Imagine.ie fair use policy punishment

marknine

Imagine.ie has slowed down my unlimited internet under their fair usage policy. They say I have been using way too much of their unlimited broadband and have slowed my internet down to what seems, slower than the old dial up speed. The internet is used for Netflix (which in fairness is used a lot in my house hold) Facebook, YouTube and normal internet stuff like emails and not much else really. In the house, we have a laptop, Xbox, PS3 and an Apple TV. We only use a maximum of two systems to use the internet e.g. Apple TV upstairs and maybe the Xbox downstairs as there are only two people in the house.
I just think it seems unfair because when I was sold this product over a year ago, the sales guy told me there would be no restrictions other than the download speed the my package allows. Although I have not phoned them yet (just did not have the time) I have visited their site and can see that there prices have gone way up and now believe it is just a ploy to force me onto a more expensive contract. I pay €40 a month which up until now, I have thought was good value.
Would like to know what you guys think and also if there is another internet service that they would recommend. Just one other thing, I will not ever use Eircom due to the way they treated there Irish customers when they forced them to sell their shares at a huge loss.

Shane-KornSpace

If you're out of Dublin, I reccomend Magnet €40 per month. No contract and up to 24mb speeds with 350gb fair useage.

marknine

Shane-KornSpace wrote: »

If you're out of Dublin, I reccomend Magnet €40 per month. No contract and up to 24mb speeds with 350gb fair useage.

Im in Dublin, Sorry I should have said. But that sounds good as I think my package is speed up to 3mb

MrO

marknine wrote: »

Just one other thing, I will not ever use Eircom due to the way they treated there Irish customers when they forced them to sell their shares at a huge loss.

While there might be many valid reasons not to use Eircom for broadband - I'm not sure this is one of them. Probably more to do with the crowd we voted into government at the time.

Paulw

marknine wrote: »

Im in Dublin, Sorry I should have said. But that sounds good as I think my package is speed up to 3mb

Check if UPC is available to you. 500gb allowance, 50mb for €40 a month.

DubShark

I've had the same problem. I have been punished for using 80Gb in Sept. I've been throttled to .38Mb for a week to teach me a lesson. Nobody can explain what their fair use policy's limit is, one support guy says some users use 130gb and don't get throttled. Some months I use more some months less nut this time I have been deemed to be really naughty and need to be disciplined for a week.
I'm looking forward to my new provider arriving within the week with their 350 Gb monthly cap. At least they are up front about it as apposed to imagine's 'unlimited' monthly allowance.
They just lost a customer of over two years and I hope they lose more!:mad:

marknine

DubShark wrote: »

I've had the same problem. I have been punished for using 80Gb in Sept. I've been throttled to .38Mb for a week to teach me a lesson. Nobody can explain what their fair use policy's limit is, one support guy says some users use 130gb and don't get throttled. Some months I use more some months less nut this time I have been deemed to be really naughty and need to be disciplined for a week.
I'm looking forward to my new provider arriving within the week with their 350 Gb monthly cap. At least they are up front about it as apposed to imagine's 'unlimited' monthly allowance.
They just lost a customer of over two years and I hope they lose more!:mad:

Thank you so much for confirming what I believe about Imagine.ie
I still have not phoned them yet as I just do not know what I will say to them and also I think it would be unfair to whoever answers the phone as hey normally have no power to do anything. Did you find it easy to find out how much you used before they punished you?
I really believe it is just a ploy to push me onto a more expesive package as I pay €40 a month for phone and broadband and there new pricing starts at €50. Whp is your new provider and also, does that price include phine?
Thank you DubShark

DubShark

Marknine;
The guys on support can tell you how much you've used and your average for as long as you've had it. Nobody has the same answer as to how much is acceptable/not acceptable. Any of the 3 other vendors will quite openly tell you their cap (up to 350Gb). I pay for a heavy usage and don't expect to be punished for imagine's lack of capacity (contention has been getting worse and worse). Digiweb are installing for free for me.

marknine

I do not believe it! Imagine.ie has slowed down my unlimited internet under their fair usage policy once again. Thats twice in the same month and its only the 14th. I got the first warning on wednesday as I was downloading a trial game for the xBox and I also use Netflix. This was never an issue before and I am convinced it is a ploy to get me to move to a more expensive package. They slowed down the netfilx yasterday as we were watching Netflix. I have even changed the definition so it is not in HD. Is this fair as I was told there was no limit to how much you can use and in my opinion, I am not over using this service. Anyone out there have any issues with imagine.ie WiMax ?

CptSternn

Vodafone does that as well, it's why I switched back to Eircom, and they ended up doing the same to me as well. In all fairness, all ISPs in Ireland have limits on their 'unlimited' packages. I think it's false advertising personally.

marknine

I will phone consumer affairs on Monday and find out what I can do. I think imagine have to many customers using the same stream or line or whatever it’s called. I was thinking of getting one of those Smart TV’s (as my TV is on its last legs) but think there will be no point as this will only use more internet. I wouldn’t mind, but Netflix is a great service, even if it has a very limited content in Ireland. I’m going to miss not being able to watch Netflix.

dub45

CptSternn wrote: »

Vodafone does that as well, it's why I switched back to Eircom, and they ended up doing the same to me as well. In all fairness, all ISPs in Ireland have limits on their 'unlimited' packages. I think it's false advertising personally.

There is no "fairness" in lying or misleading customers or potential customers. And the fact that "they all do it" is an indictment of the broadband industry not a justification for dishonest behaviour.

dub45

marknine wrote: »

I will phone consumer affairs on Monday and find out what I can do. I think imagine have to many customers using the same stream or line or whatever it’s called. I was thinking of getting one of those Smart TV’s (as my TV is on its last legs) but think there will be no point as this will only use more internet. I wouldn’t mind, but Netflix is a great service, even if it has a very limited content in Ireland. I’m going to miss not being able to watch Netflix.

This is Comreg's position:

http://www.askcomreg.ie/internet/unlimited_broadband____fair_use_policy.391.LE.asp

''Unlimited'' Broadband ' / Fair Use Policy
Information about Fair Usage
A number of telephone and broadband packages being offered are described as ‘unlimited’. In this context the word ‘unlimited’ would normally be taken to mean that a subscriber, having agreed to pay a set price, may make as many calls or spend as much time online as he or she wishes. However, some service contracts qualify the meaning of ‘unlimited’ by stating that it is subject to an ‘acceptable’ or ‘fair’ level of use by the subscriber. This is referred to as a “fair usage policy” in some advertising.

ComReg would like to advise consumers that any provision of a contract which sets usage thresholds, or describes what constitutes ‘fair’ or ‘acceptable’ use, should be clear and unambiguous, particularly where the service is described as being ‘unlimited’.

Usage thresholds or limits should be clearly set out, as should the manner in which they may be updated or amended.

ComReg expects each service provider to implement a clear, transparent and policy for dealing with customer usage above any set thresholds. The policy should set out the rules for contract termination, including penalties, the charges that shall apply for any use above the threshold/limit, and the policy regarding migration of the customer to other packages, if applicable.

ComReg advises consumers to carefully read the terms and conditions of their contracts and to be aware of the particular limits or thresholds that apply before purchasing.

Yawlboy

try homevision.ie - I have their 10MB service for €40 a month and have never been throttled back even though we use it a lot.