Just a quick question... Do people use tethering because they don't have Landline Broadband? Genuine question btw I'm just intrigued.
For me at least, the reasons I have used tethering:
Home internet has been down.
Home internet has been between ISP's.
Wanting to use the internet on my WiFi only tablet while out and about with no WiFi.
Wanting to use the internet on my laptop while out and about with no WiFi.
Using my the internet on my wifi only PS Vita while out and about with no Wifi.
Wanting to use the internet on either of those devices while WiFi is available but my 3G or 4G connection is faster.
Friends not having mobile signal while I have so I have let them tether off my phone.
Just a quick question... Do people use tethering because they don't have Landline Broadband? Genuine question btw I'm just intrigued.
I use tethering all the time between March - October 30th as I live in my static caravan between those months and I cannot have a land line installed. I tether to my smart TV for Netflix and to my laptop and other devices for general streaming of music, hangouts with the other half and so on. The most I've used in one month is 105gb, although I do typically only use about 40gb a month.
I use tethering all the time between March - October 30th as I live in my static caravan between those months and I cannot have a land line installed. I tether to my smart TV for Netflix and to my laptop and other devices for general streaming of music, hangouts with the other half and so on. The most I've used in one month is 105gb, although I do typically only use about 40gb a month.
Never thought of it in regards of a caravan! I'm guessing if reception is terrible you can just move?
What are people getting in terms of download speeds from Three while tethering?
Do people use tethering because they don't have Landline Broadband?
I use mobile broadband to Tether because the ADSL offering in our rural area is crap. On a good day it just about squeezes 1mb, most of the time it hovers around 0.5mb - 0.7mb with regular disconnections, its always been the same since 2006 when the exchange was ADSL enabled, we've appealed to local MP's, BT, and various rural broadband compaigns, but non of them have even been able to get the area the 2mb speeds which everybody is 'supposed' to have at the minimum. We aren't the only area to suffer this either, yet BT still want their £15-odd line rental per month, the same price as many pay for a physical connection which is capable of giving them usable ADSL right upto 60mb+ fibre speeds.
With only double figures on the local exchange its never really going to pay BT to upgrade the area to Fibre either, so the chance of that happening are about as likely as me dating a supermodel.
So faced with 0.5mb - 1.0mb from ADSL or 10mb from the local 3 mast, I guess i'm doing what the majority of people here would be doing in the same situation even if they won't admit it, (yes, even the witch hunting Anti Tether Fiefdom).
I often get tired with the usual suspects on here slating those who tether as dragging down the network or being to blame for congestion. There are plenty of complaints on social networking and consumer forums about slow speeds on networks which don't allow tethering or have an extremely limited tethering allowances, so in light of this, I honestly don't think that these changes are going to be the magic cure all, which some people seem to think they are going to be for areas of high congestion or slow speeds.
Despite being pigeon holed as "he tethers he must use 100's gb's a month", I rarely scrape 10gb usage in a month, and yes that also includes handset use. Not every ADSL user is a heavy user, so that must also translate to the fact that not every ADSL mobile substitute user is a heavy user either. But I suppose that logic would kill the shock and awe that some like to create.
What are people getting in terms of download speeds from Three while tethering?
A fairly solid and reliable 10mb down and about 2.3mb upload. One of the benefits of being rural and several miles from a town in an area with green belt land for miles either side is that its unlikely to become congested. Several of us tether (in place of ADSL) in the area, and quite honestly the speeds rarely change.
Never thought of it in regards of a caravan! I'm guessing if reception is terrible you can just move?
What are people getting in terms of download speeds from Three while tethering?
I'm in a fringe area for coverage, slap bang in the middle between several base stations so the speed can sometimes drop. I typically get anything between 6 and 9 meg down, up to 1.5 up. On the odd occasion I also pick up a very weak 4G signal and get up to 15 meg. If it drops lower than this I just toggle flight mode to get a fresh connection.
Im on the 12 month sim one plan but whenever i am indoors, just about anywhere, u get rubbish speeds. Speedtest this morning said 0.3mbs !!!!
