[sethpet]

Chatting to a friend today who lives in london, he has just signed up to the £15 one plan from three. Not to use as a phone but as his home BB in a phone setup to wifi hot spot in his flat.

With 4G coming and DCHSPA he recons he will get similar speeds to his BT connection but £25 a month cheaper.

[Kierankay]

Nope I don't think it will force home broadband companies to reduce their prices, if anything it will force the network operators to charge more for unlimited tariffs or even get rid of them completely, that is if more people start to think like your friend.

[SkyPlatinum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

Chatting to a friend today who lives in london, he has just signed up to the £15 one plan from three. Not to use as a phone but as his home BB in a phone setup to wifi hot spot in his flat.

With 4G coming and DCHSPA he recons he will get similar speeds to his BT connection but £25 a month cheaper.

This kind of abuse will cause three to stop unlimited 4G. The clue is in the name "mobile" broadband. It's not meant to replace residential broadband. Crazy post.

[sethpet]

Why crazy..

I'd be doing the exact same if we could get a three signal like that at home.

[wavejockglw]

No because radio has far less bandwidth than fixed line services. For the foreseeable future fixed line will be cheaper to deliver than mobile data especially with FTTC and FTTP technology being rolled out.

[iangrad]

I have not had a land line for many years . But I have had various 3g data services plugged into a router these have worked OK ( ish ) but when EE 4g came out i went with there service and its fantastic . So much so I have ditched my Voda contract ( never much good for data round hear ( OK if you were in city centers ) and gone for a LG g2 and 10gb result is its cheaper than 2 contracts and the speed and the reliability of the 4g signal is a revelation . Vastly faster than my pals fixed line services .

[bigpete15]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

This kind of abuse will cause three to stop unlimited 4G. The clue is in the name "mobile" broadband. It's not meant to replace residential broadband. Crazy post.

I'm in agreement with you on this, I can see traffic sense coming into use much more as many people really start to abuse tethering on an 'all you can eat' smartphone tariff.

[gold fire 201]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

Chatting to a friend today who lives in london, he has just signed up to the £15 one plan from three. Not to use as a phone but as his home BB in a phone setup to wifi hot spot in his flat.

With 4G coming and DCHSPA he recons he will get similar speeds to his BT connection but £25 a month cheaper.

Mobile broadband is that mobile not meant for downloading a mass amount of data which is what a typical home connection consumes.If he is just using it for browsing streaming etc then get a mobile broadband data package.

[qasdfdsaq]

It might influence prices at the low end, for small, limited bandwidth packages only. For light users mobile broadband is a perfectly feasible replacement for the £15+ a month phone line plus additional whatever cost for xDSL service. There simply isn't enough bandwidth to go round for heavy users on mobile though.

For, say, 10GB usage, BT charges £15.45 line rental plus £10 a month for broadband, whereas 3 provide 15GB mobile broadband for £15.99 on a comparable contract.

On the other hand FTTC provides 17Mhz (soon to be upgraded to 30Mhz) spectrum for every single individual user, whereas 3 only has 30Mhz on 3G and even less - 20Mhz - on LTE to go between every user on a sector.

[wavejockglw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

On the other hand FTTC provides 17Mhz (soon to be upgraded to 30Mhz) spectrum for every single individual user, whereas 3 only has 30Mhz on 3G and even less - 20Mhz - on LTE to go between every user on a sector.

Indeed, as consumers require more data the fixed line especially fibre offers the most cost effective way to deliver HD video and the type of bandwidth hungry services that customers now want on demand.

Mobile networks may be able to provide streaming on demand to commuters and to those on handsets but they simply don't have the capacity to deliver what fixed line fibre networks can so they will not replace BT, Virgin, Sky, EE, PlusNet etc anytime soon.

Mobile networks can offer a viable service for travellers etc but if the limited bandwidth is taken up by heavy domestic users it will become slow and of little usable value. That is why most networks have usage limits to encourage customers to be efficient using their mobile data.

[qasdfdsaq]

While I agree they'll never have similar capacity, I don't think it's necessary to be mobile to benefit from broadband over a mobile network. I've got a few customers who are "light" users with mobile broadband sticks hooked into desktop computes who get on just fine - even without DC-HSDPA getting faster speeds than BT provide in their non-FTTC cul-de-sac.

After all, some networks (i.e. EE) are now offering fixed home broadband over 4G LTE, with a fixed usage cap. While they have far more spectrum than 3, and the maximum 50GB cap is still "light" by home user standards, not everyone needs "unlimited" or massive data allowances even on a home broadband connection, there's a certain market for light or temporary users where mobile has distinct advantages.

The average usage figures for home broadband are a bit skewed and belie the fact that there is a sizable minority of users who use less than a gigabyte a month, for whom even pay-per-minute dialup would still be a viable option if it delivered reasonable speeds.

P.S. Happy new year wavejock

[sethpet]

The individual certainly is not a low user.

Does a lot of online gaming via xbox and ppc.also I heavy user of torrents.

[dephanix02]

If anything, I believe mobile data usage will surpass broadband usage sooner than we think.

[prking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

The individual certainly is not a low user.

Does a lot of online gaming via xbox and ppc.also I heavy user of torrents.

In that case, I think that individual is going to be disappointed. Performance of the connection is not just about speed, you know.

[SkyPlatinum]

As soon as three has a large enough market share the unlimited data will disappear anyway. Not sustainable

[corf]

Threes mobile network will have significantly more latency and jitter than a fixed line connection, it'll be gaming that suffers .

[omnidirectional]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

The individual certainly is not a low user.

Does a lot of online gaming via xbox and ppc.also I heavy user of torrents.

Presumably the individual is aware of this: http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-...Case=obj(4046) heavy users of filesharing services may be left disappointed.

