For the last month or so Orcon's Steam server doesn't seem to be zero-rated

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › For the last month or so Orcon's Steam server doesn't seem to be zero-rated

casewindow

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#112053 24-Nov-2012 14:32

I have downloaded two big blocks of data from Steam with the banner in the 'downloading' dialog box showing the Orcon logo.

I know that underneath the system Steam will divert to other servers, but for the most part I usually would get at least 50% zero-rated downloads. Now I am getting practically nothing.

Coupled with the poor non-genius data caps Orcon offer (30Gb where Telecom/Telstra offer 40Gb-60Gb for around the same price) and it is becoming less and less attractive to be a non-Genius customer with Orcon.

I wonder if this is part of the plan - to move unprofitable customers away?

Kyanar

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#722298 24-Nov-2012 14:39

Oh god, not this again.

If you're actually getting it from Orcon's Steam server, it's zero rated. But if it's new content, you probably aren't - you see Valve decided in their infinite wisdom after letting ISPs set up Steam caches to stop distributing content via Steam caches. Almost any new game is actually delivered to you over the HTTP CDN (Akamai or something more than likely) - though the download window still says your local cache is delivering it to you - it's lying.

Complain to Valve.

(Disclaimers: I started the last disastrous discussion about Steam downloads on Orcon. Also, I am a non-Genius customer who has recently signed a contract with a new provider and will be porting away from Orcon in January).

casewindow

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#722309 24-Nov-2012 14:55

In the last month I have downloaded two games that were not Zero rated.

1. Portal 2 (which I re-downloaded as I had got it a few months after it came out and at the time I *did* get it mostly zero rated). I had to re-download it again after I thought there were issues with it as they actually had a problem with Steam in the last month. This time I did *not* get any of it Zero rated.

2. Transformers War for Cybertron (that has been out for quite some time - this is not the new one that came out this year, but the older one that came out in 2010)

I am locally backing up all games (which I had been doing for a while and stopped) so that I don't have a re-occurrence of #1, but I would have thought Orcon's cache would have games from 2011 & 2010.

Kyanar

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#722513 25-Nov-2012 10:52

casewindow: In the last month I have downloaded two games that were not Zero rated.

1. Portal 2 (which I re-downloaded as I had got it a few months after it came out and at the time I *did* get it mostly zero rated). I had to re-download it again after I thought there were issues with it as they actually had a problem with Steam in the last month. This time I did *not* get any of it Zero rated.

2. Transformers War for Cybertron (that has been out for quite some time - this is not the new one that came out this year, but the older one that came out in 2010)

I am locally backing up all games (which I had been doing for a while and stopped) so that I don't have a re-occurrence of #1, but I would have thought Orcon's cache would have games from 2011 & 2010.

Portal 2 is confirmed to have been switched to the HTTP CDN in June this year so legacy content servers won't have it any more. Transformers War for Cybertron was switched in August this year so legacy content servers can't serve that either.

If you're worried about bandwidth, always check this thread before downloading from Steam. Some valiant users have gone to tremendous lengths to create and maintain a list of apps which Steam will only deliver via the New Content System.

casewindow

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#722548 25-Nov-2012 14:13

Right now I am starting to understand.

What you seem to be saying is that with the new Content Distribution system, Orcon's cache that they went to great lengths to set up is redundant because it may not be used?

In which case - all that money and effort they put in to that service may as well have been better spent just giving us a higher cap (like Telecom/Telstra/Voda who seemed to increase the caps on plans without charging anything)

Phexx

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#722581 25-Nov-2012 16:01

I downloaded left for dead 2 last night, and it used less than an extra 2 gigs of what I would normally use.

Orcon have provided this server with the intention that users will be able to download at good speed with no additional usage. Unfortunately with the way steam works, it is impossible for them to force your downloads to go via their servers. Some people simply do not understand this.

Kyanar: Complain to Valve.

hamish225

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#722590 25-Nov-2012 16:42

Maybe if we all send them emails complaining about it they'll change it back!
Anyone know why exactly they changed it to a different protocol?

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

Kyanar

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#722686 25-Nov-2012 20:30

hamish225: Maybe if we all send them emails complaining about it they'll change it back!
Anyone know why exactly they changed it to a different protocol?

It's a trillion times more reliable, faster, and cheaper. Also, unlike the old content caches, it supports delta patching which means that games can be updated with 9 MB patches rather than 900 MB patches.

Ragnor

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#722761 25-Nov-2012 22:35

hamish225: Maybe if we all send them emails complaining about it they'll change it back!
Anyone know why exactly they changed it to a different protocol?

Good luck most of the world does not have metered internet connections so it's a non issue for the majority of Steam users.

Ragnor

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#722762 25-Nov-2012 22:36

casewindow:

Orcon's cache that they went to great lengths to set up is redundant because it may not be used?

Great lengths were not required, just s spare server with access to international transit and and contract/agreement signed with value giving them access to store content on it.