Broadband Fair Usage Policies

	Cheap Broadband Offers aims to help you choose the broadband package that most suits your needs. Therefore there are a number of useful guides which you will find helpful, such as the following guide detailing the principles of the broadband fair usage policy that applies to many broadband packages. Broadband packages now have fair usage or acceptable usage policies in place to restrict their heavy users from hogging the available capacity.		Helpful Guides: * Cheap broadband offers: Home page * Broadband packages: Summary of UK broadband packages * Broadband package comparison: View broadband package details * Web hosting guide: Comparison of web hosting packages * Managed hosting guide: Comparison of managed hosting packages * Broadband costs: Compare the costs of each broadband package

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	Broadband Fair Usage Policies
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Many broadband packages are advertised as 'unlimited', when in fact the limit is still restricted. There has been much debate on this classification and although many internet users will effectively have unlimited usage, the heavy users out there won't.

Internet users have the choice between an 'unlimited' broadband package and a capped one. Generally capped packages are cheaper and are more suitable for the light internet user, and can come with perks in performance. 'Unlimited' packages are for heavy users or those of you who don't want to be restricted or have to watch their usage for fear of blowing their imposed cap.

To protect themselves from heavy users, and the increased capacity costs that go with them, isp's have essentially put a limit or cap on their 'unlimited' packages. This has been achieved by implementing a fair usage or acceptable usage policy. By doing this they are not impacting their package's headline details and can still advertise their packages as unlimited, but can still restrict your usage where necessary.

The fair usage policies don't generally apply to all periods of the day, they usually only apply to the peak usage times, such as daytime and sometimes evening.

If you break the limits of your providers fair usage policy then the punishment usually involves some kind of 'go slow' penalty, such as restricting your speeds for the rest of the month. This can potentially effect your speeds for all times of the day on all types of behaviour or can be restricted to just the fair usage periods and/or for peer to peer usage.

The fair usage policy implemented by your isp or potential isp is worth noting as you don't want to be contracted to a provider with rigourous policies or penalties you are not prepared to face.

Click here to view a summary of broadband packages, detailing those that are capped and those that are 'unlimited'.

Below is a table showing the various fair usage policies that various providers enforce:

Provider	Fair Usage Limit	Period (weekday)	Period (weekend)	Impact
	N/A	N/A	N/A	Your bandwidth will be restricted during peak periods
	N/A	N/A	N/A	In extreme cases your service may be terminated
	N/A	N/A	N/A	Your bandwidth will be restricted during peak periods
	50Gb to 60Gb*	9am to 11pm	9am to 11pm	Your bandwidth will be restricted during peak periods
	20Gb to 50Gb*	6pm to midnight	6pm to midnight	Your bandwidth (exc. web browsing or email) will be restricted during peak periods and a notification process is in place.
	no FUP	no FUP	no FUP	Capped products (therefore no Fair Usage Policy required)
	no FUP	no FUP	no FUP	Capped products (therefore no Fair Usage Policy required)
	N/A	6pm to 11pm	6pm to 11pm	Your service may be suspended (this will only apply after an initial dialogue and warnings)
	No guidelines	6pm to midnight	9am to midnight	Your service may be suspended (this will only apply after an initial dialogue and warnings)
	no FUP	no FUP	no FUP	Capped products (therefore no Fair Usage Policy required)
	N/A	N/A	N/A	After initial warnings, your usage may be capped, your service suspended for 1 month or bandwidth restricted
	no FUP	no FUP	no FUP	Capped products (therefore no Fair Usage Policy required)
	N/A	6pm to 11pm	6pm to 11pm	Your bandwidth will be restricted during peak periods (this will only apply after your 3rd warning)
	0.75Gb to 1Gb*	N/A	N/A	Light users will be prioritised over heavy users during peak periods (after initial notification, for next 7 days)
	N/A	N/A	N/A	No clear guidelines available

*Demon: Over a rolling 30 day period, actual limit varies depending on package.
*Eclipse: Over a period of one calendar month, actual limit varies depending on package.
*Toucan: Over a period of one week, actual limit varies depending on package.

Tip: If you are on an unlimited usage package with a usage limit then try to use your broadband mainly at off peak times (those times that are not subject to the fair usage policy), such as overnight. This will not only mean that you will not break the policy and suffer restricted speeds (or worse), but you are also likely to get better performance.

Note that when a provider has no clear guidelines relating to the amount of usage allowed or period the policy applies, it is best to assume that it relates to peak periods, such as evenings, and to a limit of around 40GB during these periods.

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