Sympatico to limit downloads

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 16, 2002 8:55 pm

Thought I'd ask here, since I've often seen people talk about being with Sympatico in these parts.

Although I haven't received any official news yet, it seems they want to put a download limit for all users...

If so, it sucks badly !

Anybody heard anything ?

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 16, 2002 9:15 pm

Oops : talked too quickly.

Found a couple threads talking about it.

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 16, 2002 11:09 pm

Here is the petition against it:
http://www.petitiononline.com/carrick/petition.html
Here is what caps mean to you, ie: HOw much you can do on the internet before going over the 5 Gig limit:
http://www.carricksolutions.com/bandwidthlimits.htm
Here is an ISP I found with no caps (for now anyway), I'd like to recommend more, but I don't have time, at least this shows you have a choice other then Sympatico:
http://www.carricksolutions.com/isp.htm

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 16, 2002 11:20 pm

Thanks Bob.

(Carrick Solutions... Your company ?)

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Fri May 17, 2002 9:14 am

Carrick Solutions is my company yes.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Fri May 17, 2002 1:19 pm

We're definitely checking it out.

-We signed for a special 12 month contract with sympatico this year. But you bet your buttocks that I'll have that broken if they cap us.

indyy500 · Post by **indyy500** » Tue May 21, 2002 11:38 am

Well I guess it is Bad News for us Sympatico Members.

They are Capping us...look at this

Dear Valued Member,

To keep pace with our customers' evolving Internet usage needs,
Bell Canada, like all Internet service providers, must continually
invest in expanding and upgrading our network.

Effective July 4, 2002, your monthly rate for Bell Sympatico
High Speed Edition(TM) Internet service will increase to $44.95 --
still one of the lowest rates for high speed access in North America.

Also, effective July 4, 2002, your monthly rate for Sympatico
High Speed Edition service will allow 5 Gigabytes (GB) download
and 5 Gigabytes (GB) upload of bandwidth activity. If your
bandwidth activity exceeds either 5 GB download or 5 GB upload,
an additional charge of $7.95 per GB will be applied to your
Sympatico account.

Arghhhhhh they also not of this which seems interesting...

INTRODUCING OUR ULTIMATE INTERNET SERVICE
At Bell Canada, we are committed to meeting the needs of our
customers. This June, we will be launching a new, premium high
speed Internet service*.

This premium service will be our new ultimate high speed Internet
service and will include speeds of up to 3 Megabits per second
download and up to 640 Kilobits per second upload, and monthly
bandwidth of 10 GB upload and 10 GB download.

For more information on this new service, just click on the
link below.

What do you guys think???

Later

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Tue May 21, 2002 12:09 pm

What do I think ?...
-That cannot be expressed in a moderated forum.

BlackSword · Post by **BlackSword** » Tue May 21, 2002 1:46 pm

I doubt that anyone is happy that sympatico is putting a data limit/up-charge per gig of data.... Did everyone see it coming, yes, happy about it NO. I know when I signed up sympatico clearly stated that the only limitation was the rate of (if I remember right it was) 990kbps. I guess the reality is that I didn't sign anything stating that they could never change their service, so I think we are S.O.L.

Even the services that still have unlimited download may possibly postpone putting a cap on just to get people to switch. Then later hit you with the same cap Sympatico did.

One think I am interested in is the premium service,,, I haven't checked it out yet but the improved rates definitely sound interesting. Anyone know what price tag they are going to put on it?

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Tue May 21, 2002 1:56 pm

It's all here .

And, I may have been naive, but I can't say I saw it coming.
In fact, we chose Sympatico over Videotron because there was no limit. Can't see why else. Certainly not for their newsgroup service.

BlackSword · Post by **BlackSword** » Tue May 21, 2002 2:12 pm

Originally posted by Ramanuman
It's all here .

And, I may have been naive, but I can't say I saw it coming.
In fact, we chose Sympatico over Videotron because there was no limit. Can't see why else. Certainly not for their newsgroup service.

Thanks for the info Ramanuman,,, I didn't mean you were naive,,,

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Wed May 22, 2002 1:33 am

I didn't mean you were naive,,,

I didn't think you did.

-But I probably was, naive.
I mean, nobody is fooled : they're not doing this, as they claim, because the service slows down. It doesn't.
It's just because they can make a buck. So they will. Right ?

In that sense, I guess you're right in thinking all ISPs will eventually cap their service.

Oh well...

Jiro · Post by **Jiro** » Wed May 22, 2002 5:40 am

5 gigs/month

Ok so say your getting good speeds of 100k/s

that would mean you could download 1.7 hours each day in order to not breach your cap.

Anyone want to check my math to make sure I've got this correct?

