MWEB - Message from CEO - Acceptable Use Policy

DJ... said:
While working in London I connected via VPN to my office in the states. There was considerable traffic over that network however it was all perfectly legit. If I were to do this in SA, I'd have been cutoff from doing business with no explanation whatsoever. I would expect a bloody answer for that. In fact the circumstances are irrelevant - in any customer centric business, one would expect an answer to direct queries, even if the customer has been in the wrong. Who are MWEB to assume that the customer did so with intent to bypass their shaping? For all they know, the customer was unaware of the issues, especially considering that the Ts and Cs keep changing...
Click to expand...

Regularly moving hundreds of GB over an encrypted tunnel on a non-business account is considered misuse of the network. Thankfully so. It means the rest of us can also use the network we're paying for.

Edit: "result of us" to "rest of us".
 
Last edited:
AntiThesis said:
OK so here's a scenario in which I would be cut off sumarily.

I have a business partner in the states. We have a VPN going so that we can keep our privacy (a good thing). Since we run a photography business, we are constantly sending RAW files between the sites. This amounts to quite a lot of traffic over the VPN. Everything else we do is perfectly in keeping with the AUP. We're not running it as a business, it's a small office. Oh wait! I've been cut off and now I have no way of securely transmitting my files. Whoops.

Yes, it's quite likely that mrudling did use the VPN to bypass shaping - sure. Is there complete proof of it? Did Mweb ask for an alternative explanation or did the consultant even once entertain the idea that he might not be God of the Internet? Nope. It was just STFU and GTFO. Hooray! Wonderful PR work there.
Click to expand...

Use a business account for this, obviously, despite what you said later about it not being a business but an office.
 
SabreWolfy said:
Enforcing their own T&C so that the other 99.99% of their customer base can use the accounts THEY paid for is bad? Um, no. It's what is expected of an ISP.
Click to expand...

Read. Digest. Comprehend. I was addressing MWEB's dismissive manner in which they handled the questions posed to them, which were perfectly reasonable...
 
mrudling said:
You know, WRT network usage and how it slows other users down, not once at any time of the day have I experenced slower than 4meg speeds on multithread downloads (No VPN :) ). This tells me that MWEB are within capasity, and I hardly belive they have a single few users that impact the network. I think there are some users that mess up there proffit margins only. I dont think its fair that some claim a select few are destroying it for the rest.

There is a lot of focus on us that have used VPN's. What about a seedbox, one that you get your files over HTTP? Effectivly im downloading a file that was intended for the torrent network via http. Is this not in violation of the AUP?

Like I said, my first month was over 800gigs in total, why not start calling me then? Oh, thats right, because they wanted to spread the word about how great they are, build the customer base up nice and high, trust our recomendations then start whistling a new tune.

Im not saying what I did was right, but the way this has been handled is SHOCKING.
Click to expand...

It wasn't a very good way to handle your situation, I agree, but I also think they're right in saying you can't just bypass all shaping and pull hundreds of GBs to the detriment of their network, at least during daytime. Sure, a few massive users doesn't quite destroy it for the rest, but we obviously have quite a few who just want to download massive amounts jumping at the cheap uncapped. I think in SA with a new service like this they are probably pulling at least 60%+ of the bandwidth, which if they bypass shaping isn't fair to the rest of the users.

There just happens to be focus on VPN in this thread, someone was using a SSL service to download unshaped, MWeb also doesn't like Seedbox or AeroVPN, it's all the same if you're bypassing their shaping and downloading massive amounts.

MWeb have also given their reason for only phoning after a few months of usage; being that they don't want to disconnect users after just one month of heavy downloading. They will only check on certain users if they keep downloading those kinds of amounts and probably with speeds that look suspect etc. On a large network you can't check every user who's uncapped-happy for the first month and might use a VPN.

Also, to be honest you using a VPN to pull amounts like 800GB with no shaping while everyone else abides by the rules that allow MWeb to offer us this account at a great price is shocking. (I'm not actually sure if you purposefully used your VPN for this, but as we've seen other users have)
 
Alright, swap the word business for the word friend if it makes you happier :D Small office use is part of the T&C no? I'm not reselling it.

Please note, I don't actually do this - it's just a case for a VPN where the restriction could cause problems.

If I was able to get what i wanted without VPN, sure, I would, but the fact is that they have pushed it past the point of being fun...

There is a lot of focus on us that have used VPN's. What about a seedbox, one that you get your files over HTTP? Effectivly im downloading a file that was intended for the torrent network via http. Is this not in violation of the AUP?
Click to expand...

