Got my first cap warning from Smart

postdarwin

I've been with Smart for more than 5 years and have had no problems/complaints (previously with Eircom and BT). It was a surprise when I opened a warning letter this morning.

I have the 7Mb package, the warning level is set at 80% of 170Gb.

I had no idea that they had introduced caps (they have) despite always promising that would never do this. Also, thanks to this board, I've learned they've been taken over by DigiWeb since last month, apparently they are the Cap Kings!

Is there any provider with genuine unlimited usage? I'm in the Mid-West.

moonboy52

I do not think there is. They say unlimited, but most have a fair usage policy.

At least i am pretty sure that is the case with UPC. I do not know for certain but i have read that their policy is 250gb per month.

Cabaal

postdarwin wrote: »

I had no idea that they had introduced caps (they have) despite always promising that would never do this.

Smart have always had a Fair Usage Policy, you agreed to it when you first signed up to there services

Also, thanks to this board, I've learned they've been taken over by DigiWeb since last month, apparently they are the Cap Kings!

Smart were imposing their FUP long before Digiweb bought them so nothing to do with Digiweb specifically

Is there any provider with genuine unlimited usage? I'm in the Mid-West.

Nope because there's no such thing in any country,
Read this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=58094826&postcount=11 it explains all

Bandwidth costs money :pac:

jor el

The never published the limit on the FUP before, but it was thought to be quite high (hundreds of GB). About 6 months ago, they started to enforce a 170GB limit.

mrquiteaguy

@postdarwin,

Your warning letter,
I am confused.

Is it telling you that Smart is warning you that you are at 80% of your 170 GB limit?,or that you are gone past your 170 GB limit?

Nonoperational

Got the same letter.

Ranicand

:eek::D

waraf

postdarwin wrote: »

I've been with Smart for more than 5 years and have had no problems/complaints (previously with Eircom and BT). It was a surprise when I opened a warning letter this morning.

I have the 7Mb package, the warning level is set at 80% of 170Gb.

I had no idea that they had introduced caps (they have) despite always promising that would never do this. Also, thanks to this board, I've learned they've been taken over by DigiWeb since last month, apparently they are the Cap Kings!

Is there any provider with genuine unlimited usage? I'm in the Mid-West.

You've downloaded 136 Gb in one month? :eek:

waraf

waraf wrote: »

You've downloaded 136 Gb in one month? :eek:

You can do that in a couple of days never mind a month!

postdarwin

Text:

Smart Telecom provides your internet service subject to a fair usage policy. This fair usage policy is detailed within our terms and conditions which are available on our website and helps us ensure that all Smart Telecom customers enjoy a high quality of service.

This email is a WARNING that your traffic usage is becoming excessive. Detailed information on your traffic usage is attached to this email. In order to determine if your traffic usage is excessive, we look at a rolling 30 day window of your upstream + downstream traffic. Warnings are sent if this measure exceeds 80% of 170GB.

We would ask that you limit the activity that is causing such high levels of traffic usage. Failure to do so could, per our terms and conditions, lead to your service being restricted or disconnected.

waraf

david7536 wrote: »

You can do that in a couple of days never mind a month!

Wow that's an awful lot of p*rn.....you'll go blind you know!! :D:D

Jumpy

Do smart offer a way to check your usage?

postdarwin

They're supposed to but the online system never recognised my account. Didn't worry me until now.

hugoline

Jumpy wrote: »

Do smart offer a way to check your usage?

yup, instructions in Smarttelecom's own forum

mrquiteaguy

Thanks postdarwin for clarifying your letter for me.

Is this a First?,
an ISP Provider warning people for hitting 80% of their Cap?

I thought it was the normal way that you had to go over your CAP to get a warning.

I pay for a 170 GB CAP and by paying for it,i have the right to use it.
I expect to get a warning when i go over 170GB not BEFORE it.

Smart Telecom,
If you are going to warn me for using over 136GB(20% Cap cut),I want my Broadband bill cut by 20%.Its only fair.


You are upsetting a lot of loyal customers.
Not a good way to do business when there are a lot of competitors who offer better speeds,prices and bigger Caps.

postdarwin

Please note, usage is calculated as upstream *plus* downstream.

