Virgin Media broadband

[Graham]

On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:10:58 +0100
David Fletcher <kubuntu-users at thefletchers.net> wrote:

> Is anybody else getting the impression that Virgin Media is shutting
> down their broadband when they use bit torrent?
> 
> Seems to me that when I start up ktorrent to download Gutsy,
> everything (kmail, Firefox) just stops working. Since I rebooted the
> cable modem a while back, without starting ktorrent, everything has
> been working as usual.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 

Virgin Broadband have made it clear that they are putting a cap on
downloads, particularly those downloads that use peer-to-peer systems
(such as bittorrent) which they regard as the means by which
"pirated" audio tracks and dvds are disseminated.

They also say that there is just so much bandwidth to go around and
therefore it's going to have to be rationed.  This despite offering an
unlimited service.  You only have to look at the UK computer press
("Micromart", "Linux Format", etc) in recent months and the newsgroups
that deal with Virgin Broadband issues, to see how much this bothers
some people.

For myself, I accept rationing ("bandwidth throttling") as a fact of
life, but I think that Virgin Broadband is being misleading in continue
to market their service as "unlimited" and there are noises that soon
someone will do something about that.

Meanwhile, if you are a Virgin Broadband customer, don't use bittorrent
to download the distro...or any other p2p service..

-- 

Graham