I've run out of curse words with Bell, really I have. I just recently got my first apartment, last month in fact. First time getting phone service in my name, I choose DSL over cable cause Bell offers a nice deal with long distance if I bundle the two together.

I had to go thru

-Bell giving me the wrong phone number
-Hooking my service up to the wrong number
-delaying my hook up of phone by one week, my internet by three cause of the above
-Oh and about 10 hours on the phone with everyone from tech support to "Alan" from billing to fix THEIR mistakes.

Now, the fact Bell costs the same as Rogers, and the fact they are slower in download and WAY slower in upload I accepted. I figured upload I could live with it as I don't run servers, and slightly slower downloads were alright if I got 2 hours free long distance. However now they shovel all this crap, plus a transfer limit I will go run thru in a week?

I haven't even had their service for a month and I get this crap!

Now I have a question, I've seen DSL companies advertise in the computer papers in Toronto. Does anyone currently use any of these? First off, are they going to be adding the same limit? If not, what are your expierance with them?

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Wed May 22, 2002 8:01 am

Actually with Bell it's 22 minutes a day before we break the cap.

BlackSword · Post by **BlackSword** » Wed May 22, 2002 8:51 am

Don't know how you guys came up with your numbers but,,, based on 100kBytes/second average, it would take 100,000 seconds to get to 10Gbyte.

100,000 seconds = 1666.67 minutes = approx. 55 minutes per day.

If they include protocol in the data limit then of the 10Gbyte you would have at least 32Mbyte waste,,, not a big deal I guess.

Let me know if I am all wet but number should be approx. 55 minutes per day.

doh,,,lol,,, 10 Gbyte is for the Ultimate package,,, 5 Gbyte would work out to 27.5 minutes per day.

Bob,, did you work yours out based on a higher rate than 100KBps,,,, like possibly 120KBps? or do you factor in more for protocol?

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Wed May 22, 2002 9:04 am

Well Bell is 120 kbytes per second, not 100. And I've actually done tests of actual downloads and it is right around 22 minutes per day. And I'm only on the 1 meg servier not the 1.3 meg now offered. Also the ten gig ultra package is not even available so we are not factoring that one in.

BlackSword · Post by **BlackSword** » Wed May 22, 2002 9:21 am

Originally posted by Bob Carrick
Well Bell is 120 kbytes per second

thought so,,, I only used 100kbytes per second because that was what JIRO was basing his example on.

Bob,, do you know when sympatico will allow peeps to upgrade to the ultimate package? and is it limited to certain areas?

Jiro · Post by **Jiro** » Wed May 22, 2002 9:38 am

LOL good lord, it's even worse then I thought then. That works out to way less then 15 hours a month if I go at download binge speed. I easily run thru that in weekend when I want something. I was never good at math in highschool and still not now, and now with this I'd have to keep track of bandwidth usage? lol I could end up running bills in the hundreds. Even with their little page that tells you how much you are running thru, it's still not enough. I'd need them to pull the plug on me at 5 gigs otherwise I would blow a full paycheck.
*shakes head*

Really want to hear opinions from anyone who has tried one of the other Isp's.

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Wed May 22, 2002 2:36 pm

There is no announced date for the three meg service, sorry. I want it also.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Wed May 22, 2002 3:42 pm

Can't remember where, but I read 4th of June. (If my memory serves me right).

I'll try and find it again, and post it here.

AzN_ChRoNiC · Post by **AzN_ChRoNiC** » Wed May 22, 2002 7:30 pm

WHAT!!! I'm a Sympatico user too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 3:36 am

28th of june, to be exact...

Gonna write a letter of complaint. But I doubt it'll have any effect.
It's not like they cared, or seomething.

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 23, 2002 8:55 am

28th of June for your cap. I do not beleive the 3 meg service has been officially launch. Where did you get that date?

Immortal · Post by **Immortal** » Thu May 23, 2002 8:58 am

hey I know what.. write to CFTO's consumer report and they will check it out!

how about that?

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 9:21 am

Where did you get that date?

I just got an e-mail from their customer service.
It did mention both the new biling rates and the 5G caps.

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 23, 2002 11:51 am

Yes but it does not mention a date for the new speed packages.

fr0zen · Post by **fr0zen** » Thu May 23, 2002 12:14 pm

why don't you all just simply leave sympatico? and join rogers? or igs ...

the cap is stupid..infact very very stupid!

Sicko · Post by **Sicko** » Thu May 23, 2002 2:11 pm

Damn sympatico cap...i guess i have to change with videotron cable or vdn cable, which they all have caps but the speed is a bit faster and cheaper...

Damn i don't know if it's worth staying or not. What do you guys think? are you guys staying with sympatico or change?