_Sidhe_

mrquiteaguy wrote: »

Thanks postdarwin for clarifying your letter for me.

Is this a First?,
an ISP Provider warning people for hitting 80% of their Cap?

I thought it was the normal way that you had to go over your CAP to get a warning.

I pay for a 170 GB CAP and by paying for it,i have the right to use it.
I expect to get a warning when i go over 170GB not BEFORE it.

ISP's have the right to charge you if you go over your CAP.
So would you prefer a warning at 80%, or a charge at 101% with no warning?

mrquiteaguy wrote:

Smart Telecom,
If you are going to warn me for using over 136GB(20% Cap cut),I want my Broadband bill cut by 20%.Its only fair.

What?
They are saying that you are close to your Cap, not that you can't download/upload anymore.

Do you ask for a discount on your petrol because your car fuel indicator shows you a warning when you're almost out of petrol?!!!

When your mobile phone beeps to warn you that you're battery is close to dead, do you complain to Nokia?!

mrquiteaguy wrote:

You are upsetting a lot of loyal customers.
Not a good way to do business when there are a lot of competitors who offer better speeds,prices and bigger Caps.

No they are not upsetting a lot of loyal customers.
As has been said a million times before, only 1% of people come even close to their Caps.
Meaning 99% of users will never even hear of these letters.

99% > 1%

Cabaal

mrquiteaguy wrote: »

You are upsetting a lot of loyal customers.

Upsetting alot of customers? Really based on what?
Heavy users generally account for 5% and use perhaps 95% of the network traffic so they cost more in the long term....ISP's don't want these customers as they can't make a profit from them

Not a good way to do business when there are a lot of competitors who offer better speeds,prices and bigger Caps.

Really?, what ISP's offer better speeds, bigger caps and are priced similar to Smart?

hugoline

postdarwin wrote: »

Please note, usage is calculated as upstream *plus* downstream.

Please also note, that it is the previous 31 days including today (and not previous 30 days as claimed in the letter)

_Sidhe_ wrote: »

ISP's have the right to charge you if you go over your CAP.
So would you prefer a warning at 80%, or a charge at 101% with no warning?

completly agree with you, and most people woldn't even get close to the 170GB/31 days but I guess it's the wording Smart used in this letter that the 'exessive' users have a problem with.

Up to about 6 month ago, no limit was set in stone and users could download as much as they wanted. Then warning letters were sent out and the cap of 170Gb was set.

Now they sent out WARNING letters (note: all caps, bold and underlinded) usualy associated with going over the cap.

If they would have used the word 'notice' I would guess most people wouldn't have a problem with that.

Cabaal

_Sidhe_ wrote: »

ISP's have the right to charge you if you go over your CAP.

ISP's charging only applys if the ISP specifically states this in their T&C's, if they don't state they may charge you in their T&C's then they can't charge you for going over any cap.

_Sidhe_

Cabaal wrote: »

ISP's charging only applys if the ISP specifically states this in their T&C's, if they don't state they may charge you in their T&C's then they can't charge you for going over any cap.

Yes, but I think it's safe to say that they've provisioned for that, as with all other eventualities in the T&C's.
I've only ever had Eircom and UPC over here, and have only ever read their conditions, but it's there for both, and I'd imagine Smart are likewise.

weisses

I personally think that Ireland is particularly bad when it comes to FUP because of their crappy network infrastructure .. 170 gig pm is not an issue in many mainland country's in Europe ....

Cabaal

weisses wrote: »

I personally think that Ireland is particularly bad when it comes to FUP because of their crappy network infrastructure .. 170 gig pm is not an issue in many mainland country's in Europe ....

I can't comment for the mainland of Europe off hand but if you compare Ireland to the UK the caps available are very similar, there's always an assumption that Ireland is hard done by but this is not always the case things are not always greener on the other side.

enda1

weisses wrote: »

I personally think that Ireland is particularly bad when it comes to FUP because of their crappy network infrastructure .. 170 gig pm is not an issue in many mainland country's in Europe ....

Normal limit in Belgium is around 20gigs.

