Tag: Virgin Media

Virgin Media trials complicated new traffic management policies, touting "efficiency". Uh-huh?

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Virgin Media has been throttling its customers’ broadband speeds for at least a year now, but it seems that the traffic management policy wasn’t complicated enough for them, so they’ve started trails of a new one.

Oh, it nicely messes up our Virgin Media Speed Throttling FAQ, too. Thanks Mr Berkett.

From now on, if you’re unlucky enough to be a Virgin Media broadband customer in Preston, Wigan, Blackpool, Camden, Dalston, Enfield and Haringey, you’ll have to get your head around some new policies. Here goes my attempt at explaining it. Let’s see if I get there before my brain numbs…

Andy Merrett Broadband

JOY Internet stands up for rights of British Internet users

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Following yesterday’s news that Virgin Media is planning to crack down on illegal downloaders, new UK startup JOY Internet has vowed to stand up for the rights of UK Internet users.

“We’re totally against this collusion between the British Phonographic Industry [BPI] and Virgin Media,” said JOY’s Managing Director, Ken Jowes. “We don’t advocate the mass illegal downloading of music and film, but we believe that innocent people will have their Internet connections terminated, without recourse. Those downloading small amounts of content for personal use will also be criminalised, when the real problem of organised gangs working from outside the UK is totally ignored. That’s why we’ve set up JOY Internet.”…

Andy Merrett Broadband, Internet, Web 2.0

Nine in ten UK homes now have digital TV

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According to last week’s Ofcom report, nearly 90% of British homes now have access to some form of multichannel, digital TV on their main set.

As the digital switchover continues region by region over the next four years, and thanks to the fact that it’s fairly difficult to buy a TV that’s not digital ready now, be it standard definition or HD ready, it seems that most of us have got the message that it’s good to go digital…

Andy Merrett TVs

Virgin Media speed throttling revisited — FAQ

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A consistently popular article on Tech Digest over the past year has been about Virgin Media’s broadband throttling scheme, whereby it slaps a speed limit on the customers it deems to be “heavy users” if they download or upload too much during peak hours.

It’s certainly got you hot under the collar, as most of the 80+ comments — plus the search terms you’re using to find the article in the first place — testify.

Here, as a public service, is Tech Digest’s Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] guide to Virgin Media’s broadband speed throttling.

Andy Merrett Broadband, Top stories

All-knowing ISPs may start advertising to you based on how you surf

web_image.gifIt would be naïve to think that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn’t hold an incredible amount of information about you. Unless you’re incredibly stealthy / geeky, they have access to every web site you view, every email message you send, every instant messaging conversation you hold… well I could go on, but you get the idea.

Now, a formula: ISP with a lot of personal information about you + ISP wanting to make more money = showing you targeted advertising while you use the Internet.

In reality, some ISPs have probably already been sharing bits of your data with other companies, but now a company called Phorm wants to insert relevant ads as you surf.

Andy Merrett Internet