This happened to me recently (actually, if I were to type out all the issues I've had with Freewanadorange over the years I'd be close to writing a book).
When moving to my "Umlimited" connection, I did download a lot (no idea how much, as the point of paying a premium for an 'unlimited' account was to not need to clock-watch my bandwidth).
I got a letter saying my monthly average was 110 gig, so I need to reduce my usage to under 40gig a month.
Ok, I was annoyed as nowhere did the FUP mention a bandwidth limit (presumably if they actually mention this number, they are not allowed to advertise the service as "Unlimited"), but at least I now knew what the bandwidth limit was.
Immediately on receiving the warning I reduced my bandwidth and kept a log of it. The next month I downloaded 33gig - well under the monthly limit.
I then got a letter saying they'd suspended my account, as my monthly usage was still 60gig.
So, the "warning" was useless, if they are already averaging bandwidth from *before* the issued the warning - if I had not even connected to the internet from the moment I received the warning, the monthly back-average would still be over 40gig, therefore my account would still have been terminated.
Making the warning essentially useless. So I have a suspended account after two months of use, which I have to pay for for a further 10 months.
Not happy at all. If they'd only mentioned the bandwidth allowance from the start, I would have made sure I would have complied. And as soon as I received their wanring, I complied.
I totally agree and have suggested to Orange on several occasions that if they impose a limit to put this in there FUP. I asked how could they enforce a limit they do not state and customers are unaware of.
I have had confirmed in 7 emails by Orange now that tje limit is 50gb. This being the latest about 2 weeks ago:
Dear Glen,
Thank you for your email.
The F.U.P. is currently deeming a fair limit at 50gb per month on
downloads.
Hi had same problem download 57gb in one month now Orange reduced my speed to 1/2 megabyte. Absolutley pathetic. No warning.
Leed100 wrote:
Well I'd like to know for sure, here's a transcript of the letter I received dated January 2007.
'We need to let you know that usage on your broadband account is well above the 40GB per month, which is in breach of our Fair Use Policy (please visit www.orange.co.uk/terms to the policy).
Your average usage between November 2006 and December 2006 has been 58.71GB a month. This heavily affects the performance of our other broadband customers using the Internet.
You need to significantly reduce your usage immediately or we'll have no option but to close your account.
Your sincerely
Customer Support'
When I rang to complain the customer advisor at first thought 50GB was the limit, however the letter says otherwise. None of there staff seem to know for sure, so fine go download 41GB's worth and see if your account gets closed.
That's exactly what happened to me. Faced with months of 24/7 slow internet (I am also limited to 512k- down from 2Mb) I took today off to sort things out. Spent the morning getting nowhere with customer support, then found a chap in the UK support centre who finally admitted I was capped, even though he claimed this was only at peak hours. If you read other posts here, you'll see that it's actually in place all the time.
Anyway, I asked for my MAC code, reminded them of their obligations - which worked, as my code arrived by email within 6 hours. I've just signed with BT, who have a clear fair use policy and a facility to pay for extra bandwidth when you have a particularly heavy month (30p per GB). They also have all UK call centres which will be the biggest relief. They've just given me a switch-over day and say I'll be down for no more than 30 minutes. At least they sound reasonably competent, which is more than can be said for Orange.
Not bad for a days work ;o)
Orange are obviously trying to save money by throttling anyone who uses their 'unlimited' service fully. Your best bet is to jump ship..
I have been reading this site with interest for several months now and decided it was finally time to register and make my own grievances with Orange known. I personally*HATE* Orange passionately (I have had dealings with them over the years on both isp and phone basis) as a company and was not pleased when they took over Wanadoo.
I am currently on a 1Mb fixed serice and I used to be on the 2Gb monthly cap package so I did some research and decided at the time to move to Zen, so I called up Orange and quite nicely just explained that their 2Gb cap was insufficient and could I please have my MAC code. They responded by offering me the up to 8Mb unlimited package for the same price with wireless and talk and send me a live-doorwedge which is sitting happliy in a cupboard not bothering me!
All well and good, I've been happily on an umlimited 1mb service for over a year, great for lots of downloading etc.
Now last month, I received a letter from our benevolent friendly ISP, WanaFreeOrange who were a little upset that I had downloaded about 120GB in one month. The letter went on to say about reducing my usage immediately or they will take action etc and that anything over 50Gb was harmful to other users.
So I had a look at the terms and conditions on their website and the fair usage policy - which I have always adhered to (I never cane my line during their peak hours!) so I was somewhat annoyed with them that my unlimited package is now suddenly 50Gb.
Has anyone else encountered this situation as yet? If so what action have you taken? I am minded to write back to them and say 'you show me where unlimited means 50Gb and I will obey it otherwise go fourth and multiply' and see what they say.
Also on another note does anyone have any knowledge of when us fixed line users are going to be regraded to ADSL MAX on non LLU exchanges? Here in sunny Wiltshire my exchange is fully maxed and even Tiscali have an LLU presence yet here I sit on a little 1Mb line.
I have read several posts about WanaFreeOrange not upgrading anyone to MAX without them requesting it and locking them in to another 12 month contract. I will not be doing that, I am also tempted to phone them up and tell them to give me my 8Mb max without a 12 month contract or I will be moving ISPs (I know a lot of you will tell me to do that anyway but everything else aside my line has been totally reliable with my Netgear sitting on it so I am in no hurry to move if I can pursuade them to give me a Max service (should be about 4Mb) and resolve the 50Gb limit).
So does anyone have any definate answers here about the regrades?
No i disagree i was told in my case the limit was 40gb but may be 50gb depending on users in your area. They have now capped me at 512kbps during paek hours. I think Orange dont want anyone to use broadband other than for emails , so they can turn round and say how wonderful there download speed is. I would not touch again if they paid me.They are surely in breach of trades discriptions act . An other comapny in another line of business would surely face a heavy fine.
It's likely they'll make a deal on any case where people take FUP breaches to a higher authority/law. As far as I'm aware no UK ISP has had any sort of decision made about them and they really don't want to let any sort of precedent be made.
Anyway if you've had capping applied then you're supposed to be able to get out of any remaining contract from what I've read.
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