Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => ISPs => Topic started by: smoo on October 10, 2008, 07:08:03 PM
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Does anyone know if its true exisiting AOL users (pre 10gb cap) get a 60GB cap because when they first joined there was unlimited clause?
This is what AOL told me today but looking on the web I think that might be a fib.
Still at least I've got a MAC code one hour after I asked for one, is this a record?
And I have seven days to cancel my new contract if I need to.
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>> because when they first joined there was unlimited clause
I very much doubt it, afaik AOL brought any caps in across the board regardless if you were on a previously uncapped account or not. There may be some users who are on different capped products though that are no longer now advertised for sale.
In the past I personally have seen several support tickets from AOL which shall I say are either through complete lack of knowledge or just plain porkie pies. :/ ISPs can and do change the rules.
IIRC the more recent "unlimited" accounts were actually the type of "download all that you like", but we will shape the traffic to what speeds you see fit.
Many years ago AOL were truly without caps or limits and I know someone who could get through a few hundred GB if he tried.. but those days are long gone.
AOL are now part of the CPW group and many will use TalkTalks equipment, which is heavily traffic shaped. Over the past several months or so the major complaint seems to be general lack of speed through traffic management (http://www.kitz.co.uk/isp/caps.htm), although some users seem to be reporting that slow speeds are also hitting general http traffic. To be fair not every one seems to be affected and it may well depend on your location and the method by which they are providing the connection (LLU or not). In this area Ive seen some very slow TT speeds, yet on other exchanges people appear to be happy.
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Is TT equipment LLU?
The AOL chap told me the exchange I'm connected to is registered as 'LLU never', so it will always be IPstream. I've always had a solid 2MB/s, which was what I paid for. Hopefully I'll get 7MB/s with my new contract. I did for three days last week, see http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=3132.0 (http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=3132.0)
I just wish they could provide more info on traffic managment and download limits. I like to watch iplayer and other catchup websites, as does my son on his pc. I'm concerned I could hit the limit.
At least Plusnet publish all their figures, which is why I'm tempted to switch to them.
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>> Is TT equipment LLU?
It depends on your exchange - check the exchange checker (http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php).
It will say on the right hand side if TalkTalk are at your exchange.
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Exchange: Caister-on-sea. BT Code: EACAI
Location: West Road, NR30 5AQ
Distance:- Direct: 737 metres
(appx)* By Road: 1.13 km
No LLU available from anyone, at least TT can't mess things up, but then I can't get Be either.
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Does anyone know if its true existing AOL users (pre 10gb cap) get a 60GB cap because when they first joined there was unlimited clause?
Back in the 80s (or thereabouts) certain mobile phone companies were advertising "unlimited free calls" as part of the contract, however, because they did not have the clause of "We reserve the right to alter the terms and conditions as and when necessary" written into the contract, then they could not renege on the contracts and had to honour them, and subsequently had to wait for them to cease through natural causes.
(Just as a matter of interest, some of these phones were then changing hands for mega bucks)
Since then, I think you will find that most if not all companies now have that (or something similar) written into their contracts, with the proviso, that if you do not want to be obligated to the now new contract, then you have the right to cancel with-ought any penalty and failure to respond within (possibly) 30 days means that you except the new T&Cs.
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>> Back in the 80s (or thereabouts) certain mobile phone companies were advertising "unlimited free calls"
I think I remember later than that.. a friend of mine had a contract in the late 90's and he was still using the same (very old fashioned) phone in about 2002/2003. I asked him why he didnt just buy another phone.. but he couldnt because there was no SIM card or it wasnt compatible or something so he couldnt swap it over in to a new phone like you can now.
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I asked him why he didnt just buy another phone.. but he couldnt because there was no SIM card or it wasnt compatible or something so he couldnt swap it over in to a new phone like you can now.
SIM cards used to be the same size as credit cards.....
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>> SIM cards used to be the same size as credit cards.....
ahh.... thanks rizla... that would be it then... I knew there was some reason why he couldnt swap his "brick phone".
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update: Received a confirmation letter from AOL today saying my new contract usage allowance is unlimited.
Yeah right ::)
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niceeee.
