Telecom Broadband Usage after switching to VDSL

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sidders80

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#135151 15-Nov-2013 22:05

Hi guys I wonder if someone can help me on this one. I am on the 150 gb plan with telecom as it suits my needs. I normally use around 100-110 GB every month with my usage. However for the last 2 months since I switched to VDSL my data usage has gone up and I haven't done anything differently. I used to watch isky on the ADSL however I haven't even done that and 20 days into the month I have already used 150 GB. I have no torrents absolutely nothing and the usage for the last 2 years or so has been consistent barring these last 2 months.

The response from telecom is quiet unsatisfactory. In my 8 phone calls I have had with them so far I have mentioned that the modem seems to be the issue as that is the only thing that is different. The first rep suggested since it is VDSL it is faster and hence consumes more data. I am surprised with that logic. The last conversation I had with them I was asked to keep the modem off overnight which I did (it was anyways on dial up speed). They did agree to unthrottle my speed for this month and that took effect overnight. So I come home today in the evening and switch the modem on and use the net. All I have done is surf sites like herald, stuff, etc and my usage for today is already close to 2GB. It just doesn't make sense. I am using a macbook air and the only other thing that is connected to this or was connected is my iPad and I have even turned the wifi off on that one since yesterday. I haven't even turned on the wifi on my note 3 to avoid any data and eliminate all possibilities.

I use a macbook air. I have literally given up explaining this any further to telecom and I hope someone can help me what the real issue could be
Thanks and Regards

Sid

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#934665 15-Nov-2013 22:05

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

- you have reset your modem and router

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

- you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap

- your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing

- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

- Your ISP and plan

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

- Your general location (or street)

- If you are rural or urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

- Are you receiving a substandard ULL ADSL2+ connection from your ISP?

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

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plambrechtsen

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#934700 15-Nov-2013 23:05

What modem are you using? Have you bridged it to another router? As I have heard some non telecom supplied router getting hacked and hijacked.

Can talk with the billing folks to get a more detailed breakdown of usage based on hour.

sidders80

755 posts

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#934701 15-Nov-2013 23:07

plambrechtsen: What modem are you using? Have you bridged it to another router? As I have heard some non telecom supplied router getting hacked and hijacked.

Can talk with the billing folks to get a more detailed breakdown of usage based on hour.

It is a telecom supplied modem which came with VDSL sign up. It is not bridged to another router. They sent me a report and it is showing usage at times when no one is home or sometimes at late night.

Sid

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#934703 15-Nov-2013 23:15

Do you have anything like iCloud running, or photo stream? That could easily account for the extra data usage so nice the upload speed is so much faster in vdsl you can chew through data backing stuff up much faster

Or really anything that uses upload. This would include Dropbox, spotify, etc etc

sidders80

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#934704 15-Nov-2013 23:18

NonprayingMantis: Do you have anything like iCloud running, or photo stream? That could easily account for the extra data usage so nice the upload speed is so much faster in vdsl you can chew through data backing stuff up much faster

Or really anything that uses upload. This would include Dropbox, spotify, etc etc

I have photo stream however very little streaming done in the last month and in fact I haven't even used apple tv (totally disconnected) in the last month. This is where the extra 40-50 GB usage really confuses me

Sid

hashbrown

463 posts

Ultimate Geek

#934712 16-Nov-2013 00:10

Keep in mind streaming sites like youtube will detect the extra bandwidth and serve up higher quality streams. So you might be watching the same number of videos but consuming more data.

sidefx

3711 posts

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#934714 16-Nov-2013 00:23

By your description it sounds like you barely use the net, but 100-110GB seems quite high for adsl. What sort of things were you using it for on adsl? Anybody else use it?

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sidders80

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#934716 16-Nov-2013 00:27

sidefx: By your description it sounds like you barely use the net, but 100-110GB seems quite high for adsl. What sort of things were you using it for on adsl? Anybody else use it?

was watching a lot of live isky at my previous place which I dont do now and you tube. 100-110 gb was the extreme. Now no isky no apple tv and higher usage.