Yeah, you lost me there. Seems like you did deliberately use the VPN to bypass the shaping, rather than having a legitimate reason. The HTTP torrent thing has been discussed as well - it's not allowed :)
Aah well - perhaps there'll be someone sometime who gets nailed incorrectly. king_kraig so far is the only one claiming it.

One ISP providing total transparency would make such a difference to the way people thing... show your top downloaders, show your abusers and why they got canned. Show your traffic graphs and the level your shaping is at. Show your contention ratios! At least set a max level and start turning people away until you have capacity.

It'll make for much happier or at least more well informed users. But businesses would rather keep everything possible from users. This isn't an Mweb problem alone, it's a general problem.
 
DJ... said:
Read. Digest. Comprehend. I was addressing MWEB's dismissive manner in which they handled the questions posed to them, which were perfectly reasonable...
Click to expand...

They don't owe the user a detailed, blow by blow explanation. The user is fully aware of what and how they have used their connection. Their explanation explained that the VPN usage was the reason. The user admitted to being in breach of the T&C. Don't expect MWeb to give you milk and cookies and tuck you in at night too.
 
SabreWolfy said:
Regularly moving hundreds of GB over an encrypted tunnel on a non-business account is considered misuse of the network. Thankfully so. It means the result of us can also use the network we're paying for.
Click to expand...

I'm not advocating misuse of a network at all. Far from it. I probably use about 5 gigs of my allotted "uncapped" data. What I am however pointing out is that there is some ambiguity or at least vagueness regarding the way in which they impose their Ts and Cs. I also fail to see how using my line for a small home office (which is perfectly reasonable) is construed as misuse. I'm sure you'll quotemine a clause where this is defined, however my major gripe here is not about their Ts and Cs (as it is with others) - my gripe is that it shouldn't require a random stranger on the internet to point this out to me - it should be MWEB doing so when asked, and they certainly shouldn't be cutting users off outright, without a warning of any kind. Their subsequent service was also abhorrent...
 
SabreWolfy said:
They don't owe the user a detailed, blow by blow explanation. The user is fully aware of what and how they have used their connection. Their explanation explained that the VPN usage was the reason. The user admitted to being in breach of the T&C. Don't expect MWeb to give you milk and cookies and tuck you in at night too.
Click to expand...

LOL. The majority of their users are not bloody techno-fundies. I certainly am not. In fact I don't even know how I could have used my work VPN to have downloaded all of this data being referred to. The questions posed were reasonable - the forumite was asking how he can change his usage to toe the line in MWEB's eyes. They pretty much gave him the middle finger and told him to get lost. Nobody is asking for milk and cookies. Let me put it this way - if I over-stepped my mark with my broker he wouldn't cancel my account. He'd call, explain the problem, I'd address it and we'd move on. This is how customer-centric businesses operate. Evidently you are not very well versed in client relations. Nor are MWEB by the looks of things...
 
DJ... said:
LOL. The majority of their users are not bloody techno-fundies. I certainly am not. In fact I don't even know how I could have used my work VPN to have downloaded all of this data being referred to. The questions posed were reasonable - the forumite was asking how he can change his usage to toe the line in MWEB's eyes. They pretty much gave him the middle finger and told him to get lost. Nobody is asking for milk and cookies. Let me put it this way - if I over-stepped my mark with my broker he wouldn't cancel my account. He'd call, explain the problem, I'd address it and we'd move on. This is how customer-centric businesses operate. Evidently you are not very well versed in client relations. Nor are MWEB by the looks of things...
Click to expand...

True, but MWeb have tried quite hard on this forum at least. There must be a bit of a mess up with the abuse department, or maybe they're just all the bad-asses. :D
 
Next the guys doing unattended downloads are going to be crying when they get booted.... its in the T&C after-all.
 
DJ... said:
Let me put it this way - if I over-stepped my mark with my broker he wouldn't cancel my account. He'd call, explain the problem, I'd address it and we'd move on. This is how customer-centric businesses operate. Evidently you are not very well versed in client relations. Nor are MWEB by the looks of things...
Click to expand...

Your broker is either kind or desperate for business.... if someone over steps the mark with me or infringes on our agreements I'll politely tell him that I no longer wish to do business with him.... perhaps I am also not "very well versed in client relations".
 
LancelotSA said:
Your broker is either kind or desperate for business.... if someone over steps the mark with me or infringes on our agreements I'll politely tell him that I no longer wish to do business with him.... perhaps I am also not "very well versed in client relations".
Click to expand...

I'm not referring to your type of broker. I'm referring to an equities broker who executes trades on your behalf. In this case, there are many rules in place which might result in my trade not going through. He won't cancel my account because of this, especially considering that he is the expert and his client more than likely isn't all that well versed in financial jargon. He would call. I know for a fact he would. And he would explain the issue, execute the trade within the rules and life would carry on as usual with me the client not "overstepping my mark" again. Repeat offenders will have their contracts terminated. This happens quite often, and you know it.

