Has anyone been charged for going over 5 gigs on vodafone 3G internet

Stokolan

Ah right cheers for the reply. I might ring them tomorrow and see.. Not too pushed tho its only a spare connection I use while at work.

jhegarty

mdwexford wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, letter is in the bin

It can join my one.... can't imagine having to use less than 5gb...

FarSide

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

That 5GB a month soft cap as you call it was just a rumor that went around boards.ie. It is unlimited with an acceptable usage policy, If it was really a 5Gb cap I would have been sent letters a long time ago because I have honestly never been under 10GB in a month and some months getting closer to 40GB. And not to mention if the 5GB soft cap was true, the unlimited customers would be paying way more than people on the newer contract with a clear cap of 5GB.

When I got it just after the launch I pushed a few sales agents over the phone on the issue, because at the time there was barely any information on it even on boards. The answer I got was as long as you're not having an effect on other people you shouldn't really have to worry about any cap. Which i would think to mean if you're constantly downloading during peak times and putting strain on the equipment in your area.

edit-Just want to make it clear that I am talking about the Unlimited package and not the current 5GB a month package.

Well, that just illustrates the lack of consistency from Vodafone over the 'Unlimited' useage. I take it then, you didn't get a snotty letter referring you to the Fair Useage Policy and threatening (in a veiled way) to cut you off?

smellslikeshoes

FarSide wrote: »

Well, that just illustrates the lack of consistency from Vodafone over the 'Unlimited' useage. I take it then, you didn't get a snotty letter referring you to the Fair Useage Policy and threatening (in a veiled way) to cut you off?

No never been contacted by them, Though that might might have something to do with where I use it and when I use it. I live in a very rural area and only ever download when its not peak times. I think its ridiculous that companies are allowed to use the word unlimited even though there is limits, just because they call it something other than a limit.

What sort of amount did you download for them to send you a letter? I would think its more to do with how many people are using the cell and if any of them have complained, than going over any download limit.

anthony4335

Got the same letter, and it was used to start a fire. Have the "unlimited" service which at first I was carefull not to exceed the 5GB cap mentioned in the T&C, but over the last couple of months I have been going nuts and so has my housemate watching TV online, and downloading like mad, however I don't think I am surpassing 10GB but cannot be sure as it is in the router all the time and it does not log usage, past the current session. But I am waiting for a letter telling me that I am inviolation of the terms.

ArseBurger

far2gud wrote: »

Jaysus thats a stinger, would not pay it mind you!

Why not? If you hired a car and drove the tank dry would you expect the hire company to refill it gratis?

Patrickof

ArseBurger wrote: »

Why not? If you hired a car and drove the tank dry would you expect the hire company to refill it gratis?

It's not the same thing, there's no explicit cost to vodafone when you go over the 5Gb limit.

ArseBurger

Patrickof wrote: »

It's not the same thing, there's no explicit cost to vodafone when you go over the 5Gb limit.

Yes there are. The network will have been designed and dimensioned to particular parameters. They will have used Erlang formulae to define capacity and overbooking per sector per cell and this will have fed into their RF, Transmission, Core and Upstream design.

Do you think building a nationwide wireless network is free?

Patrickof

ArseBurger wrote: »

Yes there are. The network will have been designed and dimensioned to particular parameters. They will have used Erlang formulae to define capacity and overbooking per sector per cell and this will have fed into their RF, Transmission, Core and Upstream design.

Do you think building a nationwide wireless network is free?

No, and in fact I was involved in the design of such networks.

My point is that your analogy is not correct, the vodafone network costs the same to run whether there is traffic on it or not - a car hire company would have to give you fuel to keep going. Vodafone are not charged "by the bit" by their upstream providers.

The setup costs of the network are irrelevant in this case.

ArseBurger

Patrickof wrote: »

No, and in fact I was involved in the design of such networks.

My point is that your analogy is not correct, the vodafone network costs the same to run whether there is traffic on it or not - a car hire company would have to give you fuel to keep going. Vodafone are not charged "by the bit" by their upstream providers.

The setup costs of the network are irrelevant in this case.

If you were involved in the design of such networks you would know that what you are saying is untrue.

Or perhaps you are forgetting that the concept behind designing a network with certain capacity and dimensioning criteria is to generate revenue which is then offset against CAPEX and OPEX costs, thus creating the desired ARPU for the company. Offset this against company running costs (outside of Engineering CAPEX/OPEX), dividends, taxes etc... and you get your EBIDTA.

Or do you think Telco's operate a charity?

And upstreams do charge by the bit. You sign up for a CIR at a certain rate/Mb, which you commit to irrelevant of your usage and then pay above that for your burst.

Patrickof

ArseBurger wrote: »

If you were involved in the design of such networks you would know that what you are saying is untrue.

Or perhaps you are forgetting that the concept behind designing a network with certain capacity and dimensioning criteria is to generate revenue which is then offset against CAPEX and OPEX costs, thus creating the desired ARPU for the company. Offset this against company running costs (outside of Engineering CAPEX/OPEX), dividends, taxes etc... and you get your EBIDTA.

Or do you think Telco's operate a charity?

All I said was it's not comparable with car hire.

Let's drop it.

dlambirl

I'm new to mobile broadband and currently trying one out - i've got a 10Gb cap and i'm worried of going over the cap and getting hugely overcharged, anyway of keeping tabs on it or seeing how much i've used already?

Stokolan

Just been onto Vodafone as My connection has been Down for teh last 3 days I was told it was because I went over my cap! I asked them what I went over by, they told me I downloaded 8 gig and they have automated software to disconnect people that go over there cap. Hmm that interesting seen as I was on an unlimited package! Anyway Just thought Id pass that onto the rest of you on the unlimited pack.

Now think I'll go make a big fuss over it

smellslikeshoes

Stokolan wrote: »

Just been onto Vodafone as My connection has been Down for teh last 3 days I was told it was because I went over my cap! I asked them what I went over by, they told me I downloaded 8 gig and they have automated software to disconnect people that go over there cap. Hmm that interesting seen as I was on an unlimited package! Anyway Just thought Id pass that onto the rest of you on the unlimited pack.

Now think I'll go make a big fuss over it

Tear into them. Thats a stupid mistake for them to make.

Tech3

if there a way of checking how much you use so you dont go over the cap?