The contract is good value for most but whats the point when the speeds are crap
I'm also on The One Plan.
Speeds vary area to area congestion plays a huge part within three's Traffic sense. (Three claim it's only active during 3pm-midnight although traffic sense is operating 24/7)
Every network has optimisation at all times (such as video compression etc...) But traffic sense specifically only applies between 3pm and 12am.
For example. people who are usually affected by trafficsense can do a speed test at 2:59pm and then at 3:01pm and see a difference.
Remember it's a mobile network they have to consisantly manage the network unless everyone would just hammer the network there offering super fast speeds over 3G and many people have 'Unlimited Data' it requires to be managed. TrafficSense is just a software it's running 24/7 it's obviously programmed to throttle P2P at certain times but believe me if a mast gets congested regardless of whatever time of the day TrafficSense will kick in to protect the mast and ensure everyone can use it without killing the mast.
Speeds are throttled between 3pm-midnight that doesn't mean TrafficSense is only operating during them hours.
The policy clearly indicates that protocol P2P is throttled between these hours which is fair enough, and believe me traffic sense hits you hard it also has a policy not written on there but if you hammer the network during peak time your connection get slowed down to 0.2meg for 7 days. (By 'Hammer' I mean use a considerable amount of data during 3pm-midnight) I.E 20+GB
Remember it's a mobile network they have to consisantly manage the network unless everyone would just hammer the network there offering super fast speeds over 3G and many people have 'Unlimited Data' it requires to be managed. TrafficSense is just a software it's running 24/7 it's obviously programmed to throttle P2P at certain times but believe me if a mast gets congested regardless of whatever time of the day TrafficSense will kick in to protect the mast and ensure everyone can use it without killing the mast.
Speeds are throttled between 3pm-midnight that doesn't mean TrafficSense is only operating during them hours.
The policy clearly indicates that protocol P2P is throttled between these hours which is fair enough, and believe me traffic sense hits you hard it also has a policy not written on there but if you hammer the network during peak time your connection get slowed down to 0.2meg for 7 days. (By 'Hammer' I mean use a considerable amount of data during 3pm-midnight) I.E 20+GB
But what I mean is the actual aspects of TrafficSense aren't put into practice until those peak times.
I agree with what you're saying but not that the trafficsense stuff applies to users 24/7 because it doesn't.
Given how slow all the networks can be at times (especially in London) I do think some people forget that everyone is managed to some degree. But TrafficSense is a means to further control so it can weight the service in favour of some people over others.
That's why I think Three could have continued offering unlimited tethering and had management for over a certain amount (such as implemented on other Three networks) so you're speed capped until the following month, or if you buy more data as an add on.
I'm surprised this idea hasn't taken off, leaving only some MVNOs to experiment with it.
But what I mean is the actual aspects of TrafficSense aren't put into practice until those peak times.
I agree with what you're saying but not that the trafficsense stuff applies to users 24/7 because it doesn't.
What do you think caps users to 50meg? TrafficSense if that was the case you would get 50+meg on 4G in a perfect area and outside of peak times, but you can't because TrafficSense is in operation.
The problem is people think 'TrafficSense' is only operational during 3-12pm you're forgetting it's a very sophisticated system it does a lot more than just throttle users. It manages the network whatever time of day it is.
That's why I think Three could have continued offering unlimited tethering and had management for over a certain amount (such as implemented on other Three networks) so you're speed capped until the following month, or if you buy more data as an add on.
What I find interesting is that In the Three traffic sense policy it said that there was <5% of users who consume a substantial amount of data. As that's gone I believe them figures was getting higher and to a 'non-sustainable' level. (Hence why they had to remove it)
Three advertise themselves as the 'Data Built Network' it wouldn't be a 'Big Boned' and other words they use for advertising if they throttle users to hell.
What do you think caps users to 50meg? TrafficSense if that was the case you would get 50+meg on 4G in a perfect area and outside of peak times, but you can't because TrafficSense is in operation.
The problem is people think 'TrafficSense' is only operational during 3-12pm you're forgetting it's a very sophisticated system it does a lot more than just throttle users. It manages the network whatever time of day it is.
