont want to start a war hear, but i do think MWEB users should be treated better. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had responces like this or if it was just me.