By: MarkJ - 12 January, 2012 (10:25 AM) - Score: 3813 - Mobile Broadband
Budget mobile provider GiffGaff, which is one of O2 UK's Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), has spent some time examining the usage patterns of internet traffic on its network and discovered that just 1% of users are eating over 33% of its total data capacity. The results are similar to those predicted in a recent study by Arieso (here) and have apparently caused GiffGaff to break out the big user disconnection stick.GiffGaff has of course offered "unlimited" mobile internet on its Goodybags service for awhile and therefore must share some of the blame, although as usual its all the customers fault. A common tactic that isn't helped when providers, be they fixed ISPs or mobile operators, fail to specify exactly what constitutes heavy usage.
GiffGaff Statement
As we don't want either customers or our long term business health to be affected, we're put into place a new set of checks on people's patterns of data usage. Without going into levels of detail that would help potential abusers, this will involve checking more frequently for patterns of use of our mobile internet services that are likely to affect other service users and the business, and for behaviour that is not genuine mobile internet use.
As we don't want either customers or our long term business health to be affected, we're put into place a new set of checks on people's patterns of data usage. Without going into levels of detail that would help potential abusers, this will involve checking more frequently for patterns of use of our mobile internet services that are likely to affect other service users and the business, and for behaviour that is not genuine mobile internet use.
According to a related article on The Register, GiffGaff updated its terms in December 2011 to allow for disconnection of excessive users. It's understood that some customers have already been affected, although others escaped with just a warning not to do it again (hard when you don't know what level of use to avoid).
Giffgaff claims that they have no choice but to take a tougher line because the activity is not "economically sustainable" and that not detailing the limits is apparently preferable to writing "a huge list of terms and conditions, or introduce any fair use policy" (better for marketing purposes too?).
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) warned in September 2011 (here) that, effective from 1st April 2012, "the term "unlimited" can only be used if the customer incurs no additional charge or suspension of service as a consequence of exceeding a usage threshold associated with a Fair Usage Policy (FUP), a traffic management policy or similar." Any limits that are imposed must also be "moderate only and clearly explained".
In fairness excessive usage can indeed be a problem but it's wrong to blame customers for using a service as it was advertised. Providers need to take responsibility for the way they promote such services and any restrictions must be clearly explained so that users know what to avoid. These days it's incredibly easy to consume a huge amount of data, just spend some time on iPlayer or YouTube.
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Comments: 16
DTMarkPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 12:02 PM
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Completely agree with your conclusion.
When the first customer attempted to sue whichever provider it was that offered unlimited usage * that customer should have succeeded, and the test case should have ruled that every single customer who had "unlimited usage" should be able to have same to end of contract. Even if it bankrputed that provider, or many providers.
Lesson learned. Don't lie to people.
Then we wouldn't be where we are now, where the "binary" word (it is, or it isn't) "unlimited" means something different in advertising to what it says in the disctionary.
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* subject to Fair Usage Policy which dictates a maximum amount of usage, though doesn't normally say what that is
StevePosted: 12 January, 2012 - 12:28 PM
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I think more facts are needed before slamming this company.
I would put money on the fact these customers were using their phone to tether which probably isn't allowed. I use my phone a lot and never go over my limits with O2 (which I think is 1gb). How can someone who uses their phone for internet access use so much data? It could be valid but I'm sure a lot of those 1% of customers are abusing the service and tethering and should quite rightly be blamed.
Looking at their website I can see they have data add-ons which can be used to tether and are restricted to data usage. If they are tethering then I'm guessing they should be using those instead.
MarkJPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 12:36 PM
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"How can someone who uses their phone for internet access use so much data?"
Spend a few hours watching BBC iPlayer and various other VoD services, that would do it. Smartphone's aren't just for calls anymore; it's a piece of cake to use several GigaByte's in a day now. It doesn't have to require Tethering. I used 1GB yesterday just on YouTube and largely without realising where the time had gone, luckily that was on Three.
DeductionPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 12:52 PM
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Not to mention now with the arrival of things like Netflix you can churn through 2Gb per hour very easily.
This company is totally to blame, if they dont have the infrastructure to support unlimited data use they shouldnt offer it in the first place.
To then call people that use an unlimited *cough* service limitlessly "abusers" just adds to the overall conclusion they are a bunch of Muppets which should be avoided.
Money no longer in their pockets is the only way companies that promise the earth but only stink of old compost learn.
Unfortunately they are just another in a long line of all promises, no substance organisations when it comes to data use.
DTMarkPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 12:52 PM
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Since the 3G speeds improved here, YouTube will automatically render the 1080p version of a video if it has it, rather than say the 240p or 320p version.
In this manner, users could well be surprised at the data usage even though the video isn't noticeably all that different on their monitor.
Additionally I had s Steam powered game on CD, Put that in to install it, left it running, came back a couple of hours later to find that it had elected to download the whole thing not load from the CD and the entire data allowance had been used up. Another 7GB then got used up in the next few hours as well after I topped it up.
No big bills, as it's on PAYG for that very reason. But, if I had "unlimited usage" meaning 5GB a month then £2 for every MB...
DanPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 1:23 PM
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I find it hard to believe people are actualy defending this policy. Its utter disgusting. If a provider offers a service as unlimited offer it. This is out of order, and i will be contacting the ASA in regards to this matter shortly.
DeductionPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 1:28 PM
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@Dan if you are a customer and in a contract prior to dec 11 and want out id also say you have every right providing you didnt agree to the term changes they made back then.
DanPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 1:50 PM
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Not a contract as such its payg so i assume old rules apply. Its crazy. If you look in the giffgaff forum people are defending them.
DTMarkPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 4:32 PM
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... and then you have decent, honest, upfront companies who take the time to clearly spell out the service limitations in friendly Plain English, who "do it right", but who sometimes maybe lose out to the "unlimited" con artists. For instance, last time I looked at the Aquiss website I was impressed with their approach. Allowing the word "unlimited" when it isn't, also drives down standards.
DeductionPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 5:19 PM
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Well if things go to plan "UP TO" and "Unlimited" will be banned with regards to internet. There were more than a few stories about it towards the end of last year. Hopefully the planned rules come into effect this year :)
Not soon enough IMO, sick of so called "unlimited" internet that is actually throttled in some manner or has "heavy user" (what i like to call how long is a piece of string) clauses to them.
RichardPosted: 12 January, 2012 - 9:10 PM
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I use giffgaff and purchase a £10 goodybag each month. Without much effort I used 1.6gig of bandwidth last month.
I think some users must be tethering their connection on giffgaff which is against Ts & Cs.
MarkJPosted: 13 January, 2012 - 8:27 AM
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As above Richard, Smartphone's have moved on, you don't need to Tether a phone in order to use lots of data.
DeductionPosted: 13 January, 2012 - 10:57 AM
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Agreed MArkJ if you have a smartphone loaded with apps, it can literally be consuming data every minute of the day.
dragoneastPosted: 13 January, 2012 - 11:13 AM
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Sorry, anyone who thinks all you can eat means literally that needs their head examining. Period.
LeePosted: 13 January, 2012 - 12:08 PM
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All you can eat DOES mean literally that. That's what words ARE. If it doesn't mean that, call it something else. It's not a difficult concept.
DeductionPosted: 13 January, 2012 - 1:58 PM
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Last time i saw an all you can eat restaurant that is what it was. The only people that need their heads examined seem to be those in the broadband industry that flog something as "unlimited" and then want to apply "limitations".
Perhaps part of the BDUK fund should be used to send them all to get some English language lessons.
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