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 23, 2002 3:11 pm

Frozen - It would be pretty stupid to jump to Rogers since they are doing the same thing. I'm not jumping because I'm fighting these caps that Rogers and Sympatico are putting in to place by the media etc, can fight it if I drop the service, sorta hypocritical.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 6:40 pm

Yes but it does not mention a date for the new speed packages.

I'm not sure what you mean by that...
-The e-mail just mentionned the price for the 5G cap "deal". Not the others.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 6:58 pm

I'm not jumping because I'm fighting these caps that Rogers and Sympatico are putting in to place by the media etc,

Aren't you with IGS ?

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 23, 2002 7:15 pm

Nope, I'm on Sympatico, but I do have an IGS userid and password so I can test ping times, speed tests, trace routes etc.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 8:23 pm

And wouldn't you say boycotting is the best way to fight ?

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Thu May 23, 2002 8:33 pm

Nope, because it does nothing for the people that don't know any better and continue to use the service or sign up when we leave. Bell keeps getting more customers. The only way to fight is to make the public aware of what is happening and that it is wrong.

Ramanuman · Post by **Ramanuman** » Thu May 23, 2002 11:08 pm

Funny.
I wrote (very politely) to Sympat's customer service, saying that I would leave them if they capped.
A reply came, signed by one of their agents, explaining that, due to increases in traffic, which was causing slow downs, they had to, and blah blah.
The text of that e-mail ressembled the announcement I'd received a few days before.

I answered that e-mail, addressing my letter to the agent who had signed the reply, specifying that nobody except them seemed to think that there was a problem with speed from their service.
And that's the funny part : THEY SENT THE EXACT SAME REPLY AGAIN !

That's how much Bell cares for you !

(That reminds me : last week I was talking with a friend who works for Bell's phone assistance service. She was telling me all how they're more trained to do telemarketing than actual help services. No kidding !)

fredra · Post by **fredra** » Fri May 24, 2002 12:37 pm

I have a question (s)
-does getting "spam" in my email constitutes part of the cap?
-does "ads" on web pages eat into the cap?
-if some idiot script kiddie does a port scan on my "dynamic" IP address, does that form part of the usage?
-if someone tries to do a DDoS on my IP address, does that form part of my usage?
I can see and understand the rhetoric towards reducing usage by :
-keeping email address small
-reducing the use of file sharing programs (e.g. Kazza or Morpheous)
-reducing live video and audio feeds (is that what the internet is all about)
All these suggestions are in our control, the user can do these things to minimize and stay within the cap, however, if my original question has an effect on the cap, then it is out of our control.
We maynot use the "net" extensively for the billing period, but go over the cap none the less.
Bob Carrick has an excellent breakdown of usage here .
There are unsuspecting former and new users who will be drawn into this "cap" and end up paying a lot.
I have sent a letter to the editor (Ottawa Citizen), but I don't know if they will publish it, as I agree with Bob's premise. We have to publizice this and get the message out to the public.

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Fri May 24, 2002 2:37 pm

Everything that hits your Ip address counts, SPAM, ads, DOS attack, everything.

XenaRule · Post by **XenaRule** » Mon May 27, 2002 6:33 pm

Oh my... and I was considering leaving Rogers because I had like a few months of continuous disconnection... I could be online and suddenly, you would be going no where. Could not renew Ip address and so on. The only way to unplug the modem and plugging it back.

The problem was solves months ago but I still have a notion of ditching Rogers for Bell... but with this news... I'm reconsidering.

That kinda cap kinda reminds me of my school cap... where you're allowed 150meg or so per 7 days or else they stop you until 11pm before you can do anything.

yea, e-mail/call CFTO's consumer report... they do a good job on things. They had one about firewall a few days ago.

Bell sucks anyways. So does Rogers but you have no choice between either... unless you want 56k (eeewwwwww

)

Bob Carrick · Post by **Bob Carrick** » Mon May 27, 2002 6:43 pm

There are plenty of DSl ISPs in Ontario with either reasonable caps or no caps at all. So yes you do have a choice.

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Mon May 27, 2002 8:35 pm

Originally posted by Bob Carrick
Everything that hits your Ip address counts, SPAM, ads, DOS attack, everything.

Very interesting Bob. Thanks for mentioning that.

Another question....

If the modem is unplugged, will the constant scans/pings from other sources still count?. Such as 'Code Red' etc

If so, a 24/7 connection will be a thing of the past. The modem will only be on while in use in this house. So far no word about a new cap from cogeco, always been about 3Gb I believe, never enforced here yet.

SG Broadband Community

Sympatico to limit downloads

Sympatico to limit downloads

BELL HSE SYMPATICO CAPPING US