BT cracks down on broadband data gluttons

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 24 Mar 2006 at 17:44

BT is cracking down on data gluttons, notifying around 3,000 of its broadband users that they will either have to cut down or pay up for excessive use of its broadband connections.

It says it is targeting subscribers that are downloading up to 200GB every month. Current limits to its broadband offerings range between 2 and 40GB per month.

It says it won't take action against subscribers who occasionally go over this limit.

BT is not alone in curbing its more enthusiastic users. Only a week ago Freedom2Surf took similar action.

Other ISPs employ shaping technology that chokes traffic on peer-to-peer networks in order to free up bandwidth for regular surfing and email data.

With ever increasing bandwidths being rolled out as standard services, downloading has never been faster. Subscribers getting through 200GB a month are doing more than browsing, email and enjoying the odd download. At up to 6.7GB a day, these people are either running a business through their consumer broadband connection or downloading a movie a day.