I wouldn't class the 50Mbps cap or general network optimisation as traffic sense though.
I guess that's the point i'm trying to get across.
I wouldn't class the 50Mbps cap or general network optimisation as traffic sense though.
I guess that's the point i'm trying to get across.
The 50meg cap is outlined in the Traffic Management policy and as you know the Traffic Management policy is information on how TrafficSense works. As it's on the Traffic Management policy it implies that it's all controlled via TrafficSense. (Unless why would it be on the Traffic Management policy?)
The 50meg cap is outlined in the Traffic Management policy and as you know the Traffic Management policy is information on how TrafficSense works. As it's on the Traffic Management policy it implies that it's all controlled via TrafficSense. (Unless why would it be on the Traffic Management policy?)
Correct.
But what I'm trying to get across is the main actions for traffic sense between 3pm and 12am which are related to throttling P2P, giving a certain amount to tethering users, managing speeds during peak times and ensuring all users get an equal share etc...
the stuff like a 50mb cap is just a standard policy.
Sorry If i'm not explaining this well. But basically when you said trafficsense applies 24/7 I disagree because p2p is managed 24/7 and nor is trafficsense's core actions.
Of course other stuff like the 50mb cap and general network optimisation is 24/7. But the restrictions that trafficsense imposes between 3pm and 12am are not 24/7
But what I'm trying to get across is the main actions for traffic sense between 3pm and 12am which are related to throttling P2P, giving a certain amount to tethering users, managing speeds during peak times and ensuring all users get an equal share etc...
the stuff like a 50mb cap is just a standard policy.
Sorry If i'm not explaining this well. But basically when you said trafficsense applies 24/7 I disagree because p2p is managed 24/7 and nor is trafficsense's core actions.
Of course other stuff like the 50mb cap and general network optimisation is 24/7. But the restrictions that trafficsense imposes between 3pm and 12am are not 24/7
The main action for Traffic Sense its not to throttle P2P during peak time hours it's main purpose is as three state ;-
'TrafficSense™: TrafficSense™ is a system we use to intelligently manage data on our
network to give the best experience possible for the majority of our customers, who should benefit from higher speeds and a smoother internet experience.'
It 'intelligently manage data on our network' It can't do that if it's not running 24/7
I disagree because p2p is managed 24/7 and nor is trafficsense's core actions.
Slight confusion on that sentence traffic sense does NOT throttle P2P 24/7 it's outlined that it throttles speeds during 3pm-midnight.
Believe me Traffic Sense does a lot more than just throttle P2P that's not it's 'Core actions' it's core actions will be more complex
I don't agree with 'But what I'm trying to get across is the main actions for traffic sense between 3pm and 12am which are related to throttling P2P' It's not just P2P it actually states on the three.co.uk/traffic page ;-
'We also optimise video streaming, so that you get a smoother streaming experience, and use less of any data allowances you might have. You shouldn’t notice any difference in video quality.'
Traffic Sense even optimises video streaming aswell as P2P although we all know it does even more than that :-)
I use mobile broadband to Tether because the ADSL offering in our rural area is crap. On a good day it just about squeezes 1mb, most of the time it hovers around 0.5mb - 0.7mb with regular disconnections, its always been the same since 2006 when the exchange was ADSL enabled, we've appealed to local MP's, BT, and various rural broadband compaigns, but non of them have even been able to get the area the 2mb speeds which everybody is 'supposed' to have at the minimum. We aren't the only area to suffer this either, yet BT still want their £15-odd line rental per month, the same price as many pay for a physical connection which is capable of giving them usable ADSL right upto 60mb+ fibre speeds.
With only double figures on the local exchange its never really going to pay BT to upgrade the area to Fibre either, so the chance of that happening are about as likely as me dating a supermodel.
So faced with 0.5mb - 1.0mb from ADSL or 10mb from the local 3 mast, I guess i'm doing what the majority of people here would be doing in the same situation even if they won't admit it, (yes, even the witch hunting Anti Tether Fiefdom).
