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30-03-2020, 01:48 PM
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UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52091359

The UK’s main internet providers have agreed to remove data caps on fixed-line broadband during the coronavirus pandemic.

The move is part of a range of new measures agreed between telecoms companies and the government.

Other commitments include “fairly and appropriately” supporting customers who have trouble paying their bills.

Providers have also agreed to offer “generous” new mobile and landline packages, the government said.

Those companies who have signed up to the commitments include:

BT, including its Openreach and EE divisions
Virgin Media
Sky
TalkTalk
O2
Vodafone
Three
Hyperoptic
Gigaclear
Kcom

The initiative supplements measures the individual companies had already announced themselves.

Most fixed-line broadband packages were already advertised as having “unlimited” data, with the exception of cut-price packages for those on benefits.

It used to be the case that many “unlimited” packages had hidden data caps in their small print, known as “fair usage policies”. However, changes made to the UK's advertising rules mean that references to “unlimited” can no longer involve such caveats.

Even so, some households still on older contracts which were never updated could still have had data caps in place, and going over those limits can be expensive.

Data caps remain in place on mobile contracts.
I'm with Zen and unlimited but the company have already suspended usage caps on broadband products until the end of June.

Nevertheless, the gesture by other companies will be appreciated by those on older contracts (and may persuade them to review their provider/service later in the year).
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30-03-2020, 02:29 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Oh Dear I am already experiencing problems with my low speed of 2.5 mbps often reduced to 1mbps because I am at the end of the line and so many people are at home, I am in danger of disappearing altogether.
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30-03-2020, 02:33 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Meg ->
Oh Dear I am already experiencing problems with my low speed of 2.5 mbps often reduced to 1mbps because I am at the end of the line and so many people are at home, I am in danger of disappearing altogether.
Don't do that Meg, we need you!
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30-03-2020, 02:36 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Mags ->
Don't do that Meg, we need you!
Hi Mags it is so slow some days I can only get pixelated pictures ...
My Broadband provider is aware and can do nothing about it...
I think some people upstream must be downloading films all day.
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30-03-2020, 02:37 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Just checked my speed, gone down to 9.18 mbps.
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30-03-2020, 03:10 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Meg ->
Hi Mags it is so slow some days I can only get pixelated pictures ...
My Broadband provider is aware and can do nothing about it...
I think some people upstream must be downloading films all day.
I have no cap on data with Virgin Media, although the speed of data flow was considerably slower yesterday. Less than a quarter of the usual speed at times.

Around 20 years ago when fast Internet connections were almost unheard of, I had the job of cutting down the file size of images so that they would load quickly in people's Internet browsers. I still optimise my own images out of habit to this day. It might make a difference to some.

That's nothing compared to the amount data that flows around on the Internet now though. Large amounts in videos etc. It's no wonder some people's connection speeds just can't cope with it.
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30-03-2020, 03:21 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Meg ->
Oh Dear I am already experiencing problems with my low speed of 2.5 mbps often reduced to 1mbps because I am at the end of the line and so many people are at home, I am in danger of disappearing altogether.
Seems like you suffer the same problems as Glanny.

I've just checked my download speed - 6.5Mb/s, which is about normal for us.
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30-03-2020, 03:22 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Mags ->
Don't do that Meg, we need you!

Quick . . let's anchor her down.
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30-03-2020, 03:26 PM
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Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

https://www.plus.net/home-broadband/...SAAEgLtEfD_BwE

The first iteration of the Internet available for commercial use was dial-up. Dial-up Internet required a phone-line to operate, so phone calls couldn’t be made using a landline while the Internet was in use.

Speed was a significant issue in the early days. By 1998, the best connection users could hope for was 56Kbps. This diminutive connection speed meant that downloading a file could often become a time-consuming process, and streaming music or video wasn’t viable. In addition, the earliest modems weren’t cheap with the latest 28.8Kbps modem costing up to £399 back in the early 90’s.
In those days, downloading 1 music track (of poor quality) would take 40 minutes, if you were lucky. If you were unlucky, the connection would break several times and you would have to restart the process, which might then take several hours - at 1p a minute, IIRC, but, in your mind, the music was "free" .....

How I longed for ADSL - 256 Kbps ....
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30-03-2020, 03:50 PM
10

Re: UK broadband data caps removed during pandemic

Originally Posted by Mups ->
Quick . . let's anchor her down.
Hold on tight Meg!
 
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