Ridiculously Low Bandwidth Cap
UPDATED 7/17/09. –> Official Bandwidth cap information.
Back in October, I got a grim letter from my ISP, PenTeleData. The letter warned me that I used an excessive amount of bandwidth that month and my account would be suspended for 30 days if it happens two more times. I promptly put my Google-fu to use. Apparently, PTD has a bandwidth cap hidden in its Acceptable Use Policy.
PenTeleData and your broadband service provider offer multiple tiers of high speed Internet access with different speeds and bandwidth usage limitations (not all packages are available in all areas). Customer acknowledges that any quoted bandwidth rating/transfer rate for broadband Internet Service is a maximum rate and are not guaranteed. PenTeleData and your broadband Internet provider reserve the right to manage its networks to provide for maximum efficiency. As a user, you must ensure that your activities do not improperly restrict, inhibit, or degrade any other user’s use of the service or PenTeleData’s ability to deliver and monitor the service, or our network resources and do not represent (in the sole judgment of PenTeleData) an unusually large burden on the network itself. Users found to be (in PenTeleData’s sole judgment) in violation of this policy may have their accounts terminated, suspended, or upgraded to a higher level of service, subject to the appropriate fees. PenTeleData will use reasonable efforts to notify a customer prior to service termination for excessive bandwidth use.
So the bandwidth cap is… whatever PTD feels like? My friend Moose has already passed this cap 3 times. One more time and he will be effectively banned from the internet thanks to the monopoly PenTeleData has in our area. Hopefully nobody will have to suffer that fate. Many other customers have also felt the burden of PTD’s bandwidth cap. Judging from the forums, the cap ranges from 50 gb to 80 gb. That might seem unreachable to most users, but I’m Peng. I live on the internet. My parents’ new hobby of watching streaming television on the internet doesn’t help either. In other words, PTD sucks.
That said, I’ve been pretty good with the bandwidth usage lately. With the help of Tomato firmware for my DD-WRTGL router, I can closely monitor my bandwidth usage with pretty graph. If you are in the same situation as me, I highly recommend installing Tomato. The whole process takes about 2 minutes with this Lifehacker guide. (Turn Your $60 Router into a User-Friendly Super-Router with Tomato)
Now I’m hungry. Hungry for truth. What is the real bandwidth cap? That’s exactly what I’m going trying to find out.
Attempt #1
I called their PA toll free number and pressed 0 to reach an operator.
Beeeeeep…Dead tone. Ok, I’ll try again.
Dead tone again.
Again.
You’d think a telecom company would be able to have working phone lines.
One more time, yay waiting music.
2 minutes later
I asked a lady about the bandwidth cap and quickly got transferred to the internet department.
The internet department lady then transferred me to a technician.
This is what I got.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
to be continued…
What I know so far (from comments and experience)
- Bandwidth cap is 50 gb downstream or higher. If you’ve gone higher without penalty, let me know.
- Suspension requires 3 consecutive bandwidth violations. (not 100% sure)
- Visit http://24.229.18.60/ to check your bandwidth usage.
- File a complaint with the FTC, FCC, or BBB. They may help you remove your cap if you drop the complaint.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I worked for one of the larger telecommunications companies in the US for about 7 1/2 years. (that was about 2 years ago)
Wanna know a secret?
File a complaint. Simple as that. Don’t file it with PenTeleData, that won’t do you any good.
File a complaint with the FTC. File a complaint with the BBB. File a complaint with the FCC.
Simply state your case, complain that PenTeleData won’t tell you what the cap is, and that they are threatening you with disconnection. You can file all of these complaints online.
You’ll be talking to an executive within 72 hours. If you’re polite, but firm, there’s a good chance they’ll agree to remove your cap to get you to agree to drop the complaint.
I had a problem with AT&T about 8 months ago. I ordered their DSL, which never quite worked right. I was smart enough to keep my TimeWarner RoadRunner high speed until the AT&T system was setup correctly. I argued with technicians for about 3 weeks, at which point I canceled their service and returned the equipment. I called AT&T told them I was canceling and that I wasn’t going to pay for a service that never worked.
