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BitTorrent on ICUK

I am looking to change my provider in the next month or so and ICUK is a strong contender along with one or two others. I don't use Bit Torrent a lot, but I do download one or two shows a month. I've read somewhere that ICUK throttle speeds on p2p networks and that would be a factor in my deciding for or against. Can anyone confirm or refute that, please?
 
I can confirm that we do not throttle P2P (or any other traffic) on our ADSL platform at the current time of posting this message.

A fair few months ago (around December - February 2006) we had to employ a traffic shaping policy for a brief period of time, essentially because spare capacity at that time was very low and we waiting on a delayed pipe upgrade from BT.

Once the pipe upgrade completed, we removed the shaping and traffic is now free flowing and unthrottled with enough capacity spare to warrant leaving it off; indeed, we've just taken delivery of a new 622 pipe so there should be no reason to have traffic shaping returned in the near future.

I do hope the administrators allow this post to stand so this can be explained accordingly.

Thanks,

Leslie Costar
ICUK Computing Services Ltd
www.icuknet.co.uk
 
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Shaping ??

What about NOW?

I can confirm that we do not throttle P2P (or any other traffic) on our ADSL platform at the current time of posting this message.

A fair few months ago (around December - February 2006) we had to employ a traffic shaping policy for a brief period of time, essentially because spare capacity at that time was very low and we waiting on a delayed pipe upgrade from BT.

Once the pipe upgrade completed, we removed the shaping and traffic is now free flowing and unthrottled with enough capacity spare to warrant leaving it off; indeed, we've just taken delivery of a new 622 pipe so there should be no reason to have traffic shaping returned in the near future.

I do hope the administrators allow this post to stand so this can be explained accordingly.

Thanks,

Leslie Costar
ICUK Computing Services Ltd
www.icuknet.co.uk
 
Since my original post and Leslie's reply I have signed up with ICUK and have downloaded several shows using BitTorrent with no problems. Their customer service in migrating me was superb - thank you Paul - and they were very helpful in resolving a problem I had which turned out to be my fault (well, Outlook's probably). Speeds for general browsing seem slightly slower than I was used to before on a 512 connection, but that doesn't seem to affect p2p and it could just be my computer aging or the web slowing down generally as more people use it more.

Hope that helps.
 
John K,

Thanks.

Bittorrent speeds have gone weird for me just lately and I note from the ICUK website that a FUP has crept back. These factors together make me suspicious. The forum history indicates that the same combination of measures happened around a year ago, albeit with some operational excuse given on that occasion.

I signed up for their overpriced 1 Meg service on the assumption that it was worth the premium not to be FUPed or have my traffic sniffed/messed with. If that's no longer the deal, then I'll shortly be requesting my MAC.
 
Hmm - just had a look at the web site and that is new. I doubt if I'll get anywhere near 100Gb in a month, although from the control panel it looks as though it includes both down and up in the total.

Also notice they're offering Max now, which is also new.
 
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At the moment, the caps, which are very high anyway, only apply to new customers.

We would be in breach to many people if we suddenly imposed a cap without informing them.

We're allowing MAX due to demand, pipe upgrades and network improvements.

Leslie
www.icuknet.co.uk
 
Well frankly Bittorrent speeds have been absolutely rubbish. Its been like that for the last two weeks (will be two weeks on Thursday). And its really starting to get on my nerves as I've been waiting for the speeds to return. The speeds are so slow its not even worth using Bittorrent for anything. I'm starting to smell something sinister now.
 
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0 up and 0 down and about 8 meg downloaded in 1.5 hours - looks like the policy on BitTorrent has changed despite what the website continues to say. I confess I'm very disappointed :-(
 
BTW the FUP now applies to OLD customers as well, didn't take them long to change their minds about that one either. To be truthful I never noticed the traffic shaping back in December when I signed up, I did notice it for about 3 weeks in February but didn't Know it was in place.
In truth I wouldn't have signed up if I had known Traffic Shaping was in use and now I'm off elsewhere.
My pursuit for unrestricted (though not necessarily unlimited) broadband continues.
I will note that I have had NO problems using Bittorrent during March.
 
At the moment, the caps, which are very high anyway, only apply to new customers.

We would be in breach to many people if we suddenly imposed a cap without informing them.

We're allowing MAX due to demand, pipe upgrades and network improvements.

Leslie
www.icuknet.co.uk

Well, I haven't been informed, either about this or about the "traffic shaping".

