Download limit...

Lie-in King | 14:49 Sun 20th Jun 2010 | Computers

14 Answers

Probably a silly question, but I don't know the answer...

When I listen to the radio through my PC, does it count as "downloading", thus adding to my 10G per month allowance?

Thank you for your time & attention, L-i K

laptop problem

computer

Answers

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ChuckFickens

Best Answer

I'm well LiK ta, trust you are too..

Good luck with calling BT, that's always good fun(!) and I'm sure you'll find out it does count towards your total limit.

As a rough guide, the BBC stream radio2 at 128Kbs so working that up it would mean you are using roughly 60MB (or 0.06GB) every hour you listen from your 10GB limit

15:39 Sun 20th Jun 2010

Go To Best Answer

ChuckFickens

Yes,

everything you see on your screen or hear from your speakers is counted as downloading if it comes from the internet.

MarkRae

> Probably a silly question, but I don't know the answer...

But your ISP does - what did they say when you asked them...?

> When I listen to the radio through my PC, does it count as "downloading", thus adding to my 10G per month allowance?

Almost certainly, but...

Lie-in King

Question Author

BT told me it does NOT count as downloading, while an acquaintance that used to work for them told me it DID!?..

...Hence my confusion - also irritation right now, as Radio 2 FM reception in East Sussex is now lying on the floor with its legs in the air & my monthly allowance is tight due to i-Player...

Thank you for the answers anyway :-)

MarkRae

I'm not aware of BT using DPI (deep packet inspection) on their retail broadband service. They'd need to do that in order to be able to split your downstream into the various types of data. If they did, then they could choose which packets contribute to your monthly limit and which don't...

ChuckFickens

Or to put it another way, I'd say who ever told you it does not count towards your download limit is talking out their arris!

The only situation I can think of when it might not is if you have the BT vision service and are using the BT vision box to play the radio (and then I believe it would be playing the radio using the freeview terrestrial service anyhow, not from the internet)

Lie-in King

Question Author

Thanks Mark - I know they're all English words & look like a well-constructed sentence, but...

...Nope, not a Scooby!

As reception now seems to be back to normal, I'll not worry about it any more today :-)

Lie-in King

Question Author

Hi Chuck - long time, etc! Hope you're well?

I don't have BT Vision, just bog-standard b'band. I'm going to phone them again tomorrow to try & get a definitive answer - wish me luck! :-)

ChuckFickens