NETWORK TECH WORLD
Understanding Broadband Download Allowance
Many
components are involved in providing broadband services, such as
duration of the contract, broadband speeds, price, and ancillary
services bundled along with Internet access. Often the only factor that a
new customer will think about is the speed of connectivity, or the
monthly rate charged for a package. But a conscious analysis and
comparison of all relevant issues will ensure that you are happy with
the choice you finally make.
Why Download Allowance Matters
Most
prospective buyers will visit a resource that compares broadband
service packages offered by various providers, and then pick the one
that offers the fastest speed at lowest price. However, this can end up
becoming a huge mistake if you fail to consider the download allowance.
A
download allowance is the maximum permitted allocation of bandwidth for
an account over a certain period of time. Every time you load a
website, or download a file, or transfer information over your broadband
connection, you are consuming bandwidth. The data that you download is
measured in megabits, and your download allowance is represented in
terms of the cumulative total of the data that you transfer over a
month.
The
actual download allowance will vary by provider and by package. More
expensive packages will let you download more data, while cheaper
packages set strict restrictions on how much bandwidth you can use in a
month. Software that tracks your file transfers will keep track of your
downloads.
Problems With Download Allowances
Whenever
you approach the limit set by your package, your connection will either
automatically be throttled down or temporarily terminated, so that you
cannot download much more data. Some ISPs will not slow down or stop
your account, but will charge you for the additional data that you
transfer, over and above your preset download allowance limits. Usually
these charges are steep, and you may well end up paying twice or thrice
your monthly rate for the over-usage alone.
Depending
upon the level of your Internet usage, there are often packages
tailored to your specific requirements. Modest users of email and
regular Web browsing can manage with relatively small download
allowances of 10 GB or less. If you frequently download music, movies,
or online games, then you may exceed this limit and need a package with a
higher download allowance.
As
an indicative reference to help you estimate your potential bandwidth
usage, a text email transfers 20 Kb of data, a webpage around 50 Kb, a
song or three minute video clip about 3 Mb, and a full-length movie
nearly 400 Mb. These figures are only approximate estimates, and you’ll
have to actually monitor your broadband use over a period of time to
come up with a more accurate assessment.
Unlimited Download Allowance
Many
broadband service providers advertise “unlimited downloads”. But there
are always limits, and using too much of the provider’s available
bandwidth will subject you to a fair usage policy, by which your
connection will be restricted in order that other users on the network
are not disadvantaged by your activity. If your high volume data
transfers continue, you may even receive a letter of warning from your
ISP, or have your account locked for a while during busy periods of the
network.
Download
allowances are much smaller with mobile broadband connections. This is
because mobile broadband is a relatively newer industry and high speeds
are not yet widely available. No matter what type of broadband service
you register for, be sure to carefully study the fine print and see what
restrictions you have regarding your download allowance. This will help
you find the best broadband service and plan for your needs.
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