ISPs Could Charge You for Each Device You Connect to the Internet The latest in the ripoff Britain saga - Can you believe this?>
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We're all connecting more and more devices to our home broadband connections. If you've got a Wi-Fi router connected to your broadband Internet connection, you probably have not only your PC and maybe a laptop connected, but your mobile phone, iPad, and even some stereos and DVD players now connect up to Wi-Fi in order to play music and video stored on your PCs. Because we use so many different devices to connect online, ISPs in the UK are sensing an opportunity to charge more money. Rather than charging a fixed price for a broadband connection as they do now, some ISPs are talking about charging on a per-device basis, with some devices which use more bandwidth charged at a higher rate.
Responses (4)
How did you find this out Omen? I think I will be having a very large bill if this becomes the case! Seems like a ridiculous way of doing things if you ask me!
That would be very unfair. I pay for an allowance of broadband. There's 40gb of broadband I've paid for and so how I use it, or what device I use to use it, is up to me, not them. What next? A ready meal that states it serves 2 but if you share it between 3 you get fined for doing so?!?!?
Lol Wendi, this sounds ridiculous, I only hope nothing comes of it.
I agree Wendiew - you pay for an allowance and whatever you connect to broadband comes off that, whatever it is that you use. What would happen if you buy a new PC or phone - would you have to pay more or de-register the old device? The logistics would be horrendous.
Excellent logic, wendiew, I'm going to memorise that in case this ever happens!
OMG - might have to give up the gin to pay for it!
If this is true then it's definitely sharp practice. wendie has hit the nail on the head with her answer.
Whaaat give up our special tincture!!!!
I'll rue the day!!!
I know it would be very hard, Lillie, and perhaps I'd rather give up the telly than the gin!
Ooh now that would be a sad decision, still with all the tripe that is foisted upon us in the summer months i.e repeats,reality etc I wouldn't miss it for long, might want it back in the Autumn though.
Oh I know what you mean, Lillie! But there's not much you can't watch now on catchup sites like ITVPlayer, so you could have one less device connected to the internet.
Yes,never thought of that so win-win gin and the tv stays, good-o.
That would be annoying!
But how would they know how many devices we have?
They'd have to track the IP addresses or MAC addresses referenced in the tcp/ip packets. Now, it is possible to mask these if you stick a switch or router between your home's network and the broadband router. This internal router can create a local network that shows up as a single IP & MAC address to your provider's router via port address translation. You can have an unlimited number of items that your ISP thinks is just one.
Problem solved!
Well, at least for we techies...
To be honest, I can't see ISPs tracking based on device. Total bandwidth is much easier for them to track and doesn't provoke outrage as it's literally a case of paying for what you're using.
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Isp's are currently debating it and its being pushed for implementation but many Isp's are aware it will cause a lot of anger and confusion.