I use 3's OnePlan instead of ADSL now, as I was stuck with a 1.2MB ADSL connection which could barely play a YouTube video without buffering, and there's no hope of fibre until Summer 2015 (and that's a maybe). I now get speeds of over 20Mbps much of the time so it's opened up a new world for me online. I can watch HD videos and download a track in seconds! That's all very new and impressive to me after being stuck with poor ADSL for so long.

However I don't use torrents so haven't been affected by the TrafficSense policy.

[qasdfdsaq]

TrafficSense can affect tethering regardless of torrents.

[SkyPlatinum]

What some customers of three don't seen to realise who abuse the unlimited data is that three uk are relying on the majority not to use their mobile network as a replacement for home broadband. Be in no doubt if a greater percentage then 10 percent of three's mobile customers were using their network for downloading torrents, gaming etc . The network simply couldn't cope, three are gambling that the vast majority of customers won't do this . If this changes the unlimited data would be simply withdrawn

[SkyPlatinum]

What some customers of three don't seen to realise who abuse the unlimited data is that three uk are relying on the majority not to use their mobile network as a replacement for home broadband. Be in no doubt if a greater percentage then 10 percent of three's mobile customers were using their network for downloading torrents, gaming etc . The network simply couldn't cope, three are gambling that the vast majority of customers won't do this . If this changes the unlimited data would be simply withdrawn

[wavejockglw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

What some customers of three don't seen to realise who abuse the unlimited data is that three uk are relying on the majority not to use their mobile network as a replacement for home broadband. Be in no doubt if a greater percentage then 10 percent of three's mobile customers were using their network for downloading torrents, gaming etc . The network simply couldn't cope, three are gambling that the vast majority of customers won't do this . If this changes the unlimited data would be simply withdrawn

I kind of agree with this but would argue that customers buying 3's AYCE data especially on the One Plan cannot be accused of 'abusing' the unlimited proposition. People are simply using what they have been sold and many have and will choose 3's mobile network as an alternative to fixed line services, especially students and others who are living in places that are semi-permanent. Most buying smartphones or data dongles have no idea about the technology and have to trust the marketing pitch that is made to them. Unlimited data is a powerful proposition and is a gamble however the uptake value may be worthwhile and the rewards may be enough even if a number of grumblers have to be refunded or released from contracts. As the UK's smallest and newest network 3 need to have a USP and I expect AYCE data to be crucial for them for some time to come, network congested or not. In the Irish Republic 3 have gone a stage further with unlimited calls, texts and data on their top tier tariffs. That is a hard proposition to beat as they have covered all of a persons communication needs with one single payment per month. I expect it won't be long before that deal is replicated here.

[qasdfdsaq]

Have to agree there, I used to see a similar argument played out many times over at a fixed-line ISP's forum.

There've been plenty of debates over acceptable use of the word "unlimited" and most people these days find that any ISP that advertises a service as "unlimited" then punishes or disconnects people for using it as such is unacceptable. Hence calling someone abusive for using an unlimited service as unlimited, whether they use 2GB a month or 2TB is really just as bad, it's not their fault it was sold as "unlimited".

And with all these weasel words people are using these days to avoid using the actual word "unlimited" while conveying the same meaning, can you blame the general public for being confused? "All you can eat" "Download as much as you like" "Always browse and email" "No usage limit"

[SkyPlatinum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavejockglw

I kind of agree with this but would argue that customers buying 3's AYCE data especially on the One Plan cannot be accused of 'abusing' the unlimited proposition. People are simply using what they have been sold and many have and will choose 3's mobile network as an alternative to fixed line services, especially students and others who are living in places that are semi-permanent. Most buying smartphones or data dongles have no idea about the technology and have to trust the marketing pitch that is made to them. Unlimited data is a powerful proposition and is a gamble however the uptake value may be worthwhile and the rewards may be enough even if a number of grumblers have to be refunded or released from contracts. As the UK's smallest and newest network 3 need to have a USP and I expect AYCE data to be crucial for them for some time to come, network congested or not. In the Irish Republic 3 have gone a stage further with unlimited calls, texts and data on their top tier tariffs. That is a hard proposition to beat as they have covered all of a persons communication needs with one single payment per month. I expect it won't be long before that deal is replicated here.

WaveJ. Pretty sure that 3ie has FUP and isn't truly unlimited. I take your point, I don't blame people for abusing three. I blame three for allowing them to do it. My only point is that if the majority of customers use three as a landline broadband replacement, then their network won't cope.

[wavejockglw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

My only point is that if the majority of customers use three as a landline broadband replacement, then their network won't cope.

Agreed 100% but it's their gamble! They could make short term gains and loose out when capacity issues produce discontent. Hence the focus now on 'Trafficsense' and there is a provision within 3's T+Cs for them to "publish policies which provide more details about the rules for use of certain Three Services in order to ensure that use of Three Services is not excessive" [...]

http://www.three.co.uk/ThreePortal/S...&ssbinary=true

There is also this clause in the T+Cs that provides a capping facility if needed. "6.5 You must not use Three Services, the SIM or Three phone number or allow anyone else to use Three Services, the SIM or Three phone number for illegal or improper uses. For example: (d) to download, send or upload content of an excessive size, quantity or frequency. We will contact you if your use is excessive;"

So 3 have ensured they are covered and have some protection from excessive usage even on the One Plan. It remains to be seen if they need to use these terms in some cases.

[qasdfdsaq]

If the majority of BT or Virgin Media fibre customers used their broadband for torrenting 20TB a month their network couldn't cope either.

All consumer internet providers "gamble" on the basis customers won't cane their connection 24/7/365, that gamble is the fundamental basis of contended service that allow them to be this cheap to begin with. You just have to provide enough service for most people to use the connection the way they want to most of the time.