O2 to where, should the need arise....?

I am currently on O2 so am in the market again.

Many people seem to be flocking to Plusnet yet I ruled them out years ago when on Freeserve because they were apparently traffic shaping. I went with Newnet and then to O2 where I am now and have been for about four years. Very happy too.

I read in a post from a Plusnet support person elsewhere on this forum that 'We don't block or rate limit P2P on our products/network if you choose the Unlimited service'.

Then I read that Plusnet's traffic management/shaping/prioritisation or whatever it's called now, DO (somehow) restrict P2P downloads according to the metals pecking order. P2P is one above 'lowest priority'.

Which is it? P2P is slowed, or it isn't?

Also, does this restriction work on a network basis or an individual line basis? i.e. if others in my house are doing Skype and gaming, my P2P downloads will be slowed OR irrespective of what people in my house are doing, if everyone on the network is doing Skype/gaming etc. then my P2P will practically disappear?

Hi Mick,
What type of package are you looking for?

I read their traffic management rules this morning and must admit I raised an eyebrow when it mentioned that it used DPI to idenitify traffic on non-standard ports. But AFAIK I don't do or intend to do any such thing so not a biggy for me.

picked this snippet up
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2012/12/uk-isp-...

Similarly PlusNet, despite describing the new packages as “truly unlimited“, does still impose Traffic Prioritisation. This is intended to protect the providers “quality of service” by ensuring that traffic to VoIP (e.g. Skype), gaming and video streaming is protected and given greater priority (i.e. P2P and Usenet file downloads may suffer from slower speeds).

In other words if you’re streaming BBC iPlayer videos at the same time as conducting a P2P download then iPlayer will get most of your speed and P2P will be slowed. But those with superfast Fibre connections probably won’t have to worry about this too much as most should have plenty of capacity to spare.

Thanks for the link Steve. It seems 'Michael' is having the same problem as me. If something is truly unlimited, how can it be managed to suit certain types of traffic while taking away from other types of traffic.

As it stands, while I try to get the latest RC or distribution of one thing or another, my daughter can hammer reruns of Holby City or Casualty at my expense. Or the wife can yap away to a sister (she has three) at my expense. Or my son can do his gaming, again, at my expense. So I can't win ,which is why I look for an isp which does not interfere with the flow of data into my house.

To Mr (or Ms.) Vivaciti, I shall visit your website and have a peruse, as I shall many others. However, while I am being left alone and Sky doesn't bother me, I shall stay where I am. I fear for the future however, which is why I am researching now.

The question as to whether it is the network state or my individual line state that dictates whether my incoming data will be managed or not is still open.

Thank you for your replies everyone.

Sky are truly unlimited. There is no throttling etc what so ever. It might be worth just staying where you are?

BT are also truly unlimited nowadays. Not too sure about PN.

In reply to a post by donegal:

If something is truly unlimited, how can it be managed to suit certain types of traffic while taking away from other types of traffic

Because some types of traffic (eg video-streaming) are time-critical while others (eg downloading) are not.

Actually if the traffic management rules discourage some classes of user then that it makes it more attractive for the likes of me.

Yes, I shall bide my time.

Then perhaps 'truly' should be omitted from the advertising. I think this is the problem a few people are having and what is mystifying me.

You can pay extra (think it's called PlusNet Pro) to get the QOS removed

I also dispute BT being truly unlimited - they traffic manage P2P unless they haven't gotten around to switching it off at my exhhange yet