Fair Use Policy (BT Mods have a look!)

[cstamford]

Hi,

I am due to go active on the BT Business Unlimited Broadband ("Option 2") package tomorrow and I have a few questions regarding the fair use policy. I have asked about this on the phone to BT and I get different answers every time, so I'm hoping you can provide the most up-to-date information.

1. I have read that the current fair use policy heavy user limit is 100GB. My understanding of this is that I can download up to 100GB a month without limit, and if I exceed 100GB in a month my line will be capped to 1Mbps during peak time (between 17:00 and 24:00) for a month. If I stay within my 100GB limit for that month, the cap will be lifted. If I exceed the 100GB limit for that month the cap will remain. Is this correct?
2. I have been informed that the fair use policy heavy user limit to going to be raised to 300GB come November 1st for BT Business broadband. This change is already in effect for BT resedential broadband. Is this true?
3. When I purchased BT Business broadband I was told my line could only support 7.5Mbps, even though I was on an "Up to 20Mbps" broadband package. This is because my exchange has not been activated for ADSL2+ -- if it had been, my line would likely support around 22Mbps. Is there any difference in Fair Use Policy between an G.DMT-only exchange and an ADSL2+ enabled exchange?

Sorry for all the questions!

[alastair · Accepted solution]

1 - yes, but im not sure what speed the cap is and exactly what times you are limited but you are pretty spot on

2 - yes

3 - as far as i know the limits are there to stop heavy users hogging the bandwidth. apparently the fair usage policy only effects a small number of users. the fair use policy is the same for all the BT business broadband customers regardless of whether on the up to 8 or up to 20 MB broadband

[cstamford]

Thanks for the answers alastair! The reason I ask about the Fair Use Policy is my business relies heavily on data transfer and I can see 250GB being used every month, easily. I'm glad the cap is being raised to 300GB!

If anybody knows the exact times the heavy user traffic management is in effect, and to what speed it would be great if you could reply. 🙂

Thanks

[a-hill]

Just a note that both upload and download are counted towards your monthly use, not just download.