OK I had to create this blogg so I could WARN all about the so called fair usage policy of Virgin Media and ofc all other providers in the UK.

Most, if not all state they have Unlimited downloads. What does this mean? Well to the average person it would mean you can download as much as you like. Download speed, 10MB, 20MB etc etc, to most means that they will be getting their UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD at or around, some use the upto clause, the speed they have paid for. Well I am affraid the average person is ofc incorrect. The providers have a limit on how much you can download. They ofc dont tell you what this figure is they simply cap your download speed once you reach this unknown figure. This means they can continue to state you have UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD as you can indeed continue downloading but at  a much lower download speed. For example I have and pay for 10MB. As my connection reaches the fair usuage policy limit (what ever that is) so my connection is capped from 6pm to 11pm to around 10% of what I pay for. At no point do they inform me that I have reached this bracket and I have no way of checking the figure so that you can manage it.

So what should they be doing.

1: They should have to state quite clearly when boasting they have UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD that it is subject to a fair usage policy and what the figure is that is used to trigger this coming into play. They should also state what action is taken and exactly how much your connection will be capped.

2: Inform their customers that they are in danger of reaching the unknown figure which will mean the capping will come in to place.

3: Allow their users to check their current figures which would allow them to monitor it thus giving them the opertunaty to prevent their connection being capped.

All of the above can be achieved via the internet (email and web pages). As they are INTERNET PROVIDERS this shouldnt be a problem at all. They manage to email you constantly about their offers etc and they ALL have websites.

So be careful people. Go ahead and download all you like but remember at some unknown point your provider will cap your connection.

Virgin Media Link - http://help.virginmedia.com/system/selfservice.controller?CMD=VIEW_ARTICLE&ARTICLE_ID=389387&CURRENT_CMD=SEARCH&CONFIGURATION=1029&PARTITION_ID=1&USERTYPE=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTY=us&VM_CUSTOMER_TYPE