After much arguing, lots and lots of bills, and being given the run around more times than I can count, I finally gave up and filed the above complaints. Within 24 hours, an exec called me, apologized for my problems, and credited my account for $50 MORE than it said I owed them. A week later, I got a check in the mail from AT&T for the extra $50 credited to my account.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Thanks for your suggestion. I will try that and update with the results.
February 17th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Hello Ms. ———,
The package you purchased from CATV is their 5 meg package. This allows a 65 gig download and 65 gigs upload. The notice for January is – 84.40 gigs down & 2.45 gigs up. The highest residential package available to you is the 7 meg package and that has limits of 80 gigs/ 80 gigs.
I have included additional data in hopes of helping you to understand your package and policies.
Please feel free to contact us with further questions.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Just curious to see who the package is thorugh. I have Blue Ridge, which is actually PTD, and they did tell me the limit when I called and asked about it directly. With that stated I absolutely do not agree with the way they do business. Put a cap either on speed or usage, not both. Fortunately I have not run into this issue yet. I’ll immediately jump ship for DSL if they try this with me, and I will make sure, like you are, that people know about it. In today’s day and age it is insane that people cannot use what technology is available simply because of a monopoly. We are way behind Euorpe when it comes to bandwith. They are not using the profits to upgrade, they are more concerned with monitoring and restricting what you can do with the service you already pay for.
Technically speaking “As a user, you must ensure that your activities do not improperly restrict, inhibit, or degrade any other user’s use of the service” means that if there are too many people on, and you decide to use the internet, you would be restricting or degrading another user’s service.
March 6th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
What a joke. I moved here to NE, PA and there is no FIOS or any other option for internet connection other than PTD. I was seriously injured in an auto accident and have been out of work recovering. There is little else to do other than use the internet. I’ve been trying to relieve some pain and boredom by watching old TV shows on Hulu. I also received a snide sounding letter of threat by PTD that I my account is “exceeding bandwidth policy”.
The copy of their bandwidth policy says: “Users found to be (in PenTeleData’s sole judgment) in violation of this policy may have their accounts terminated, suspended, or upgraded to a higher level of service, subject to the appropriate fees. PenTeleData will use reasonable efforts to notify a customer prior to service termination for excessive bandwidth use.”
Further review of PTD’s contract indicates that they can monitor my (or any user at any time) activity, websites visited, scan e mails, etc., etc.
I paid a good amount to have this connected, a high monthly fee only to be told that I’m suing it too much! And if continue, I’ll be charged for it! Following the same logic- In the previous year, when I hardly used it at all, I should have received a refund. No one EVER told me, when they sold me this service that I was limited to how much I could use it.
March 7th, 2009 at 8:57 am
If you have PTD, you don’t need Tomato or anything else. You can log onto their website and view your usage. I just cant seem to find out exactly what my limit is. What’s next, will they tell me I’m watching too much TV? Will Kitchen Aid call and tell me I’m using my oven too much?
March 7th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I didn’t really trust PTD’s statistics so I installed Tomato. With Tomato, I can see exactly what is using so much bandwidth and make sure nobody is stealing my wifi. Plus it’s nice to see my bandwidth stats whenever I want.
Here’s what I know about the cap so far. It’s fine to go up to 50 GB download. I’ve gone over 60 GB total (upstream and downstream). I don’t want to try going any higher.
My friend also says that you must get 3 penalties in a row to be suspended. Therefore, you can pass the cap four times with one good month in between and not get suspended.
If you find out more information, us know! :)
March 26th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Got my 2nd notice from ptd, never had usage over 45 gigs down a month for the last 3 months. Never checked usage when i got the first letter. decided to drop them because that is BS. Verizon dsl in my area is only 3megs, but difference is not that noticable compared to the 5mgs I got with cable. Hopefully 7meg or fios will come before to long. I wouldnt have minded as much if PTD was up front with their caps, but the it seems that all they say is that they are whatever they feel like. Luckily I have another choice in my area
March 28th, 2009 at 10:09 am
In October of 2008, I’ve done 100GBs down and 40GBs up, and in December of 08 I’ve done 70GBs down and 30GBs up… the rest of my months range from 40-60 down with 15-20 up, and I’ve yet to get a notice from ptd. Maybe they have different caps for different areas or something.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:13 am
That’s the problem with the unknown bandwidth cap. They can choose to mail you whenever they feel like it.
