Definitive answer required...

chabsey

Ok I know that similar questions have been asked loads of times before and I've tried using the search function (doesn't help that it refuses to search for the word 'cap' because it's under four letters!) but I'm getting conflicting reports.


Officially (or as far as anyone knows) is the 8 gig IOLBB cap a combination of upload and download (as in 4 up and 4 down = limit reached) or is it seperate (as in 8 up and 8 down = limit reached)?

I'm worried cause I'm at 4.3gig downloaded and 3gig uploaded which equals 7.3 and there's a few days left in the month. Now I'm hoping that with 4.3 gig downloaded I have another 4.7 gig before I should worry....but then I remembered people saying here that the cap was a combination.

So, which is it?

PS. This is aside from the fact that I'm sure people will reply saying they don't enforce the cap....I don't want to be the first to have it enforced so I'm trying to play safe.

Thanks.

Paulw

I'd say your best bet is to contact IOL and ask them for a definite answer.

But, I'd guess it's a combined upload/download cap.

chabsey

Originally posted by Paulw
I'd say your best bet is to contact IOL and ask them for a definite answer.

But, I'd guess it's a combined upload/download cap.

So would I only after reading some posts on here about the cap I'm not so sure. Also, I would have thought that at this stage I would have got one of those "At the current level of usage you will exceed your allowance" warnings.

Mutant_Fruit

I was told before that the definitive answer is as follows.

If your upload goes over 8gb's, then you've broken your cap. If your download goes over 8gb's, then you've broken your cap... BUT, if your upload is 7.9gb's and your download is 7.9gb's, your still perfectly fine, and your cap hasn't been broken.

chabsey

Originally posted by Mutant_Fruit
I was told before that the definitive answer is as follows.

If your upload goes over 8gb's, then you've broken your cap. If your download goes over 8gb's, then you've broken your cap... BUT, if your upload is 7.9gb's and your download is 7.9gb's, your still perfectly fine, and your cap hasn't been broken.

Well if that's true then I'm fine. In fact I've loads of leeway. Was it IOL who told you or just someone here on boards?

Their FAQ goes into great detail on the limit for broadband plus, telling you it's not combined etc etc but for normal broadband it gets more hazy.

OfflerCrocGod

If you are anywhere near breaking the cap then you will get a warning - usually saying at your current rate of usage you will exceed your cap in 15 days. So if you have no warning then you are fine.

chabsey

Originally posted by OfflerCrocGod
If you are anywhere near breaking the cap then you will get a warning - usually saying at your current rate of usage you will exceed your cap in 15 days. So if you have no warning then you are fine.

Well no warning so far and I'll probably be over the limit by tomorrow when the counter updates. Hopefully I should be ok.

Serbian

I was under the impression that the cap was Upload + Download. So you are on the regular IOL Broadband (with the 8GB cap) and download 6GB and Upload 3GB, that's exceeding the cap (9 GB Total).

kida

I am on broadband plus and have 13.06GB down and 3.62GB up and I get a message saying that at current rates i will go over the download limit in 5 days. The limit is 1 way, either 16GB up or 16GB down. Go over either and you are cut off.

chabsey

Cheers. I don't think I'm on Broadband plus but I also haven't had a warning yet and I think that if it's combined up + down then I'm already over the limit.

However, seeing as I've had no warning I'm presuming I'm ok.

Thanks.

Ripwave

Originally posted by chabsey
So would I only after reading some posts on here about the cap I'm not so sure. Also, I would have thought that at this stage I would have got one of those "At the current level of usage you will exceed your allowance" warnings.

Right, so you're confused by all the bull**** that you've read on Boards, so you ask Boards for a "definitive" answer?

What does the IOLBB counter tell you? That's the "definitive" answer.

spongebob

IOL themselves started all this when they changed the T&C to read TRansfer Limit, implying clearly that the total of the Up + Down would be aggregated. Had they not done so the threads on Boards would not have arisen . .....and thereby the confusion and controversy.

Can you point to a T&C that clearly expains the current situation Ripwave ?

The Online Counter could be at variance with the stated T&C's, how does one determine precedence in a billing situation ,especially when IOL have reserved the right to charge €36 Per Gigabyte on excess traffic, same as Eircom.

We all love and respect the IOL billing department in here < group hugz time >. Never have such a professional and competent entiny been seen in the whole history of the Irish Telecoms Industry. They even set up IoffL in their spare time ....purely by accident of course.

