Can anything be done about broadband throttling?

Pete.Dakota · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:42

On my package (L) I can't download 1.5gb in the evening (before 9pm) without getting 75% knocked off my download speed. This isn't a problem every day. But it's impossible for me to download a game over Steam and not get throttled. Unless of course I set it going over night - but I wanna play NOWW.

Are there any *ahem* methods of 'getting around' the limiter. Port numbers, changing IP address, etc.?

It's pathetic that Virgin are allowed to call their broadband "Unlimited", when there is realistically only 'no limit' for 14 hours per day and the majority of them are in the middle of the night.

platinum87 · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:45

I suppose you should change your broadband provider, or perhaps pay more money to virgin to get a unlimited deal?

I download like 5GB per day on average, so if at any time i end up in your position, that would be rage!

I would almost to a certainty buy the XXL rate... i just checked its £15, whats the problem?

orderoftheflame · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:46

Aye. Get the hell onto a true unlimited plan. Hate being throttled.

Sherbs · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:46

Doesn't affect me anymore as I am on XXL

Morba · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:05

It takes 75% off or drops it to 75%?

oli356 · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:08

Morba said:
It takes 75% off or drops it to 75%?

You end up on 25% so takes off 75%

I was on the M .. the limits on that are so low... Love my XXL now

Janesy B · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:11

Change provider.

ps3ud0 · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:13

Lets be honest though - the legitimate times where you have a massive download (like the 3.5Gb L4D2 update) arent that often - normally you can schedule everything else to after 9pm when its uncapped...

Not the most massive inconvenience in the world - and I still dont remember where it says ping time is directly proportional to your bandwidth, so its all to do with the quality of the connection which probably be as good throttled or not (assuming upload is still usable)

ps3ud0 :cool:

Pete.Dakota · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:23

platinum87 said:
I would almost to a certainty buy the XXL rate... i just checked its £15, whats the problem?

It's £15 a month for the first 3 months, and £28 thereafter. And that's only when you have their phone line too, which we don't! Withouth Virgin's home phone service it's £33.

Like I say, it's only annoying when I want to do a one off massive download. My gripe really is that they call it unlimited.

Werewolf · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:24

The options are...
Download over night/wehn STM isn't in effect.
Upgrade the package to pay for one with no/less STM
Change supplier.

To be honest, given that it's possible to download about 50-100gb a day even with STM on 10mbit i don't think it's bad for the price.

Rainmaker · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:43

Werewolf said:
To be honest, given that it's possible to download about 50-100gb a day even with STM on 10mbit i don't think it's bad for the price.

...until they introduce the 25% cap (i.e. 75% loss) across all Usenet/NNTP and P2P traffic between 5pm and midnight. Ouchie. :\

Castiel · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:52

SherberT* said:
Doesn't affect me anymore as I am on XXL

Me too. Simple solution, don't want throttling, pay for the privilege of not being throttled...

Gangster · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:55

I thought XXL (50meg) was capped now? Or is it just the uploading being capped?

LordSplodge · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:01

Pete.Dakota said:
Like I say, it's only annoying when I want to do a one off massive download. My gripe really is that they call it unlimited.

It's not limited. You can download as much as you want. Just a little slower.

Also 33 quid for 50 down and 5 up isn't that expensive. You ays your money and gets what ya pays for!

Participant · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:04

SherberT* said:
Doesn't affect me anymore as I am on XXL

Castiel said:
Me too. Simple solution, don't want throttling, pay for the privilege of not being throttled...

Gangster said:
I thought XXL (50meg) was capped now? Or is it just the uploading being capped?

50Mb upload now has restrictions, as well as P2P traffic from 5pm 'til midnight.

The table shown in the OP is the 'old' version for places that haven't yet had their upload speeds updated.

The new policy is:

Drukk · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:07

Rainmaker said:
...until they introduce the 25% cap (i.e. 75% loss) across all Usenet/NNTP and P2P traffic between 5pm and midnight. Ouchie. :\

Any links with info about this? Not something I had heard of until I read this thread. Thats taking things to far.

ps3ud0 · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:08

Been known since 100Mbit/increased upload info was released IIRC - thread in Networks...

ps3ud0 :cool:

Swifty55 · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:22

FFS.

*edit* - rewording it!

Learn what unlimited actually means in broadband term, aswell as FUPs. There's a difference!

Azuse05 · 7 Oct 2010 at 21:51

Rainmaker said:
...until they introduce the 25% cap (i.e. 75% loss) across all Usenet/NNTP and P2P traffic between 5pm and midnight. Ouchie. :\

Shall we take bets on the number of increased vpns that will come into use

While there's no way around the data caps (even though vpns will bypass p2p throttling) you can at least mitigate the impact if you're running tomato http://www.linksysinfo.org/forums/showthread.php?t=60173 well, at least you'll be able to brows and game once steam trips the cap.

Edit: Nifty bit of scripting that

LordSplodge · 8 Oct 2010 at 11:45

Robbie G said:
50Mb upload now has restrictions, as well as P2P traffic from 5pm 'til midnight.

The table shown in the OP is the 'old' version for places that haven't yet had their upload speeds updated.

The new policy is:

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/6857/fasteruploadtable300910.jpg[/img[/QUOTE]

So between 3-9 you are allowed 6GB upload before the 5Mb upload gets managed? That's not bad. Most people on ADSL often don't get much past 1mb.