April 24th, 2009 at 6:07 am
This is quite a up-to-date information. I think I’ll share it on Digg.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:01 am
I was a loyal service electric high speed internet user for many years. I got the same run around and nasty letters. The last letter gave a cut off date for internet services so I called and was told the only alternative is a commercial account. Luckily my area has another cable provider that has told me they have no cap. I called Service Electric and canceled service after expressing disbelief that they would let a loyal customer like me go without comment. I have a large family with multiple users, but 60GB per month is completely unrealistic nowadays
July 14th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I had recently switched from a bundle deal with verizon and directtv. I had verizons 3meg dsl as that was the fastest they offer in my area. Last year Blueridge let me know they ran all new lines and they had alot they could offer me. I really wanted a faster internet speed as we like to watch streaming netflix movies via xbox360. I spoke to many people within blueridge before making the decision to switch to blue ridge. I was told the internet speed they offered had limits and I decided to get the G10 a 10meg line as it offered 80gigs download a month. It took several month before I could get service as they had to run the lines under my asphalt driveway and the ground was to cold. I felt Blueridge went out of there way to give me service and I was very happy. Well I was happy until my second month of service and I get a letter and email stating excessive bandwidth ussage. I never went over my 80gig limit actually not even close. I used 44 gigs! I spoke to the nice lady from customer service and she informed me the G10 is now only 40gig a month and the G15 is 50 GIG! I have since had several emails with ptd. I asked them why they can’t specifically state limits in the policy’s. I get a runaround with anything I ask. At this point I have had several emails with ptd. I have since filed a complaint with the BBB and am switching servies back to verizon.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
You guys are a bunch of complainers.
im a tech for PTD.
fuck all use
December 11th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Hey Complainers ( yeah the PTD Tech ) ;
Consider yourself lucky that you have a job , I have a suggestion for you , go and do the work and do it right because that is why WE pay YOU for !!!!
December 30th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Shows how intelligent PTD Tech are..
They don’t even know correct grammar.
An average game demo is 1-2g . Average movie around a G when streamed….
Ok so lets say i have 5 people in my house. 3 teenagers . We have Netflix for 360 , and pc. And i am constantly downloading new demos… We can hit 50g in about 2 weeks with ease…
Its horseshit that i need to limit my movies i want to watch and shit because PTD Says so.. Im paying for Internet, and unlimited movies. And im being told i can only do so much a month?
Im a tech for cisco..
PTD. Fuck you.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
After the news of prolog changing their bandwidth caps with the implementation of peak and off peak hours , I decided to give DSL a try . I have had DSL now for a week , I have compared both and I am happy to report that DSL is doing MUCH BETTER than prolog was. I have no restrictions , no times to use anything and I pay less too.
I had great pleasure to call them this morning and cancel the service , they asked why I was canceling and I told them clearly. Now I was in the middle of a contract with them but since THEY were the ones who made changes to my service , THEY voided the contract so I was told they would not charge me a termination fee.
I am extremely happy with verizon DSL , hey prolog…..no more monopoly here , you have competition !!!
January 16th, 2010 at 10:00 am
PTD needs a HARD slap; SOMEONE will come in here and when there is competition – PTD will be left in DROVES. I have friends who returned to DIAL UP rather than put up with the garbage that PTD metes out.
Another thing, don’t let them get away with telling you that Blue Ridge is ANOTHER COMPANY. Technically, they might be registered as such – but they are one and the same.
Don’t bother complaining to PTD. Head straight for the FTC and let them know what is going on. If enough of us do so, they will force PTD to supply enough bandwidth in the reasonable range. They could also force PTD to allow other companies to be able to “rent” PTD’s facilities in order to break the monopoly. Enough is enough; the bottom line is PTD out sold its capacity to provide reasonable caps. Has anyone else heard of a company with NO unlimited policy; not even for commercial customers?????? LMAO. They have only considered NETFLIX as “downloading” since Blue Ridge and Blockbuster have made a deal for pay per view. They want your money to go to them; not Netflix.