I can understand where you are coming from in your case though, because in all likelihood it would be someone intentionally breaking the law. Or placing you in a precarious situation. Let's not forget though that the Ts and Cs did change. Even after I signed up, their terms changed. I know I am welcome to move. But I am also welcome to bitch if I so choose. It's how this forum ever made its mark - it promoted people to say and even do something about poor quality telecoms service. It resulted in tangible change. That's all people are doing here...
 
Hi everyone, not a Mweb subscriber canceled 2 months ago. Wasn't happy with their shaping policy and the speed of the so called 4Mbit account. Guys personally i believe it is about the amount of data that we pulling. They don't give a rat a** how and which way we getting our data but how much we are getting. Why otherwise in the first place they will put such a restrictions on the so called uncapped and now even starting to tell customers to f@ck off in a such unacceptable and shocking way (sorry mrudling). But to be fair and to try to clear all that issue would like to ask the MWEB Operations representative two questions. Hope he will see them and will not ignore them like a coward. First, would be o'k with Mweb T&C and their CEO if i order a home uncapped shaped R.539 account and i start downloading only over http protocol (port 80) the whole month 600-800Gb+ depends my needs. Will not use any VPN, torrents, streaming ... etc nothing just pure http and i will use it from home at my residential address. Is that going to be all right with their precious network and am i going to be within the rules? And second this is a 4Mbit product if i run it over http i should get average 400Kb right? Because you are not doing any throttling and i paid for a 4Mbit product! I would really appreciate if you answer and i'm looking forward to become your humble client. If Mweb Op for some reason "doesn't see" my questions will raise the issue with sales over the phone and will try to post in the next few days again.
 
xrapidx said:
Next the guys doing unattended downloads are going to be crying when they get booted.... its in the T&C after-all.
Click to expand...

Even leaving a browser/RSS feed open can be interpreted as 'abuse' according to MWEB, since they will download data 'unattended'. Nobody is truly safe if they believe that all the T&Cs are enforceable. They'll start pruning the high data users first, and then slowly make their way down to the folks who check their email once a week.

It's all in the T&Cs, remember!

bavmorda said:
First, would be o'k with Mweb T&C and their CEO if i order a home uncapped shaped R.539 account and i start downloading only over http protocol (port 80) the whole month 600-800Gb+ depends my needs. Will not use any VPN, torrents, streaming ... etc nothing just pure http and i will use it from home at my residential address. Is that going to be all right with their precious network and am i going to be within the rules? And second this is a 4Mbit product if i run it over http i should get average 400Kb right? Because you are not doing any throttling and i paid for a 4Mbit product! I would really appreciate if you answer and i'm looking forward to become your humble client. If Mweb Op for some reason "doesn't see" my questions will raise the issue with sales over the phone and will try to post in the next few days again.
Click to expand...

No, you'll be skinned & mounted at MWEB's convenience.
 
Last edited:
i would like to see an answer to that question, well said and great
bavmorda said:
Hi everyone, not a Mweb subscriber canceled 2 months ago. Wasn't happy with their shaping policy and the speed of the so called 4Mbit account. Guys personally i believe it is about the amount of data that we pulling. They don't give a rat a** how and which way we getting our data but how much we are getting. Why otherwise in the first place they will put such a restrictions on the so called uncapped and now even starting to tell customers to f@ck off in a such unacceptable and shocking way (sorry mrudling). But to be fair and to try to clear all that issue would like to ask the MWEB Operations representative two questions. Hope he will see them and will not ignore them like a coward. First, would be o'k with Mweb T&C and their CEO if i order a home uncapped shaped R.539 account and i start downloading only over http protocol (port 80) the whole month 600-800Gb+ depends my needs. Will not use any VPN, torrents, streaming ... etc nothing just pure http and i will use it from home at my residential address. Is that going to be all right with their precious network and am i going to be within the rules? And second this is a 4Mbit product if i run it over http i should get average 400Kb right? Because you are not doing any throttling and i paid for a 4Mbit product! I would really appreciate if you answer and i'm looking forward to become your humble client. If Mweb Op for some reason "doesn't see" my questions will raise the issue with sales over the phone and will try to post in the next few days again.
Click to expand...
 
Actually, this raises an actual legitimate question I'd love the answer to.

@Mweb Operations - I take a helluva lot of photographs and I have close on 100k saved on drives (and backed up on other media). I'd like to start using Amazon S3 for my offsite backups though and would dearly love to store all my photos there. If I do this am I going to get tanked and cut off by MWEB? 100k photos should run somewhere close to 550GB worth of traffic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X