M

chabsey

Originally posted by Ripwave
Right, so you're confused by all the bull**** that you've read on Boards, so you ask Boards for a "definitive" answer?

What does the IOLBB counter tell you? That's the "definitive" answer.

Oh get over yourself will you? I never said I was confused by any bull**** anywhere, I merely acknowledged that the question had been asked before but I couldn't find a conclusive answer (not helped by the search options limitations).

People here, at varying stages have had different answers for this question and I was hoping that someone might know what the current situation was.

Great advice by the way, looking at the IOLBB counter, it tells me how much I've downloaded, not how much I'm permitted to download, or more importantly if (and this was the crux of the question you took such offence at) it's combined upload and download.

Ripwave

Originally posted by chabsey
People here, at varying stages have had different answers for this question and I was hoping that someone might know what the current situation was.

And how the hell would you know which of the many different answers you received in response to your question was correct? Or were you just planning to pick one at random?

Great advice by the way, looking at the IOLBB counter, it tells me how much I've downloaded, not how much I'm permitted to download, or more importantly if (and this was the crux of the question you took such offence at) it's combined upload and download.

The fact that it doesn't tell you that you're about to exceed your 8G cap, with combined up and down usage of 7.3G might have given you some sort of a hint that it's not a "combined" cap.

Tomorrow, when you've exceeded 8G of combined usage, but still haven't exceeded your cap according to the IOLBB counter, be sure to let us all know.

spongebob

Originally posted by Ripwave
And how the hell would you know which of the many different answers you received in response to your question was correct?

Good question Ripwave.

1. Go to the Main IOL BB page Here

2. Click on Frequently Asked Questions.

3. Click on "Is there going to be a data transfer limit?"

4. Note the answer , it is very clear really isn't it

"You are entitled to free transfer of up to 8 Gigabytes of data in any given month. This is double the allowance on the eircom home starter service.
If you go over this generous limit then we reserve the right to charge you for any additional data (at 3cent inc VAT per MB)
This data allowance is calculated on a daily basis and if you are consistently above this amount we reserve the right to suspend or permanently disconnect your account in the first month that you are over".

---

No mention of downloads anywhere. Lets see what happens to him tomorrow shall we ? I was wrong about one thing, the charge for exceeding your cap, if implemented, amounts to only €30 a month per excess Gigabyte while the Eircom charge is €36 per Gigabyte.

M

Davey Devil

Haha - this old chessnut. The cap is NOT combined on either package.

When I was on IOL Broadband i frequently had 7gigs down and 3 up coming close to the end of the month. Now I'm on IOL BB Plus and I can download 15.99 and upload 15.99 in any given month.

It is NOT combined - the statement on the website is confusing because of the wording used.

Another point: IOL don't charge you for going over the limit they simply cut you off for the rest of the month.

How do you not know which package you are on chasbey?? Do you know that all IOL BB subscribers were upgraded to IOL BB Plus on March 8th?

From the BB Plus Faq :

Is there going to be a data transfer limit?
You are entitled to free upload or download of up to 16Gigabytes of data in any given month. This is double the allowance on the eircom home starter plus service.

If you go over this generous limit then we reserve the right to charge you for any additional data (at 3cent inc VAT per MB)

The 16GB limit refers to both upload and download. You will be entitled to use 16GB in either direction without penalty. i.e. you can upload 15GB and download 15GB in the same month without penalty. However if you upload 4GB and download 17GB then your account will be suspended

This data allowance is calculated on a daily basis and if you are consistently above this amount we reserve the right to suspend or permanently disconnect your account during the first month you go over it.

chabsey

Originally posted by Ripwave
And how the hell would you know which of the many different answers you received in response to your question was correct? Or were you just planning to pick one at random?

Policies change, websites are updated, the internet is in an ever-changing state of flux (I can go into more detail to illustrate that things change quickly in the internet world if required, just let me know) and thus I was going to take the latest agreed info as being relevant to me. It's a strange policy I know, listening to the most up-to-date answer rather than a random one, but what the hell I'm hoping it'll work for me.
:rolleyes:
You must have been tired or bored or both to have taken such offence at my question, thankfully not everyone has such a short fuse. But anyway, as you and others have so kindly pointed out, I have not got a warning so I'm hoping I'm ok.

On another semi-related topic, does anyone know why the search function has a minimum of 4 letters per word per search? I presume it's for a similar reason to Google ignoring common words but it's annoying when searching for something like "download cap".