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Virgin Mobile reintroducing speed caps?
denyo1977
Posts: 699
Forum Member
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Was just happily browsing the Virginmedia forum, when I came across a thread with the name "Data speeds". Was reading through it and people mentioned that they seem to hit a cap of 2mbps down and 0.5 up. I have seen 20mbps myself in the past, so I thought it was just a few unlucky people being effected. So I did a speed test at home and what do I get?
2.0 down and 0.59 up :mad: If I notice at work tomorrow that I get the same speeds, Virgin can stick their SIM where the sun doesn't shine.
http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Mobile/Data-speeds/td-p/1711396
2.0 down and 0.59 up :mad: If I notice at work tomorrow that I get the same speeds, Virgin can stick their SIM where the sun doesn't shine.
http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Mobile/Data-speeds/td-p/1711396
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They are an MVNO, I guess they have to be careful how much you use.
So, Virgin Mobile have an unlimited data plan.
-Speeds are capped at 2mbps permanently
-There is a fair use policy of 3.5GB
-Tethering is blocked
-Once fair use policy is exceeded speeds are slowed to 384kbps permanently.
A few months ago i would have fully recommend virgin... now not so much.
A few months ago the fair use was 10GB, speeds were uncapped, tethering was included and speeds were only slowed between 12pm-12am after the 10GB was exceeded.
Cell sites suffer from congestion if lots of other customers are all using it to download at the same time.
One minute you can get 17 Mbps down and later you can get 2 Mbps down. This isn't capping or throttling it's generally just capacity issues in your area.
Are you sure it's not just this? have you got an app to keep an eye on data use? could an app be using more data than you thought and be leading to you being capped.
Now the question is, is it down to Virgin Mobile or EE? Virgin Mobile don't say there is no cap, like T-Mobile used to do. They say there shouldn't be one.
Yes, I am aware of congestion. But it hits a wall at 2mbps, just like it did on T-Mobile. And it's everywhere I tested.
The Nexus 4 shows data usage, just like the Virgin Mobile app and both show nearly the same usage. And again: if I had gone over, I would not be capped at 2mbps, but at 384kbps!!!
It's enough for me is all I do is web browsing but shocking... Maybe I will just give up and move to three...
Yeah, er sorry... missed that bit.
Yeah I usually get 8-10 Mb while in my house... Not good is it...
Sigh... I would move to three but its so much more expensive, I need about 600+ mins and 1GB data, on virgin I pay about a tenner for this (student discount).
How about Three?
600 Mins/5000 texts/1GB Data- £12.90pm + £50 casback via TCB
600 Mins/5000 Texts/AYCE Data- £15.90 + £50 cashback via TCB
But tbh virgin have 2G fallback and if you don't need over 3.5GB/tethering then there is no point as 2mbps is fine for 95% of things.
I have a MiFi for tethering and broadband in the house so it's only really web and email on my phone that its used for which I guess s still fine at 2MB...
Hmm yeah I do watch the odd video, thats not good if that's effected.
What about T-Mobile full monty. yeh it's £21pm but i think it's still £15.50 via Chitter Chatter (£20 with £5 back every month)
Tbh, Three is the only choice for truly unlimited data now. (inc tethering/no speed cap/fair use etc...)
One good thing is I don't have to get a long term contract.
But i'm really disappointed myself as i was planning on switching my personal contract to Virgin to take advantage of the 10GB cap and tethering..... guess not now.
Virgin - running on T-Mobile better speeds
or
virgin - running on the slower Orange network.
I never achieve above 2mbps when on virgin(Orange) but regularly get 7mbps+ on Virgin(T-Mobile).
I'm on the unlimited data pay as you go and i've used nearly 2GB this month.
Have you done a speed test today?
True but a lot of Orange masts are running back as normal now and have been upgraded with better capacity + backhaul. By the end of the summer this issue should disappear.
Fingers crossed this is a case affecting a relatively small number of people but looking at the link above there are a few people getting ready to jump ship and to O2 networks :eek: .
My test was done connected to HSPA on a T-Mobile mast that I usually get between 8 and 10 Mbps