Broadband News
Broadband users ‘at risk of fair usage penalty fines’
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk
As online habits change, consumers are downloading more than ever, putting them at risk of excess fines for going over their fair usage download allowances, new research has warned.
Online shopping, gambling, online dating and the rise of popular applications such as the BBC iPlayer and Channel 4’s 4oD are putting a strain on broadband networks, forcing ISPs to introduce fair usage policies and download limits to ensure that all users receive a reasonable speed.
However, consumers have to be careful not to fall foul of their ISP’s rules, warned the Broadbandchoices.co.uk study.
The survey of over 1,400 respondents found that 20% did not know what the terms of their download limit or fair usage policy was, while almost a third said that their ISP’s traffic management policy was not explained to them when they signed up.
A further 42% did not know how much they downloaded each month, highlighting how easy it can be to inadvertently exceed fair usage policy rules.
Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, said: “Fair usage policies and download limits are fast becoming the next big grievance between consumers and ISPs and this is mainly due to a lack of understanding around the issue. The streaming of online content, whether it is TV shows, video clips or music files, will only continue to increase and the rules governing this area need to adapt to take into account the changing nature of internet usage.
“Almost a quarter of the people we surveyed were completely unaware that the vast majority of ‘unlimited’ download packages came with fair usage policies attached. This effectively restricts the amount of online activity users can undertake during certain hours of the day and breaching these rules can result in connection speeds being restricted and penalty fines being incurred.
“An overwhelming 85% felt it was unfair that ISPs could advertise an ‘unlimited’ download package when in reality it came with fair usage or traffic management restrictions,” he added.
“The rules governing fair usage policies and download limits need to be taken out of the small print and made clear and easy for everybody to understand,” Phillips concluded.
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