Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
"Gamer's Broadband"
WorstGamer
Member Posts: 10
So, ladies and gents, I've just been offered to test this "Gamer's Broadband" thing by a friend in a service provider company. Their service provider is pretty much only used by businesses, so they're slow as hell during the day but completely empty during the night time.
Now, I'm just wondering if I should go through with it. I'd have to drop the service provider I have at the minute and I wouldn't be able to use my connection during the day without paying for "peak hour top ups" (however much they might cost) which is useful because I'm not in like 90% of the time during the day and it's hardly like I get decent download speeds during then anyhow.
Here're the facts about it I've been sent:-
£12.50 (roughly $20) per month on a 24 month contract (works out to £300 total). They've said they're considering lowering it to a 12 month contract, though.
Broadband useable between 6PM and 8AM on weekdays and all weekend. Unaccessible between 8AM and 6PM on weekdays without paying for peak time "top ups".
Unlimited download limits. No fair usage policy apparently.
No throttling (dear lord, thank you), so no 7PM slowdown.
Prioritised traffic on their backhaul. ( I have no idea what this means, can anyone tell me? >: )
Free 10GB of peak-time (that's between 8AM and 6PM) bandwidth on purchasing the service.
The peak-time bandwidth rolls over from month to month, apparently.
8mb/15mb download speeds depending on whether you're an area with an ADSL2+ circuit. ( Again, not a clue, it's apparently not available in every area, though. )
Static IP range on request.
Wireless router on request.
Would anyone else get this done? I'm really not sure what to think about it. What do you all think?
"He's just sort of crap."
Comments
It's a good deal if it works for your schedule. What's the deal on weekends?
This wouldnt' work for me, because I like to check my email in the mornings, I might have a day off and want to play games, and things like that.
So the "top up" charges could easily double the price. It needs a more generous during the weekday access, like a free 10gigs each month, or something so you don't get nickled and dimed for just wanting to grab one song, check your email, find a movie listing, etc., during the weekdays.
But if you leave the house early, dont' get home or don't need to use the net till after 6, and weekends are free, sure. Sounds good.
I wouldn't. Here's why:
"Unaccessible between 8AM and 6PM on weekdays without paying for peak time "top ups"."
and then this:
"Free 10GB of peak-time (that's between 8AM and 6PM) bandwidth on purchasing the service. The peak-time bandwidth rolls over from month to month, apparently."
If my only other option was dial-up then yeah I might consider it. If it seems fine with your schedule then I'd say read all of the fine print and then make an assessment. It sounds a little too risky to me. 10 GB a month can go quick, depending on what your habits are. I couldn't do it.
Unlimited access all weekend, AFAIK.
I don't think it'd cause that much trouble for checking emails, would it?
"He's just sort of crap."
I am on a 100Mbit Fiber connection so I would go back to less. I do know this aint the norm and am paying pretty much 4.2 times as much, tho it includes digital HD tv and home-phone.
Also how about week day's off, holiday's and such, wouldn't it be rough to have a day off and not be able to use it?
A few thoughts.
Since they are a service provider are you behind a firewall or outside of it? Being behind a inspection firewall could cause issues with some games. Just because you have a public IP address doesn’t mean you are not behind a firewall.
Think of Prioritized traffic like a HOV lane for people who sign up for the package. It’s the same highway but a dedicated lane just for you plus if the rest of the highway isn’t busy you can always just move over into one of those lanes. That’s not a perfect analogy but it mostly works.
10GB doesn’t seem that bad for once in awhile usage. Sure you might want to avoid downloading new games, watching movies (i.e. Netlix) or downloading Bit Torrent but 10GB would go a long ways just playing games and if it rolls over then you can bank up for vacations and such.
It sounds like the only limits are your DSL speed limits and any congestion they might have. If they are a larger Service Provider then they probably have a decent amount of excess bandwidth after 6pm hence why they are looking for a new way to utilize it. It could be a great deal as long as they don’t oversell it.
All and all it’s a interesting idea. I would be tempted to do it if offered in my area. My only concern is that if I ended up changing job schedules or being unemployed for awhile it could cause conflict issues with playing time.
Whats this with times and stuff? Is it american?
I have 50MB DL and 35MB UL and thats it, no times and limits or whatever. I download films 24/7
As in all things I pay for, if I cannot use it any time I want any way I want, then it is not worth paying for.
The "deal" you describe there is no different than a "nights and weekends" package on a cell phone. '
I went with a cell phone provider that charges one flat fee for unlimited calling, web, and text.
Same with my internet. I pay $114 a month for the full HD cable package, home phone with unlimited calling and free long distance, and 15mb/s broadband (the only drawback is I have a 250gb a month cap).
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
he is quoting pounds so i assume he is in the UK.
Fastest speed i think is 50mb cable from virgin media which cost £30 however the 20mb speed is £20 .I use the 20mb and even on peak hours i have never gone below 18mb
I... Honestly don't know most of this. =p Is there any way to check?
eyeswideopen: That's pretty expensive. >: You have a point, though.
psyknx: Definitely English. =p
"He's just sort of crap."
I live in the north west of england and have virgin media 20gb connection, if you can get acess to virgin media I would suggest taking it. They do a 10m unlimited connection and a 20m unlimited connection which are both subject to different types of throttling at certain times of the day, to be honest though i download at 3.8 mbps at all different times and the connection is split between three computers.
The 50m unlimited connection has no throttling, so if you can get cable in your area, then this is a fantastic option in my opinion. You can then also throw ontop HDtv box and a phone plan.
In my opinion anything with download limits or limited access gets thrown right back. I hate to be told when I can game, and knowing the way I work, the moment I know I cant, I want to.
Hah, you live about twenty minutes away from me. =p
Are you sure it's throttleless?
"He's just sort of crap."
Bump! Any more advice, guys?
"He's just sort of crap."
Last bump, methinks.
"He's just sort of crap."