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Fair Usage Policies

Look carefully at the small print associated with many broadband packages and you may see a disclaimer that says "fair usage policy applies", or something similar. But what are these mysterious fair usage policies and what do they mean?

What is a fair usage policy?

Basically, fair usage policies are the broadband industry's attempt to regulate the way in which bandwidth is divided between users. They are aimed at preventing certain people (often referred to as 'heavy' or 'excessive' users) from using up all the bandwidth and making the internet slower for others. A fair usage policy is basically a safeguard that ensures fairness and equality between customers.

Who is affected?

Anyone who downloads large amounts of data every month might find themselves in violation of their broadband provider's fair usage policy. If you only use your broadband for day-to-day surfing, checking emails and the occasional download you should be fine. However, users who regularly download large files like movies, as well as music, photos, emails and all the rest may find themselves in trouble with their ISP.

How are fair usage policies implemented?

If you're downloading a movie per day and generally hogging all the bandwidth, most broadband companies will let you get away with it for one or two months. If you carry on, you are likely to receive a letter or email advising you of the fair usage policy outlined in your broadband contract.

If you then carry on exceeding the agreed fair usage policy, your ISP might take steps against you. In the short term, this might mean them deliberately slowing down your connection during peak times to prevent you abusing it; ultimately, your broadband provider may decide to cancel your subscription completely, leaving you without an internet connection.

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