What you on about?

hugoline

enda1 wrote: »

Normal limit in Belgium is around 20gigs.

What you on about?

I know that most Internet providers in Switzerland, Germany, Austria do not have a cap. And France, Spain and Italy are probably similar.

_Sidhe_

hugoline wrote: »

I know that most Internet providers in Switzerland, Germany, Austria do not have a cap. And France, Spain and Italy are probably similar.

Yes, and they UPC/Smart/BT etc don't have caps either.
They have Fair Usage Policies.

As do all providers across Europe.

I've had broadband in the UK and France personally, and both had limits.

There is NO unlimited BB.

event

mrquiteaguy wrote: »

Thanks postdarwin for clarifying your letter for me.

Is this a First?,
an ISP Provider warning people for hitting 80% of their Cap?

I thought it was the normal way that you had to go over your CAP to get a warning.

I pay for a 170 GB CAP and by paying for it,i have the right to use it.
I expect to get a warning when i go over 170GB not BEFORE it.

Smart Telecom,
If you are going to warn me for using over 136GB(20% Cap cut),I want my Broadband bill cut by 20%.Its only fair.


You are upsetting a lot of loyal customers.
Not a good way to do business when there are a lot of competitors who offer better speeds,prices and bigger Caps.

and of course when you dont let people know they are getting close, you get people whining about not being informed they were getting close, how are they to know etc etc

damned if they do, damned if they dont

Cabaal

hugoline wrote: »

I know that most Internet providers in Switzerland, Germany, Austria do not have a cap. And France, Spain and Italy are probably similar.

But do they have Fair Usage Policys?....You can bet they do.
Baring in mind its both Smart and UPC that have Fair Usage Policys?

There is no such thing as a unlimited ISP, bandiwidth costs money so the business model does not allow

DOC09UNAM

I have eircom package, and it's a 10gb monthly allowance, only twice have i ever gone over it, and nothing has happened.

I like Eircom.

postdarwin

Smart packages Terms and Conditions: http://84.203.253.201/termsandconditions.pdf

weisses

Every isp in europe would have a FUP (dl cap) ... How rigorously they enforce them is the difference here i think ... providers here in Ireland are pretty strict when it comes to people exceeding their FUP .... I know The Netherlands and the Scandinavian providers are not so strict

_Sidhe_

weisses wrote: »

Every isp in europe would have a FUP (dl cap) ... How rigorously they enforce them is the difference here i think ... providers here in Ireland are pretty strict when it comes to people exceeding their FUP .... I know The Netherlands and the Scandinavian providers are not so strict

UPC are Dutch owned.;)

CutzEr

_Sidhe_ wrote: »

UPC are Dutch owned.;)

We are not talking about UPC, UPC's 250GB is very generous and enough for most heavy users. We are talking about other companies, smart, BT etc and there equivalents in other countries.

_Sidhe_

CutzEr wrote: »

We are not talking about UPC, UPC's 250GB is very generous and enough for most heavy users. We are talking about other companies, smart, BT etc and there equivalents in other countries.

Quite a few posters in here will argue that UPC's 250 isn't very generous (I'm far from being one of them BTW).
And I'm sure that if it was 500 or a terabyte you'd still get people complaining.

hightower1

postdarwin wrote: »

I had no idea that they had introduced caps (they have) despite always promising that would never do this.

postdarwin wrote: »

they've been taken over by DigiWeb since last month

Maybe questionable business practices such as promising to never enforce caps had something to do with the whole "going into examinership" then taken over by another company.

Like its been said already, bandwidth costs money and running an ISP like that while very good for us is like standing over a bonfire empting and your pockets to keep warm for a business.

kaimera

Smart are restricting (throttling) lines over the cap as well...tho 800+gb (due to two modems authenticating with the same un/pw) is a little high.

Magnet I think might be the next move

Azhrei

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

I like Eircom.

You are in a very small minority.

ninjasurfer1

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

I have eircom package, and it's a 10gb monthly allowance, only twice have i ever gone over it, and nothing has happened.

I like Eircom.

Im with eircom. I used to download in the 300-500gb range per month but never got any warnings at all. So i like eircom too!! :-)