I often get tired with the usual suspects on here slating those who tether as dragging down the network or being to blame for congestion. There are plenty of complaints on social networking and consumer forums about slow speeds on networks which don't allow tethering or have an extremely limited tethering allowances, so in light of this, I honestly don't think that these changes are going to be the magic cure all, which some people seem to think they are going to be for areas of high congestion or slow speeds.
Despite being pigeon holed as "he tethers he must use 100's gb's a month", I rarely scrape 10gb usage in a month, and yes that also includes handset use. Not every ADSL user is a heavy user, so that must also translate to the fact that not every ADSL mobile substitute user is a heavy user either. But I suppose that logic would kill the shock and awe that some like to create.
The problem with rural lines and even smaller exchanges is they are incredibly un-economical to run. Its only by the virtue of the USO that it gets you a landline and a very disruptive broadband connection. BT probably operates these exchanges and lines at a loss, this obviously shouldn't detract away from the overall goal of faster broadband.
You certainly make a point when everyone else at large does pigeon hole those users who do tether. Whilst you raise a fair point and its valid, I think generally this is more so in congested areas which do typically happen in city areas less more so in rural with fewer people.
To be honest I don't have a problem personally if people tether and they find it faster than their landline broadband. You have a relatively modest usage each month and even then if you used more you would unlikely have that much of a detriment to other users given I assume you live in a lowly populated area?
Traffic Sense isn't designed for people like you as such, its more so those who hammered it for netflix and the like and really do take the biscuit downloading in the hundreds of GB. To be fair the rural areas I frequent when a Three signal does exist it always seems to be DC-HSPA as a minimum rarely affected by congestion or "Traffic Sense".
Its a bit rich I suppose for someone to complain about others hogging network (in rural areas especially), when in reality the congestion is usually typical of urban and suburban areas. Until BT or BDUK partnership delivers faster broadband to you then the rest of us really can't have a go at you for taking advantage of an internet connection that is over 10x faster than your land line.
Gaaaaah! Why didn't I read this thread before. I assumed from the thread title that it was just tethering that was going from AYCE. I thought the old 1 month £12.50 contract had AYCE data (I didn't dream it did I?), would still be available for mobile data.
Seems the choice is now 1GB for £13 on a 1 month rolling contract or £15 PAYG AYCE "extra".
Which for me is less competitive than the EE £10 1GB, since I usually stay within 1GB.
Comments
For me at least, the reasons I have used tethering:
Home internet has been down.
Home internet has been between ISP's.
Wanting to use the internet on my WiFi only tablet while out and about with no WiFi.
Wanting to use the internet on my laptop while out and about with no WiFi.
Using my the internet on my wifi only PS Vita while out and about with no Wifi.
Wanting to use the internet on either of those devices while WiFi is available but my 3G or 4G connection is faster.
Friends not having mobile signal while I have so I have let them tether off my phone.
I use tethering all the time between March - October 30th as I live in my static caravan between those months and I cannot have a land line installed. I tether to my smart TV for Netflix and to my laptop and other devices for general streaming of music, hangouts with the other half and so on. The most I've used in one month is 105gb, although I do typically only use about 40gb a month.
Never thought of it in regards of a caravan! I'm guessing if reception is terrible you can just move?
What are people getting in terms of download speeds from Three while tethering?
I use mobile broadband to Tether because the ADSL offering in our rural area is crap. On a good day it just about squeezes 1mb, most of the time it hovers around 0.5mb - 0.7mb with regular disconnections, its always been the same since 2006 when the exchange was ADSL enabled, we've appealed to local MP's, BT, and various rural broadband compaigns, but non of them have even been able to get the area the 2mb speeds which everybody is 'supposed' to have at the minimum. We aren't the only area to suffer this either, yet BT still want their £15-odd line rental per month, the same price as many pay for a physical connection which is capable of giving them usable ADSL right upto 60mb+ fibre speeds.
With only double figures on the local exchange its never really going to pay BT to upgrade the area to Fibre either, so the chance of that happening are about as likely as me dating a supermodel.