I've lodged a complaint on this site and suggest others affected do the same.
 
Well on the 23rd of February after questioning ICUK about the new FUP when I found it on there web site I got this reply,

For existing customers, the FUP hasn't been put into place.

However, consultation will begin on implementing a fairer way for all
customers in the future. As your contract is monthly based, it can
change on a monthly basis as well.

But any changes will be notified to those customers that are affected.

Regards,

Leslie Costar

Then I got this (after requesting my MAC)

Just to let you know that whoever you're moving to, your projected
data transfer based on this month's usage is 102GB, which now exceeds
our 100GB usage limit on the higher end accounts.

If you curtailed your usage, there are up to 8Mb packages we provide
as well, 20GB for £25.00 per month as listed on our web site.

Additionally, the maximum speed on your line is around 6Mb, you won't
get a full 8Mb, it'll be "Up to 8Mb".

Once the migration away is complete, please let us know so we can
update our records accordingly to prevent any future billing.

Regards,

Leslie Costar

So which is it to be Mr Costar?

Your company has and does provide an excellent service (only ISP one Ihave used provided better) but you DO need to keep your customers informed of situation regarding FUP's and Traffic Shaping, Just be HONEST with your customers.
When I signed up in December it said on your web site NO TRAFFIC shaping, now I find there was, so why weren't your customers informed and the web site changed, are all your future adjustments going to be stealth as well?
 
I basically agree with all the points mentioned.

ICUK have without doubt the best customer service for an ISP (which these days is like gold dust). However, this great customer service comes at a cost. This FUP is undermining the very reason I joined ICUK (and I think for many others). And the fact is, we (the customers) are already paying a premium compared to most other broadband packages yet we still get enforced with a FUP and traffic shaping. From a customers perspective, doesnt that just defeat the whole purpose of signing up to a premium service?

I know ICUK wont see it that way as they are providing a service and therefore as a company have to reduce costs. But then at the same time, how can a company expect their customers to go along with something that doesnt provide them with what they want? I mean whats the point of getting faster speeds but not much to download (I certainly dont want broadband to speed up my browsing). Its like having a ferrari but only being able to drive it at 10mph - pathetic. I know people will say if you dont like it then you can always leave and I will soon.

As for traffic shaping, although ICUK's website states that it doesnt employ any, I beg to differ. I'm pretty sure they are employing traffic shaping - but thats just my opinion (so dont go running off stating it as fact). So I feel like I've been lied to and am now considering my options.

...oh and the silence from ICUK is deafening. :mad:
 
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A reply cometh

Chaps,

Apologies for any silence, it's easier if customers speak to us directly via email or on the phone. With so many forums out there, it's impossible to check everyone on a daily basis :)

Customers that were / are projected to exceed or go near the 100GB limit have been informed about the changes via email with various options available to them, including options to prevent them from exceeding it. 100GB is still a huge amount of data transfer, but anything beyond that is entirely unsustainable if customers still expect and demand contined investment in the network and support and development of new services.

Regarding P2P, this is still under investigation. It is not our intention to have any traffic shaping on the system or port blocking and we're working to resolve this with suppliers and our networking team. Please do bear with us for the moment, however, there is more to the Internet than P2P :)

One is hoping for a resolution *very* soon.

If anyone wishes to raise or discuss this further, please mail us on solutions@icukhosting.co.uk and we'll proceed from there. Thanks.

Leslie
 
One still waiteth!

The "shaping" appears to have gone away for now, but

(a) Why was it there in the first place (when you were saying it wasn't)?

(b) Can we be assured it won't be back?

(c) What are prospective new customers to believe when you advertise a service free of p2p blocking measures, yet appear to apply same at whim?

(d) Misleading advertising is a matter of public concern.

It's almost academic for me now: the trust's gone, I didn't care for the condescension in the last ICUK post and barring some pretty solid assurances I'm off.
 
One still waiteth!

The "shaping" appears to have gone away for now

Has it?

I was promised an email when the restrictions are lifted and haven't heard, so I assume they are still in place. Indeed, trying to download today using either Bit Tornado or ABC still results in 0 up and 0 down, although I'm assured this is an extreme scenario. What makes it somewhat worse is that I'm not a heavy user: January - 1.34Gb, February - 5.45Gb, March so far - 5.92Gb, and those figures are up and down, although January isn't the whole month as I only joined on the 15th.

I'd like to stay, but it is taking a long time to get the issue sorted...
 
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