Going to frame that are you
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I just had a look at their FUP... Admittedly I didn't spend too long... but it was just sending me round and round in circles without giving me any decent information.
The only thing I could find was
We have a Fair Use Policy that can be accessed through http://myaolbroadband.co.uk/cos. Where you breach our Fair Use Policy, we will contact you to notify you of the breach of our Fair Use Policy. We reserve the right to take specific measures to prevent breaches of our Fair Use Policy, including but not limited to the imposition of speed reduction during set times and, where your breach is particularly serious and/or persistent, termination of your service through notice in accordance with clause 9.3.1 below. For more information, see http://myaolbroadband.co.uk/cos.
But thats where things started to go wrong and round in circles because the link to the FUP didnt give me any info that I could find. Possibly because I'm not an AOL customer and couldnt log in?
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I couldn't find any numbers in their terms and conditions.
I guess that can say unlimited usage, they'll just slow the speed down when they like.
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Yes - thats what they normally do.
Unlimited downloads at much lower speeds. Reports Ive seen over the past 6 months or so would seem to indicate around 400kbps for http and right down to blocked p2p during peak.
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update: Received a confirmation letter from AOL today saying my new contract usage allowance is unlimited.
Yeah right ::)
Hi there, sorry to re-bump an old thread. I am currently on the old AOL Broadband Gold package (which is now nowhere to be seen on their website) and Im paying £24.99 for this (have been since 2003). I emailed AOL about a week ago and asked them what my Usage limit was and this was their reply.
Dear Price Options ,
Thanks for contacting AOL Broadband. We aim to help you have the best
possible online experience. You can get further assistance at any time
from the dedicated Help Channel.
I have checked your records and it shows that you are on AOL Broadband
Gold for £24.99 and I would like to inform you that this package will
allow only 20gb .
Kind regards,
AOL Broadband Member Services.
Now I know AOL are known to tell 'fibs' and every AOL member of staff ive spoken to in the past has told me something different but 20 GB is a rip off for £24.99, surely this cant be right especially when some of their much cheaper packages go up to 40gb?. This post interested me because you mention that AOL sent you a letter confirming 'Unlimited usage'.. can I ask what plan that is for?
Thanks :)
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smoo should be able to tell you which package he's on....
... as regards the the cap - over the past year or so Ive also seen many different figures brandished about, so Ive come to the conclusion that even the staff probably know what it is. Therefore it could be one of the FUPs where they slow things down as and when their capacity gets busy, so perhaps varies from week to week or month to month :/
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Sorry for the late reply, I forgot to turn on the email notification :(
I've had a look at the letter I got from AOL, it does not give a name to the package I have, but it definitely says unlimited. I got this deal when I asked for a MAC with the intention of changing ISP. But their salesman was too good for me, and persuaded me to stay on with a deal of £10/mth for 6 mths and another 12 mths at £18 :-[. This is not too bad a deal as my exchange does not have LLU equipment. I was on silver at 2Mb, and now can get 6.5Mb on a good night. Speed can vary, but that could be due to a low SNR I get. Maybe I should fit an I-plate. As for capping my downloads, I don't know if they ever have. Do you get a message if you have? Or do they just throttle the speed? I used the ttb meter for a while, I reckon I am using about 4 to 8Gb a week. AOL use traffic shaping and so torrents etc. are always slow, though the salesman said all ISPs do this, but the speed is unrestricted off-peak (midnight to 7am). But then he would say that wouldn't he ::)
Anyway I've waffled on a bit, But I must say I got a bit obsessed with download speeds for a while, but in the end realised as long as I can watch on demand stuff, why worry.
Lastly would I recommend AOL, not really. I think there's better deals to be had, especially if your exchange has LLU. Also they have cut back on their services, eg picture storage and personal webpages were removed last year.
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>> As for capping my downloads, I don't know if they ever have. Do you get a message if you have? Or do they just throttle the speed?
As mentioned it seems to vary with the amounts - but they certainly do throttle.
>> 4 to 8Gb a week.
You may well be just under their (changeable) limits - I have also heard mentions of 20/40GB depending on packages - so its possible that youre ok.