Telstra set to re-impose broadband limits

Telstra may be about to reimpose its controversial 3GB monthly download limit on BigPond cable customers and charge for excess downloads.

However, users may be offered a choice of higher download plans that could cost up to $300 a month.

That is more than four times higher than the current plan which originally offered unlimited downloads within an 'acceptable usage' policy.

The corporation today confirmed it will make an announcement -before Christmas" on the results of its review of its broadband service but has declined to comment on the possibility of subscribers being offered new download plans.

Earlier this year Big Pond caused an uproar among broadband user groups by announcing that from October it would impose a 3GB download limit on a previously unlimited download plan and charge about 20 cents per megabyte for excess downloads.

Now Australian broadband user site, Whirlpool , claims to have received leaked information from within Telstra indicating BigPond Broadband may be about to introduce new volume based plans.

Whirlpool says the 3GB plan will remain at the same price or possibly less, while higher volume plans with a greater monthly download allowance will cost up to $300 per month.

Whirlpool claims BigPond is intent on charging about 20 cents a megabyte for excess usage.

BigPond corporate affairs manager Stuart Gray said an announcement on the 3GB limit proposal would be made before Christmas.

However, he would not comment on whether BigPond would announce new pricing plans at the same time it made its decision on the 3GB limit public.

BigPond introduced usage meters in July that allowed subscribers to see their monthly download volume and in some cases they were as high as 60GB, which would have resulted in excess usage charges of thousands of dollars a month.

The corporation later told subscribers it would not go ahead with the limit in October and would continue to review the situation. But in an apparent contradiction BigPond told customers that while it was not imposing a download limit anyone who downloaded more than 3GB would be subject to 'unspecified' sanction under the acceptable use policy.

Telstra admitted at the time that online gamers would use more than 3GB a month but said they could use Telstra's Wireplay site free from the data limit.

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Talkback 11 comments

    Im just gonna cross my fingers ...Anonymous -- 17/10/01

    Im just gonna cross my fingers and hope that the $89 per month ADSL plan gets an increased download limit. I am also angry that the Liberal party does not see broadband as important in Australia's future.

    Richard Alston's idiotic remarks of broadband being "a costly waste of time" and is mostly used "by kids playing games" is gonna cost John Howard a lot of votes, including mine.

    Cross your fingers that we get ...Martyn Pot -- 17/10/01

    Cross your fingers that we get some decent competition. Maybe SingTel Optus will come up with the goods.

    Now if the fine voters out there will send Alston on his way maybe we can get the unbundling of the local loops out of the hands of Telstra who clearly have no interest in making broadband affordable or ubiquitous.

    Until the ULL happens, broadband in this country hasn't got a hope. I just find it funny that Telstra reckons we need more Broadband content (and is spending bucketloads of cash on it) in order to increase the uptake of cable and DSL, instead of simply making it more affordable and reliable. What a bunch of monkeys.

    I find it quite disappointing ...Anonymous -- 18/10/01

    I find it quite disappointing that telstra are going back on their word on the freedom plan

    my problem is optus is not available in my area. if it was, telstra would be losing another customer.

    that said my usage varies from between 2.8gb per month and last month was only 700mb. i still think it ridiculous if for whatever reason i need more i have to pay thru the nose for it.

    Telstra is alienating its' bro ...Anonymous -- 18/10/01

    Telstra is alienating its' broadband users in the same way it managed to lose a large proportion of its' voice business.
    It is a measure of the arrogance and incompetence of its' management that it will not listen to customers nor learn from past experience.

    Telstra & Broadband When B ...Anonymous -- 18/10/01

    Telstra & Broadband
    When Bill Gates was here recently for some conference he stated (please do not quote me) in his speech that Australia had a lack of access to broadband services. Now that Telstra and Optus have flatly refused to install any more cable, even in newly contructed estates, the cost of broadband access has to go up. With users who want it can not get it, therefore the cost has to be worn by those that can.
    When the price goes up, people drop off the service because they can't afford it, Telco's then say that they have to increase prices because no one is using the service.
    Alston doesn't have a clue, not sure a change of Government will fix that, but whoever wins the election needs to place people with knowledge in these positions, so that informed decisions can be made.
    Telstra proved that they were money hungry when LUCASFILMS were filming Episode II at Fox Studios asked for a quote to place Broadband access between Fox Studios, Sydney and Skywalker Ranch, California. The result was that LUCASFILM saved money by placing the days digital filming in a courier bag, sending it to California and having the team work on it. They lost time as this process took about 2 - 3 days.

    WAKE UP TELSTRA

    What amazes me is that even wi ...Anonymous -- 18/10/01

    What amazes me is that even with these caps in place BPA can't manage a decent service! Last month I had outages (oops sorry, it can only be called an 'outage' when BPA recognizes it) for 12 days running, each lasting at least one hour. I had email bouncing back after the mail servers got blacklisted worldwide, and I struggled to run my (US based) websites at dialup speeds after the severance of the underwater pipe (again).
    However, despite reducing my capacity, capping my download speeds, and giving me a modem that can burn the house down, BPA's service is just stellar!
    I wouldn't recommend cable with any Australian provider to anyone in the current climate. I WOULD however, encourage all equally disgruntled BPA users to make their opinions know, via and official complaint. If we can all spare the 20 minutes on hold to get through, maybe they'll sit up and take notice.

    The dickheads at (T)Helstra ca ...Keith Styles -- 18/10/01

    The dickheads at (T)Helstra can't do simple arithmetic. 100% of nothing is Zero. Alienate enuf users and they will have nothing left. So they increase charges and guess what! users drop off! Surprising isn't it! Theyv'e been doing this for years and haven't learnt a bloody thing.

    It's known as a "MONOPOLY ...Anonymous -- 19/10/01

    It's known as a "MONOPOLY". I live in an area where the telephone lines are so bad, using a dial-up modem is torture.. and Telstra is the ONLY Cable provider.. what choice do I have.. Of course I still have to keep my tortuous dial up connection paid for too.. for when the cable is down!!! What crap is this.. Bet the yanks wouldn't put up with it!!

    Telstra prevents infrastructur ...Customer Abuse -- 19/10/01

    Telstra prevents infrastructure development.

    The amazing thing is that even though only 49% of our public property had been sold off, it appears that the 49% control Telstra.

    Telstra's mission was to develop infrastructure but it seems like Telstra is not only dragging its feet developing infrastructure, they use their monopoly position to prevent anyone else form developing it.

    The reason for this is simple, Telstra wrongly believes that broadband will canibalise their existing revenue streams.

    Richard Alston will get a kick in the pants come next elections, (at least form one voter).

    Hello Martyn G Lowe -- 15/08/05

    I know this is a long shot but I'm trying to track down Martyn Pot. Lived in UK & went to Soton Uni. Ref Square Balloon days. Ring any bells? Last I heard workin in IT in Australia. Make contact. G

    Broadband in Australia is way out when compare with other countries Anonymous -- 26/02/09 (in reply to #120120126)

    Some asian countries alreay have cable broadband on unlimited download and upload plan for only about 1500 a year

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