Tiscali and the Fair Use Policy?

I was very suprised and somewhat disappointed to receive this email from
Tiscali, advising me that I am breaking the rules of the Fair Usage Policy
(FUP). Since the introduction of the FUP, I have taken every possible step
to ensure my bandwidth is at controlled sufficiently between tiscali's FUP
hours. I admit, I do use P2P, but have installed a special client that has
a bandwidth scheduler to make sure that bandwidth doesn't rise above 2k per
second (less than 1% of my total available bandwidth) on P2P connections at
their specified FUP times. So how can tiscali accuse me of breaking their
FUP, when I have never used anymore than 2k per second during their
specified FUP busy hours? This is the communication they sent me to advise
of my so called 'high useage'

>Dear Customer,

>This email contains important information regarding your broadband account.

>Your broadband Internet usage has been highlighted as exceptionally high
>during peak periods and is affecting the service that we provide to other
>customers.

>You may upload and download as you wish outside the peak hours;
>however we ask that you are considerate when using the internet
>during the peak period. Peak hours are from 6pm to 11pm on weekdays
>and 12pm until 4pm on weekends. To avoid any further heavy use warnings
>we strongly recommend you adhere to the following guidelines:

> o) Do not download large files during the peak periods

OK, so what do tiscali mean by a large file exactly?? 1meg, 100meg, 1Gig?
Are we supposed to guess the answer?

> o) Do not use Peer-to-Peer file sharing software during peak
periods (e.g. Kazaa, BitTorrent)

Why would they object to P2P file sharing, as long as the user controls the
bandwidth to a very sensible amount? (In my case 2k up, and 2k down,
scheduled, as I am not always around at the times when the fair use policy
comes into force, that's why I automatically schedule to control the
bandwidth at these times, to make sure I'm in line with the FUP.

> o) Try and keep internet use to email and web browsing during these times.

Does this mean I cannot make a VoIP call , or use FTP, Telnet, or even
listen to streaming radio stations etc between the hours of the FUP???...
If not I might as well not have a connection at all......

>If you do not reduce your usage during these peak times we will manage
>your usage during these periods. This means that you will share
>bandwidth with other heavy users during peak times instead of
>sharing bandwidth with normal users. Your service will continue
>to be unlimited, but by sharing bandwidth with other heavy users
>you are likely to experience slower speeds during peak times.

I really have made every effort to not break their FUP and I'm quite
disappointed that they have decided to pull me up for breaking the code,
when I really have made a major effort not to break it!.... So what do I do
now? Stop using the connection altogether or move ISP?, I am certainly
considering these options seriously.

I'm not always around when the FUP comes into force, so I took the decision
to ensure my bandwidth on P2P would be reduced to a very low level
automatically between the FUP hours, what more can I do than that? I assume
if I carry on as I have been doing, I will get a second warning within a
month?? I really don't know what to do now? If I can't use the services I
enjoy using, then I may as well just cancel my internet connection.....

I would appreciate your comments on this, as I never expected being
targetted by tiscali, when I feel I am doing right by reducing my bandwidth
to 2k up and down at the FUP peak times....

I always thought that fair useage policies were about reducing bandwidth use
at peak times, and not about telling the user which protocol they can or
cannot use at specified periods of the day or night (as long as they use
their bandwidth considerately, as I have been doing, I don't see why there
should be a problem).

Comments please... What do I do now?

A very disappointed Tiscali user



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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Tiscali and the Fair Use Policy?
    ... > Tiscali, advising me that I am breaking the rules of the Fair Usage Policy ... Since the introduction of the FUP, I have taken every possible step ... > to ensure my bandwidth is at controlled sufficiently between tiscali's FUP ... >>during peak periods and is affecting the service that we provide to other ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)
  • Re: Tiscali and Fair Use Policy?
    ... Tiscali and the Fair Use Policy? ... Since the introduction of the FUP, I have taken every possible step ... > to ensure my bandwidth is at controlled sufficiently between tiscali's FUP ... >>If you do not reduce your usage during these peak times we will manage ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)
  • Re: Tiscali - Fair Use part 2
    ... >> I don't think it's even worth the effort of querying their warning. ... >> If you do not reduce your usage during these peak times we will manage ... >> bandwidth with normal users. ... I thought the FUP was about 'reducing bandwidth at peak times'. ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)
  • Re: Tiscali - no email contact !
    ... > When I first started with Tiscali, ... from Tiscali today warning me that my usage during their peak periods is ... I've been conscientious about knocking off bittorrent during the FUP ...
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  • Tiscali Fair Use Policy - Many unanswered questions.
    ... which follows the rest of the weekday times scheduled for FUP. ... which Tiscali have thus far failed to state the answers ... and are banned from downloading *anything* at all during the hours ... It seems that when you keep your bandwidth down, ...
    (uk.telecom.broadband)