Free24-7.net, hows about this!

[the_edge30]

How do, recieved this this morning from my lovely ISP:

Attention Mr Chamberlain

Due to congestion on the V21 / Free24-7 network we have automatically
implemented some congestion control measures.
Your account has automatically been flagged as a high user and has been
disabled until this busy period passes.
If you continually persist with this high usage then your account is at risk of being permanently terminated.

This limit is NOT set at a certain time or time period
This email is sent by robot DO NOT REPLY

Thank you for your co-operation

Now the question has to be, what exactly is high usage of a 24 hour service that i am paying for!!!

Who can i complain to about this, as ive been barred from the ISP and i bet they will still be happy to take my 7.99 a month for this 24 hour service, that your not allowed to use 24 hours a day.

Maybe the address should be
free10-3.butifyouusemoreyougetbarred.net

Anyways, i need some other way of compaining than ringing up cause it will cost me £1 a min!

Anyone got and ideas or having similar trouble?

CHRIS

[drscollier]

Hi

I'm curious as I use this bunch as well for my home ISP and I've received no message - how much usage did you clock up? The most I've ever hit in one day is probably around 8 hours ...

Cheers

[bumfrog]

some isp's put it in small print about "abusing" thier sevice. But if they didn't want people to use it, don't offer it in the first place. Get onto your bank and cancel anything to do with them. Vote with yer feet.

[the_edge30]

I dunno how much usage i have put in, but its not like ive been on 24 hours a day, the most is proabably in the range of about 15 hours on some days, thing is ive not used it over christmas cause i was at home in manchester!

CHRIS!

[cjx]

I was looking over the forums of v21 and somebody had been banned for over-use.They posted asking what was the companys opion of over-use.The reply back (from the mod I think) was anything over ten hours a day.:confused:

[martyn54]

I'm with this ISP and up untill about a month ago it has been excellent. Now, it sometimes takes ages to connect and is very slow.

None of these 24/7 ISP are going to make any money if they offered true 24/7 and you have to accept that. It is a catch 22 situation and there needs to be a compromise.

I think what V21 have implemented for heavy users is the only way it is going to survive. I don't know if you are given a warning, if not, you should be, then if you continue to abuse it, then a suspension/close the account should follow.

15hrs for 1 day at even 1p a minute would cost £9 so for them to limit to 10 hrs, in my opinion, is still a bargain.

[the_edge30]

I accept your views but...

If there not gonna offer a true 24-7 service, why advertise as such. The only reason i signed up was cause it was 24-7. Never had any complaints of cable and wireless when i was online for 3 days constantly.

They should say you cant go over 10 hours.

Its not really my problem if they are not making enough money. They shouldnt have offered the service in the firstplace if they couldnt meet requirements.

Anyways, im away from home for a week now so hopefully ill be allowed back on when i get back.

Oh by the way, no warning, just got an email saying i wouldnt be able to use the service until congestion died down.

CHRIS!

[martyn54]

To be fair to V21, they did give a warning on the homepage stating they were going to change the T&C to stop ' high usage ' and warned customers.

You should at least get a warning though.

Customers are not tied to any long term contract, so if they don't like it they can cancel.

My son is with an ADSL ISP and has had crap service for the last month, with connections so slow a 56k modem is faster and he is paying £52 per month with no way of getting out of the contract. He can only hope things improve.

So many 24/7 ISP's have gone under because of over subscribing and connection abuse I think it's good that V21 are trying to prevent this. Time will tell if these measures succeed, I hope they do.

[cjx]

Yeah up until christmas this isp was fine to connect to (the only problems I had was on a Sunday night ).Now every night it takes ages to connect .I've e-mailed them about cancelling and I'm thinking of joing freeserve .For the extra three quid a week it would be worth it to connect when I want to.:brickwall