Have I been dudded ?

[Stevenp]

I am with telstra big pond broard band and they told me that they charge for data going both ways, (download and up load). apparently a computer sends a certain amount of data while you are surfing.
They told me that any file sharing software is a big user so be careful.
I run a thing called "Adadare" to get rid of any spyware that may have been automatically installed without Me knowing. Hope this helps

Steven P.

[namtrak]

We're with Internode.on.net and get 16 GB per month for $49. No conditions. On top of that there are also free data sites that Internode dont 'charge downloads' for. I can cruise sites like abc.net.au or tucows.net and not have my downloads affected.

I also agree check whirlpool.net.au out - it is a great site for getting info about broadband internet

[simon c]

Hi Steven

Optus only charge for downloads not uploads and they throttle file sharing software (things like kazaa, etc) so they are a pretty good plan overall. However, most of the providers have a very low usage plan that they know everybody will get sick of and move up to a bigger one.

Simon

[Ian007]

I have telsta's cable broadband sevice & Pay $59.95 a month unlimited but i think they slow your download speeds after 10Gig. used to pay $64.95 per month for 1Gig

200mb is very little amount of info can you upgrade to a different plan?

Ian

[bitingmidge]

Curiously when I upgraded from dial up, my downloads DOUBLED without any discernable change in internet habits.

I put that down to pages fully loading before I had a chance to move on, that is when "clicking through" a site which would not have loaded on the old dialup account. Also I would not have persevered with a number of Flash sites which now download almost instantly.

Some months there is 100mb of software too, but I soon ran out at 500 per month.

So in the space of a year,my usage has grown by over 500 Mb per month, and I don't download movies, music or other traditionally big files.

It's just a conspiracy.

P

[craigb]

Yes I know that 200mb is not a lot, but I hardly use the internet at home.

Essentially all I use it for is to check this board. I don't download music or film files or anything like that and I don't spend hours surfing.

That's the reason I went for such a small limit. Also I don't have auto update on either. I'm just at a loss to understand where the usage is coming from as my usage pattern hasn't changed from dialup. As I said, when I had dial-up I'd struggle to use more than 20 mb a month. Since broadband I've used 120mb in 5 days!

If I was into conspiracy theories I'd have to think that provider was trying to drive me to a more expensive plan.

Craig

[Zed]

Craig if you feel you have a genuine beef - contact your carrier and get them to explain whats been going on, there could be many reasons you have high utilisation - they can possibly investigate it for you and explain - if they can give you data on your usage you may be able to address your concerns by turing things off etc... I dont think its a conspiracy... driving up the usage of a single bb customer is hardly worth any corporate effort...

if you get no joy and you still feel you are being gypped contact the telecommunications ombudsman which is the next step of escalation.

[vsquizz]

Hey Zed, you got some sort of an agenda with the Telco's seems like it. I don't know what you are raving about but it certainly wasn't following the discussion of this thread.

Before you accuse me of abusing anybody and being a general pedaller of misery and wrecker of lives; I stated that "I do not even bother with being civil anymore" which means Monkey Boy that I Just say "No thank you" loudly and hang up. 7 phones calls in a month is enough. My requests for legitimate ingformation about the product offered results in me being transferred and hung-up on. I have no beef with call centres just Optus. I have written to Optus - no response yet.

I suggest you get your moral high horse in check before you open the gate.

[Zed]

OK slightly off topic - conceded.

yes I do have an agenda with carriers (I work for one of 'em)

if you have a genuine complaint with optus - call the ombudsman, dont just winge about it.

I had a moral high horse but kept falling off (and pushed a few times too) so I dont use it any more - I just dont like to see people abused or the victims or rudeness when they are just doing thier job. you dont like it - put yourself in thier shoes - I bet they dont like it either.

Cheers

[craigb]

I wasn't whinging, merely trying to find out what was going on and for that reason canvassing the experiences of the other members of this board.

If you can't use a bulletin board to excahnge information without being accused of whinging, then what's the point?

However, you are correct and I WILL be contacting OPTUS to see what they have to say.

I don't think that I need to contact the ombudsman just yet.

[vsquizz]

No worries Zed, I knew what was going on.


Cheers

NB. Why don't you start a thread on Telco's. My HO is that Telstra should get right out of SP and stick to the hardware/infrastructure and that it should remain in public ownership.

Anyway that should start something

NB 2 Craig I'd keep monitoring your system/processes for awhile and go for a cleanup with Adaware and something like System Mechanic. I think you can put a free version of Zone Alarm on where you can configure the internet lock to "shut the door" after a certain period or if traffic starts without authorisation.

[jackiew]

... I dont think its a conspiracy... driving up the usage of a single bb customer is hardly worth any corporate effort...
.

as the scots say, many a mickle maks a muckle.

If I worked for the commonwealth bank say and I could extract 5c out of every bank account every month for a year I'd be on a nice little earner but no-one else would miss that 60c.

The trick is to raise your mickle to the maximum that the individual customer will bear and therefore maximise your muckle.

I had a somewhat irate conversation with telstra when they raised the fees on my phone account by putting me on a New Plan with all of these wonderful features that I didn't want and won't use. I rang up and said please can you put me back on my old plan I don't want the new features.

And Telstra said ...errr.... there isn't an old plan any more ... we got rid of it, this new plan is the replacement. So they get the extra money and as I won't be using their extra services they are laughing all the way to the bank.

In this case if it costs you more to use the bottom broadband plan having made the plunge to broadband in the first place you will upgrade therefore guaranteeing them a bigger amount for the next 24 months or whatever. They can then forecast their profits to be higher ... their share price goes up, the guys at the top get their bigger bonus ....

[Dan]

I made a mistake by underestimating my usage when switching to broadband and also made a mistake by accepting Telstras offer over the phone without looking too closely at what other plans were offering and what other poeple were saying at the time (my own stupidity amazes me at times). Long story short, upgraded to 500Mb plan within first couple of months, last bill $66.83 for 648.16Mb. :confused: :mad:

[barnsey]

Thanks for the info guys - have wanted to go to broadband but have had a nagging feeling about it. And the Telco's just rub their hands together. I got a raw deal from O!@#$%l many years ago when I was with them and I changed to a plan they recommended. Next bill was hundreds of dollars :eek:

I managed to negotiate a deal but I'm very careful now and find Austarnet other than the fact they got out of broadband are reliable and consistant.

Just mine FWIW

Jamie

[graemet]

Craig,
I am with ozemail, 300mB for $29.50, but no extra if I go over, only the possibility that they (may) slow me up. Last month an extra 5 mB was the same speed. Get your big XP upgrades on CD ROM , no charge and save the 80mB for important things like woodwork.
Graeme