So faced with 0.5mb - 1.0mb from ADSL or 10mb from the local 3 mast, I guess i'm doing what the majority of people here would be doing in the same situation even if they won't admit it, (yes, even the witch hunting Anti Tether Fiefdom).
I often get tired with the usual suspects on here slating those who tether as dragging down the network or being to blame for congestion. There are plenty of complaints on social networking and consumer forums about slow speeds on networks which don't allow tethering or have an extremely limited tethering allowances, so in light of this, I honestly don't think that these changes are going to be the magic cure all, which some people seem to think they are going to be for areas of high congestion or slow speeds.
Despite being pigeon holed as "he tethers he must use 100's gb's a month", I rarely scrape 10gb usage in a month, and yes that also includes handset use. Not every ADSL user is a heavy user, so that must also translate to the fact that not every ADSL mobile substitute user is a heavy user either. But I suppose that logic would kill the shock and awe that some like to create.
A fairly solid and reliable 10mb down and about 2.3mb upload. One of the benefits of being rural and several miles from a town in an area with green belt land for miles either side is that its unlikely to become congested. Several of us tether (in place of ADSL) in the area, and quite honestly the speeds rarely change.
I'm in a fringe area for coverage, slap bang in the middle between several base stations so the speed can sometimes drop. I typically get anything between 6 and 9 meg down, up to 1.5 up. On the odd occasion I also pick up a very weak 4G signal and get up to 15 meg. If it drops lower than this I just toggle flight mode to get a fresh connection.
3.3MB/s max stable speed ;-
Average speedtest in my area in Kingston Upon Hull
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3596919839
The contract is good value for most but whats the point when the speeds are crap
I'm also on The One Plan.
Speeds vary area to area congestion plays a huge part within three's Traffic sense. (Three claim it's only active during 3pm-midnight although traffic sense is operating 24/7)
You sure?
That is most likely congestion.
TrafficSense is only active from 3pm-12am.
I'm certain TrafficSense is running 24/7 It may only seem to impact during specific hours but the software is running 24/7
Every network has optimisation at all times (such as video compression etc...) But traffic sense specifically only applies between 3pm and 12am.
For example. people who are usually affected by trafficsense can do a speed test at 2:59pm and then at 3:01pm and see a difference.
Remember it's a mobile network they have to consisantly manage the network unless everyone would just hammer the network there offering super fast speeds over 3G and many people have 'Unlimited Data' it requires to be managed. TrafficSense is just a software it's running 24/7 it's obviously programmed to throttle P2P at certain times but believe me if a mast gets congested regardless of whatever time of the day TrafficSense will kick in to protect the mast and ensure everyone can use it without killing the mast.
Speeds are throttled between 3pm-midnight that doesn't mean TrafficSense is only operating during them hours.
http://support.three.co.uk/mobiledocs/Support/Signal_and_coverage/our_network/TrafficSense_facts_document.pdf
The policy clearly indicates that protocol P2P is throttled between these hours which is fair enough, and believe me traffic sense hits you hard it also has a policy not written on there but if you hammer the network during peak time your connection get slowed down to 0.2meg for 7 days. (By 'Hammer' I mean use a considerable amount of data during 3pm-midnight) I.E 20+GB
But what I mean is the actual aspects of TrafficSense aren't put into practice until those peak times.
I agree with what you're saying but not that the trafficsense stuff applies to users 24/7 because it doesn't.
That's why I think Three could have continued offering unlimited tethering and had management for over a certain amount (such as implemented on other Three networks) so you're speed capped until the following month, or if you buy more data as an add on.
I'm surprised this idea hasn't taken off, leaving only some MVNOs to experiment with it.
What do you think caps users to 50meg? TrafficSense if that was the case you would get 50+meg on 4G in a perfect area and outside of peak times, but you can't because TrafficSense is in operation.
The problem is people think 'TrafficSense' is only operational during 3-12pm you're forgetting it's a very sophisticated system it does a lot more than just throttle users. It manages the network whatever time of day it is.
