UPC Broadband statistics?

Kenno90

Hey guys,

Just got UPC BB a month ago and i signed up to view my bills online. Is there any where i can see my broadband statistics online or will it be on my bill.

I've been downloading like crazy this past month ( 720p youtube;) ) and i'm afraid i'll go over their limit.

Do they charge alot if you go over it. ??

Kenno

vibe666

UPC don't provide any statistics for what you've downloaded, but reserve the right to put you onto the next highest package if you go over your download limits.

the only way to see your limits would be to get a bandwidth monitoring tool for your pc or get a 3rd party router with bandwidth monitoring built in if you have several people using the same connection.

UPC can obviously see how much you've used and work on both a rolling 30 day limit and a calendar month, although from what people have said here, they will only punish you for going over on a calendar month.

it would be very simple for them to put together something to allow their users to monitor usage, but they choose not to for whatever (probably nefarious) reason.

Kenno90

Thanks Vibe.

So what does it say on my bill then ? Just the price ?

I was hoping it was more like a phone bill where i can see all the transactions over the month

jor el

Just the price will be displayed. It's a bit crap that they have no usage monitor, yet the enforce the cap and apply penalties if you go over it. You need to install some sort of bandwidth monitor yourself, like DUMeter.

cookie1977

I wonder would comreg have anything to say about this practice. I might have a read around as it's your right to monitor bills/usage. And since it's possible for UPC to see then there's no logical reason for you not to see the same info. I'll post back if I can find anything.

Edit: I've emailed comreg to ask about the legalities of UPC not telling me my current data usage and also not providing me my data usage for my billing period on my bill. We'll see what they come back with and I'll post it here

vibe666

whilst most ISP's do give you a facility to monitor your usage, i don't think there's any legal requirement for UPC (or anyone else) to actually offer it as part of the service.

the other thing of course is that UPC have far and away the highest caps available on the domestic broadband market and only a tiny percentage of people are likely to go over their limits.

do you mind me asking what package you're on?

i'm on the 100mbps myself and i've always been a very heavy user (definitely in the top 1% of UPC customers i'd say) but i'd b hard pushed to go over the 500gb cap in a month, even with my very high usage, although i don't doubt that a house full of students would eat through it pretty quickly if they put their minds to it.

If you're not on the 50 or 100mbps and you're consistently going over your download limits then i'm sure UPC will say that you should be upgraded anyway, although they do appear to be upping the caps now on their lower end packages to 500gb for most packages (apart from the older customers on lowest packages) according to this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056333282 so who knows.

lucernarian

cookie1977 wrote: »

I wonder would comreg have anything to say about this practice. I might have a read around as it's your right to monitor bills/usage. And since it's possible for UPC to see then there's no logical reason for you not to see the same info. I'll post back if I can find anything.

Edit: I've emailed comreg to ask about the legalities of UPC not telling me my current data usage and also not providing me my data usage for my billing period on my bill. We'll see what they come back with and I'll post it here

Do let us know how it goes.

cookie1977

vibe666 wrote: »

whilst most ISP's do give you a facility to monitor your usage, i don't think there's any legal requirement for UPC (or anyone else) to actually offer it as part of the service.

the other thing of course is that UPC have far and away the highest caps available on the domestic broadband market and only a tiny percentage of people are likely to go over their limits.

do you mind me asking what package you're on?

i'm on the 100mbps myself and i've always been a very heavy user (definitely in the top 1% of UPC customers i'd say) but i'd b hard pushed to go over the 500gb cap in a month, even with my very high usage, although i don't doubt that a house full of students would eat through it pretty quickly if they put their minds to it.

If you're not on the 50 or 100mbps and you're consistently going over your download limits then i'm sure UPC will say that you should be upgraded anyway, although they do appear to be upping the caps now on their lower end packages to 500gb for most packages (apart from the older customers on lowest packages) according to this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056333282 so who knows.

I'm not sure but where I'm coming from is comregs rules for the mobile networks under their licenses require itemised billing:
http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1150.pdf

2. Additional services
2.1. The Licensee shall be required to provide the following Services;
(g) Itemised Billing.

So I would expect that if UPC can tell me I'm going over my allowance they should be able to provide me the same means they have to monitor my data. Otherwise there could be issues with fraud. Every other operator provides this service so lets see what comreg have to say. Fingers crossed.

vibe666

it's not a mobile network though, it's a fixed line broadband package and i'm not sure if the same rules apply.

the other thing of course is that comreg is a meek and toothless creature altogether when it comes to broadband and any time i've complained to them they shrug it off and try and fob me off to some other equally toothless government body.

cookie1977

Well I know that. But the same rules may apply. Let's see what they come back with. Personally I've found comreg quite usefull. They helped me with contract issues with Vodafone and O2. And I've dealt with them a lot on other issues too with much success.

cookie1977

Sigh. A quick response from comreg but I think I spoke too soon re toothless Anyway it's below:

Dear (Cookie),

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that the charge on your bill is a standard stand alone charge for UPC customers who have either a landline or broadband service, but not including TV services. This fee is not relating to data usage, it is a set fee.

If you use the data counter as recommended by UPC you will be able to see your usage, and this will ensure you never go over your data limit if you do not intend to do so.

UPC will have the ability to know how much data you have used before your bill is due for issuing so they can work out how much to charge you, though there is currently no regulatory requirement to place the data usage figure on a bill or to itemise the bill. It may be a case that your data usage is not calculated until your bill is about to be issued by UPC, so if you call UPC and ask how much you have used to date, it could be the case that they have no way to check it in real time.

Should you require further assistance, please let us know. Your ComReg case number is: xxxxxx.

Yours sincerely,
xxxxx xxxxx
Commission for Communications Regulation
Abbey Court Irish Life Centre Lower Abbey Street
Dublin 1 Ireland
Telephone 1890 229 668
Telephone 01 8049668
Fax +353 1 804 9680
www.comreg.ie

This was my initial email:

Sir/Madam

I'm looking for your input on an issue I have with UPC. I have cable broadband with UPC and with the monthly plan I have a 120GB data allowance. My issue is that UPC are unable to tell me how much I've used nor can they provide me with a way of measuring this allowance other then telling me to find and use my own data counter. They themselves are able to measure since their policy is that if I continue to go over my allowance I may be charged or moved to a higher plan which provides a larger data allowance but will cost me more. Can you tell me does the UPC license to operate require them to be able to provide me with details of my data usage during the month and at the end of the month so I can be aware of my usage or are UPC able to provide no such information? I attach a copy of my recent bill showing only a charge and no information on data usage. I've also provided a link below to their T&C's which state what I've said herein. I appreciate you looking into this matter and eagerly await your reply.

1:0 UPC

vibe666

they just don't seem to like dealing with ISP's for some reason.

I made a complaint to comreg about BT Ireland's complaints procedure a few years ago because my complaint was not being dealt with properly by BT and the only response they had was that i couldn't complain to comreg about BT until I had exhausted the BT complaints procedure and not got a satisfactory conclusion at which point i should get a reference from BT that comreg would use to take it further.

the fact that it was the complaints procedure i was complaining about and that i couldn't get to the end of it to get the reference number and take it any further seemed to be completely beyond her comprehension and she just didn't know what to do about it, so i gave up in the end.

toothless.