Usage limit - help please

[Jez2011]

Please can anyone advise:

I've been on Sky Broadband Everyday Lite with a 2GB monthly usage limit for ages. For the first time, I got an email today saying that I'd gone over the 2GB limit and that, if this happens again in the next 5 months, I'll be moved to a more expensive package.

The strange thing is I'm a fairly light user and have never before had to think about exceeding the 2GB limit. I'm also absolutely certain that my usage this month has been less than previous months (eg around Xmas I was off work, so surfed and played lots of Wii over the internet), so I'm not sure I trust Sky's usage stats.

Also, on the usage tool on Sky's website, whilst for this month it shows I'm at 2.11GB, there is no information for previous months. When I spoke to Sky today, someone (in India) told be that my usage for both the Dec and Jan billing periods had been exactly 2GB and that for Feb and again March it was 1.69GB. I'm just not sure these stats ring true.

I have just started using a Sagem router when my old Netgear one packed up and wonder if it is just a co-incidence that 1 week later I get this email?

My wireless connection is password protected.

My questions are:

1. Other than Sky's own usage tool, is the any other way I can check my total usage (ie including Wii, iPhones, as well as my computer)?

2. Could Sky's usage stats be wrong and just be some sort of scam to encourage me to move to a more expensive tariff?

3. Could this be anything to do with changing my router?

4. How can you tell if someone is 'piggybacking' on your wireless connection?

thanks!

[Scubbie]

This is a fairly standard letter for when people go over the monthly limit. Other ISPs charge by the Mb or Gb when their customers go over their limits.

Sky BB Lite can be free on some packages, whilst Sky BB Unlimited will cost a minimum of £7.50 per month (if you have Sky Talk & Sky TV).

You can't get many better broadband deals in this country for that amount IMHO, but I do appreciate first hand that some people need to be careful with cash flow.

My questions are:

1. Other than Sky's own usage tool, is the any other way I can check my total usage (ie including Wii, iPhones, as well as my computer)?

There is a tool available on this forum which could help:

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/techn...matically.html

Unfortunately it needs to be installed on everything to gain the best knowledge of your monthly usage.

The only other way I can suggest, as all the other tools available on the web will have this same issue, would be to watch Sky's usage tool carefully,

2. Could Sky's usage stats be wrong and just be some sort of scam to encourage me to move to a more expensive tariff?

They have over 3 million BB customers. around 1.2 million are on an LLU service, like you and I (Sky BB Lite & Sky BB Unlimited). Earlier this year there were issues in some parts of the country because the number of subscribers and usage amounts had increased. Most has been resolved, but not all.

3. Could this be anything to do with changing my router?

No. The router may have downloaded the update file, but this would be very little in the overall scheme of things.

4. How can you tell if someone is 'piggybacking' on your wireless connection?

Go into the router by typing '192.168.0.1' into your browser.

Username: admin
Password: sky

Select 'Attached Devices' from the tabs.

This will show you everything connected at that moment by it's LAN MAC address and a name when known. PCs & Laptops will tend to have their names listed.

It is possible to block any unauthorised WiFi devices if you wish, but this can make it difficult to connect something new if you forget it is enabled. Let us know if you want to do this and we can provide you with instructions.

I also noticed that in your profile you have a Sky+ HD STB. If you have connected this to your router and enabled Anytime+ you can now download SD & (from this week) HD content to watch on your TV. Whilst Anytime+ is free, it would very quickly increase your bandwidth usage. One HD film can be as much as 3Gb.

The Sky STB won't download anything over the Internet unless you advise it at present if you have connected it to your router.

In the future there are other things coming via the Sky+ HD STB that could open up your usage even more. DLNA does not use the BB, but will enable you to view the content on the STB on your PC or Laptop. This was hinted at in a recent product launch (Sky HD STB). The other item is linked to BBC iPlayer, ITV Player & 4 on Demand. This all means that you broadband usage could well leapfrog soon.

As I said at the beginning, you have Sky BB Lite. This is an LLU service. Sky BB Unlimited will also be available. IMHO it is definitely value for money and certainly worth considering.

[I_Hate_Sky_Awnsers]

I'm pretty sure if you found an old sky router that wasn't suspended it wouldn't register your usage.

[SkyCST]

I'm pretty sure if you found an old sky router that wasn't suspended it wouldn't register your usage.

Correct.
As long as you can find a sky router that isnt suspended it will work and bypass the usage history.

[Jez2011]

Scubbie - many thanks for your really useful reply! I'll check the monitor tool. I've also logged into my router as you suggest and there don't seem to be any unexpected attached devices. My Sky HD STB isn't connected to the internet at the moment, but Anytime + does look really interesting.

I also take your point that Everyday Lite is a v good deal (perhaps too good!).

My problem is still that, whatever my actual total usage this month, I'm absolutely certain that I've used less than in previous months. This, it seems to me, must mean either:

- I've gone way over the 2GB limit in previous months (and stats for previous months that Sky gave me over the phone were wrong), but for whatever reason Sky didn't monitor / enforce the limit. If so, I can't complain if I now have to move up to a more expensive plan; or

- Sky's usage stats for this month aren't right.

I'll guess I'll just have to keep a close eye on my usage from now on.

Re my router, Sky has sent me a new Segem router a couple of years ago, but I never hooked it up until last week, when my old Netgear packed-up. I spoke to Sky and they said it was fine to use the Sagem router.

[I_Hate_Sky_Awnsers]

As long as you didn't give them the MAC address then hopefully it won't register the usage.

[Scubbie]

Something else has just occurred to me this morning.

Recently M$ released a large update for various versions of it's OSes. This may well have had an impact on your monthly usage statistics.

I don't know how big they were now, but Windows 7 had it's first service pack update and a few corrections a week or so later.

Virus updates, updates for anti-malware programs, emails with attachments, browsing sites with lots of video or photo content, site with embedded music, video calls or even sharing documents with friends. All these add up over the period of a month.

For me personally I definitely prefer the Unlimited package. It takes the worry out of checking what I'm doing on the web in respect of bandwidth.

[mcphailan]

You used to be able to check your cumulative usage on a daily basis via the SKY website, it showed a lovely graph and figures....

Is this not the case now? I guess I got caught out like you about a year ago, but "accepted my lot" as I know what my wife is like with facebook and social sites, lol .....

Scubbie, auto-download of windows patches is generally a killer too ! You can completely switch this off provided you back up important files in case of alien attack (as you won't be getting important security updates)!

[Isitme]

Also, on the usage tool on Sky's website, whilst for this month it shows I'm at 2.11GB there is no information for previous months.

It is the case, but the details are not shown for previous usage. I don't know if this is because the router was changed or not. It is possible.

[mcphailan]

It is the case, but the details are not shown for previous usage. I don't know if this is because the router was changed or not. It is possible.

Sure, I just meant from now on it should it not be easy to see how much he consumes on a daily basis, and assess any reasons for unusual "spikes" in usage ?