UK Online is committed to ensuring our broadband services are quick and reliable for all of our customers.
In order to offer a high quality service at an affordable price, UK Online Broadband is 'contended'. This means that the available bandwidth is shared by all customers active at a particular point in time. Most Broadband services are contended with leased lines (at much higher prices) being uncontended. The lower the contention the better.
The contention rates differ depending on whether we deliver your service using our own network or BT's as we are able to offer much lower contention over our own network (20:1 rather than 50:1 over BT's network). Our consumer services are contended at 33:1 and 50:1 respectively.
Contention normally has little or no effect on the average user. However, when a customer's use of the service is highly excessive this can result in reduction of bandwidth for other users.
We rely on our users being fair and considerate of others in their broadband usage. If one person takes up much or all the bandwidth this results in a loss of service quality and speed for other users, and in some cases where one customer's usage is excessive to an extreme, this can have a long-lasting detrimental effect on both the rest of our users and our network.
The Fair Usage Policy informs our customers of the rules of contention and enables us to intervene if your usage (being the amount of downloading and/or uploading you perform) is consistently excessive, and adversely impacts our network and/or other users. If your usage is harming our network, or having a negative effect on other users, then we reserve the right to restrict your service.
How will I know if my usage is excessive?
Our aim is to provide a fair service and not to cap services unnecessarily. Therefore, we think to impose an actual figure on what we consider to be "excessive" use is not necessarily helpful and may penalise users unfairly. What is deemed excessive will be determined by a number of factors including the length of time over which the usage occurs, as well as the amount of bandwidth being used.
If you are continually using more than what we consider your fair share of bandwidth, and in effect 'taking bandwidth away' from our other users, we will contact you by letter and request that you reduce your usage.
If you continue to demonstrate excessive usage, your service will be contended alongside other users with similar usage to your own. The contention will be no higher than the advertised level for your service, either 20:1 or 50:1 depending which network we use to provide your broadband (either our own or BT's). You can continue to download and upload as much as you like, however you will notice the contention effect on your service, especially when there is high usage of the service by the other users with whom you are contended.
This contention will apply for an initial period of four weeks. Following this four week period your usage will continue to be reviewed. If the excessive usage continues we may take further action to restrict your usage or may even be forced to terminate your agreement with us and cease making our service available to you.
How do I know how much my usage is?
You can keep track of how much bandwidth you are using with any one of a range of Bandwidth Monitors (including some freeware versions) available to download online.
UK Online does not endorse any particular product or service and you should satisfy yourself that the service offered by these third parties is suitable for your needs. We will not be responsible for any dealings you have with any such third party provider and we do not have a relationship with any of them. You will be responsible for resolving any problems or issues with any third party service to which you subscribe directly with the provider and UK Online will not get involved. We make no warranty as to the accuracy or effectiveness of any such service.
Download the Fair Usage Policy as a printable PDF document 