What I find interesting is that In the Three traffic sense policy it said that there was <5% of users who consume a substantial amount of data. As that's gone I believe them figures was getting higher and to a 'non-sustainable' level. (Hence why they had to remove it)
Three advertise themselves as the 'Data Built Network' it wouldn't be a 'Big Boned' and other words they use for advertising if they throttle users to hell.
I wouldn't class the 50Mbps cap or general network optimisation as traffic sense though.
I guess that's the point i'm trying to get across.
The 50meg cap is outlined in the Traffic Management policy and as you know the Traffic Management policy is information on how TrafficSense works. As it's on the Traffic Management policy it implies that it's all controlled via TrafficSense. (Unless why would it be on the Traffic Management policy?)
Correct.
But what I'm trying to get across is the main actions for traffic sense between 3pm and 12am which are related to throttling P2P, giving a certain amount to tethering users, managing speeds during peak times and ensuring all users get an equal share etc...
the stuff like a 50mb cap is just a standard policy.
Sorry If i'm not explaining this well. But basically when you said trafficsense applies 24/7 I disagree because p2p is managed 24/7 and nor is trafficsense's core actions.
Of course other stuff like the 50mb cap and general network optimisation is 24/7. But the restrictions that trafficsense imposes between 3pm and 12am are not 24/7
The main action for Traffic Sense its not to throttle P2P during peak time hours it's main purpose is as three state ;-
'TrafficSense™: TrafficSense™ is a system we use to intelligently manage data on our
network to give the best experience possible for the majority of our customers, who should benefit from higher speeds and a smoother internet experience.'
It 'intelligently manage data on our network' It can't do that if it's not running 24/7
Slight confusion on that sentence traffic sense does NOT throttle P2P 24/7 it's outlined that it throttles speeds during 3pm-midnight.
Believe me Traffic Sense does a lot more than just throttle P2P that's not it's 'Core actions' it's core actions will be more complex
I don't agree with 'But what I'm trying to get across is the main actions for traffic sense between 3pm and 12am which are related to throttling P2P' It's not just P2P it actually states on the three.co.uk/traffic page ;-
'We also optimise video streaming, so that you get a smoother streaming experience, and use less of any data allowances you might have. You shouldn’t notice any difference in video quality.'
Traffic Sense even optimises video streaming aswell as P2P although we all know it does even more than that :-)
Meant to say p2p is from 3pm to 12am.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that any severe throttling or severe management of service etc.. is between 3pm and 12am.
Whilst the general traffic management side is 24/7.
If this doesn't make sense just ignore me haha. I'm too tired to form sentences properly.
The problem with rural lines and even smaller exchanges is they are incredibly un-economical to run. Its only by the virtue of the USO that it gets you a landline and a very disruptive broadband connection. BT probably operates these exchanges and lines at a loss, this obviously shouldn't detract away from the overall goal of faster broadband.
You certainly make a point when everyone else at large does pigeon hole those users who do tether. Whilst you raise a fair point and its valid, I think generally this is more so in congested areas which do typically happen in city areas less more so in rural with fewer people.
To be honest I don't have a problem personally if people tether and they find it faster than their landline broadband. You have a relatively modest usage each month and even then if you used more you would unlikely have that much of a detriment to other users given I assume you live in a lowly populated area?
Traffic Sense isn't designed for people like you as such, its more so those who hammered it for netflix and the like and really do take the biscuit downloading in the hundreds of GB. To be fair the rural areas I frequent when a Three signal does exist it always seems to be DC-HSPA as a minimum rarely affected by congestion or "Traffic Sense".
Its a bit rich I suppose for someone to complain about others hogging network (in rural areas especially), when in reality the congestion is usually typical of urban and suburban areas. Until BT or BDUK partnership delivers faster broadband to you then the rest of us really can't have a go at you for taking advantage of an internet connection that is over 10x faster than your land line.
Seems the choice is now 1GB for £13 on a 1 month rolling contract or £15 PAYG AYCE "extra".
Which for me is less competitive than the EE £10 1GB, since I usually stay within 1GB.
Did I miss something?