I, for one, will not let them keep making a sucker out of me; I hope enough people have had enough with this tyranny (THEY decide what is over-use – it is not necessarily always a number!!!)
Remember people, the FTC. I will post the link when I make my own complaint. Also, a trip to the state senator’s office would help, too.
February 7th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
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February 28th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I too was sent one of these letters for “excessive” bandwidth usage. I’d have roadrunner and optimum online before (where i used to live) and never ever had a problem. The service was cheaper too. I have been trying to stay below their caps but if I do stream videos from netflix and do online game quite a bit. If i go over and receive another letter I WILL be going to the FCC, FTC, and BBB. (Pike County, PA)
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March 25th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
I’m a Internet User. PTD techs all over paid Cunnerman Pieces of shit grandfathered into a life of sitting around counting sheep to fuck at the end of there shift. The Whole cap thing has been there for years. It’s just there way of bulling people into not using there bandwidth so they squeeze even more money from the public and kick out those who have a use for Broadband. One of the most expensive services out there offering nothing but headaches to the end user. Do yourselves a favor, Order one internet only remove broadcast trap. pay thirty dollars a month and live without all the other bullshit. A Company Like BRC needs to be minimized. Besides 27% of your crap on TV is streamed anyway. Just keep sending letters to effects of your bandwidth to FCC, FTC, and BBB, even if don’t have issues :-) Complain People, keep going, at some point they will give up. Oh, Call your car insurance and tell them you want a lower rate as well. Minimize!!!!!!!
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June 29th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
I’ve been using Blue Ridge/Penteledata since moving to PA about 2 years ago. I’m on their 15/2 plan and received two letters about abusing their network. I tried looking everywhere for these caps but its always worded that its at their own discretion on who is abusing the network. Seems pretty ridiculous.
After the 2nd letter I called Blue Ridge, this is about a year ago, and was told the 15/2 plan has a 80GB down and 45GB up limit per month. The lower speed plans have lower data caps. I use their graph to check my usage and have Tomato on my linksys router as well. I find myself having to not download anything at all for the last 2 weeks of each month to stay under 80Gb. As others stated theres so many services that consume bandwidth. Streaming media from Hulu and Netflix, having DirecTV I have to download any PPV movies and On Demand. 1080p encoded HD movies can be over 8GB EACH. Some games on Steam can be 15GB’s+. Since I dont subscribe to cable I’m paying $68/month for the 15/2 plan! For over $70/month with taxes/fees I should be able to download more than 8 1080p movies per month without being accused of abusing their network.
And this is what I despise about them being so secretive with these caps. I now see when you look up usage online they have peak and offpeak hours. Now I want to call them again and see how this effects the data cap. Is it unlimited during offpeak hours? Who knows. What I find funny is in Pike County everything is so spread out. How a large company like PenTeleData cant properly service a country area like this and claim over 80GBs per month would stress their network is laughable.
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August 21st, 2010 at 11:46 am
I signed up for PTD’s through Service Electric (well, some 3rd party reselling the package or something) some 6 or more years ago. Several years later I found the company my bills go to every month has nothing more then a postal address. Their website was modified and has no contact information or details on packages, and simply reads “under construction”. I called PTD to find out why i was being overly billed for a package that no longer exists, and was given a DEAL LAND LINE to the company I’m paying. PTD explained that while they can monitor my bandwidth usage, they don’t know the details of my package. I was told it’s either 60 or 80GB/month down. So I’m being over billed, I have slow connection, and I’m being told by the company that shows up on my phones caller ID (when I’ve exceeded my bandwidth limit) that they don’t even know what it is anymore until I go over it again.
Only dial-up is available in my area, I’m not quite there yet. I am however tempted to strive to go over the bandwidth limit, whatever it is, so that I can complain, hire a lawyer, and possibly do a lawsuit for the money I’ve probably been swindled out of.