Sid

vexxxboy

4243 posts

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#934745 16-Nov-2013 08:26

im having the same problem with Snap since switching to VDSL and it seems to be uploads, every 4-5 days i do 10 -15 GB of uploads. i dont use cloud services of any kind and seldom torrent and have unlimited Youtube so no idea where it's going. it is really frustrating. First one is ADSL, 2nd VDSL

Common sense is not as common as you think.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#934748 16-Nov-2013 08:32

sidders80:
sidefx: By your description it sounds like you barely use the net, but 100-110GB seems quite high for adsl. What sort of things were you using it for on adsl? Anybody else use it?

was watching a lot of live isky at my previous place which I dont do now and you tube. 100-110 gb was the extreme. Now no isky no apple tv and higher usage.

Why did you switch to vdsl?

Any housemates or other people that might be doing it (whether intentionally or by accident)

Is the data especially high on upload, download, or both? That will help to narrow it down.

sidders80

755 posts

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#934760 16-Nov-2013 08:57

NonprayingMantis:
sidders80:
sidefx: By your description it sounds like you barely use the net, but 100-110GB seems quite high for adsl. What sort of things were you using it for on adsl? Anybody else use it?

was watching a lot of live isky at my previous place which I dont do now and you tube. 100-110 gb was the extreme. Now no isky no apple tv and higher usage.

Why did you switch to vdsl?

Any housemates or other people that might be doing it (whether intentionally or by accident)

Is the data especially high on upload, download, or both? That will help to narrow it down.

It is high on both but upload seems to have taken a massive jump since switching from ADSL. I have used about 14gb more on upload on VDSL compared to my usage on ADSL. Reason for switch was speed as I wasn't getting much speed on ADSL here and the telecom rep I spoke to suggested VDSL. Now they are suggesting me to take the next plan which is $20 more and gives 500gb. I don't mind paying more but I don't use that much to justify that extra spend even though its $20. At the end of the year that equates to $240

Sid

RunningMan

8953 posts

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#934771 16-Nov-2013 09:48

Open the Activity Monitor App in the Utilities folder on your Macbook - you'll be able to monitor the network usage, and see if it is something on that using the data.

coffeebaron

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#934779 16-Nov-2013 09:53

Does Skype still like going super node these days?

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NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#934780 16-Nov-2013 09:55

sidders80:
NonprayingMantis:
sidders80:
sidefx: By your description it sounds like you barely use the net, but 100-110GB seems quite high for adsl. What sort of things were you using it for on adsl? Anybody else use it?

was watching a lot of live isky at my previous place which I dont do now and you tube. 100-110 gb was the extreme. Now no isky no apple tv and higher usage.

Why did you switch to vdsl?

Any housemates or other people that might be doing it (whether intentionally or by accident)

Is the data especially high on upload, download, or both? That will help to narrow it down.

It is high on both but upload seems to have taken a massive jump since switching from ADSL. I have used about 14gb more on upload on VDSL compared to my usage on ADSL. Reason for switch was speed as I wasn't getting much speed on ADSL here and the telecom rep I spoke to suggested VDSL. Now they are suggesting me to take the next plan which is $20 more and gives 500gb. I don't mind paying more but I don't use that much to justify that extra spend even though its $20. At the end of the year that equates to $240

If it's mostly the upload then it is almost certainly something that you don't even realise is active and is just pumping data without you realising - like iCloud, dropbox, spotify.

Friend of mine came back from holiday last year and had been keeping all his high res photos taken during his holiday on his Mac.
As soon as he hit his home wifi network his 10GB of pics started uploading automatically. Not only that, but because he had photostream on, all his other devices (2 ipads, 2 iphones) also started downloading the photos. So before he knew it he had smashed through masses of data without doing a single thing!

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek

#934785 16-Nov-2013 09:59

Apple devices seem to use heaps of data randomly.
I think the default setting on iOS7 is to update all apps automatically?
Turn off all icloud stuff (except maybe find your device) and see if it helps.

This probably isnt what you want to hear, but I had a problem like this & created a thread about it, and after a lot of investigation I believe (not 100% sure) this was the culprit.

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