MSN/Quota

[xerraire]

In Australia, for the most part, most people have a quota each month in internet usage.

With that, every time MSN or SKype too for that matter, improves or updates, it does seem that the chat, picture, sound quality improves, that's great, except there is that little issue with the quota. Of course, this is using the video chat feature.

Is there a way to configure MSN so that one doesn't have to exceed their quota?
One can always go to a higher plan (with a higher quota), but, before doing so, am looking to see if there is another way before spending the money.

The issue seems to reside only with MSN and Skype. Web pages load the same.
Using XP computer, no viruses or odd programs running in the background. Have even tried going to an older version of MSN.

Never opening the browser, and just using MSN, the downloads registered 4x's more than normal. Going back to the older version, it was twice as much. Trying to contact the ISP, iinet, gave no response, they were asked in the case that there might have been a change in their set up.

Anyway, back to the question, is there a way to configure MSN to help not add so much to the downloads?

THanks!

Barb

[Jeff]

What ISP do they use? I'm not familiar with the ISPs in Australia, but usually policies vary from one to the next. Knowing their ISP might help us provide some better options.

[xerraire]

I did mention that in the first post, but I think it wasn't made obvious enough, It's Iinet.

Internet Services - Broadband - Phone Services - iiNet Australia

Thanks for any input!

[patndoris]

I believe you are speaking to the bandwidth quota you select with your ISP? Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this is the quota that you get for high speed bandwidth, after which, you drop to dial up speed if you have exceeded the limit?

Voice and video simply use more bandwidth. There is no "preset" within the program that will monitor your usage.

Does your ISP offer any way for you to see how much you've used in a given period? So that you can make adjustments of your program usage based on that number?

[Jeff]

They do have something called the "Toolbox" that will let you monitor the quota:

One of the best ways to manage your quota is to take advantage of the Volume Usage tool in Toolbox. This feature gives you a monthly, daily and hourly breakdown of usage so you can adjust your surfing habits accordingly.

The link they provide is https://toolbox.iinet.net.au/

They do say there are "off peak" times when the quota goes up, so you might try limiting the video to those times. You could also do a couple tests using the Toolbox tool. Check the quota, then use MSN (say, for 10 minutes) without video. Check the quota again to see how much usage there was. Don't do any other web surfing so the results aren't skewed. Repeat the test, only using MSN video chat and see how much more of the quota is used in 10 minutes. Then you'll have a way to estimate how quickly your friend will burn through their quota, and can plan accordingly.

[xerraire]

Jeff, previously tried all those suggestions you made except for the off-peak hours. (You have to check in hourly increments though).

Believe me, the chat/video is what uses it up.

Doris, I wasn't looking for a way to monitor it, as yes, iinet does provide the toolbox of which I am well aware of. I was looking for a way to configure MSN, if there was a way.

I thought if anyone knew, it would be here at BBB.


It looks like either talking during sleeping hours as per Jeff's suggestion, or getting a new plan.

By the way, the plan now is 10,000 MB download.
To me, that sounds like an unrealistic number for the average user.

I think my own ISP here in the states, has also decided on a quota but unless you are an out and out "abuser" of the net, you could never reach it.

The mystery in this case is though, that prior to over a week ago, the quota wasn't exceeded. Care was taken but never exceeded with just video chat. Now, all that is done truly is video chat and the quota is going to be passed. NO surfing the net, hardly check one's email. MSN is burns a lot and Skype actually burns through even more.

Never before has the chat 'wasted' through so many MB's as just this past week or so.

Going backwards a few MSN's ago helped a little but I am not so sure about the security of this decision.

Anyway, still waiting to hear from iinet in case they know of a reason that the same hours chatting can double and quadruple the MB's even though they are the same hours a few weeks later. It's very puzzling.

[patndoris]

Are you considering things like Windows updates, and program updates when you are looking at the usage? This past week there were significant updates to Windows and Adobe. Depending on your settings, programs (for instance Java and Google) may be automatically checking for and downloading updates. Perhaps the usage increase you saw in the last week or so was a result of something other than WLM?

[xerraire]

Seriously, it only increases when Windows live is up and running.
The settings for such updates as you are speaking of is set to run on the offpeak time.

My question was could msn be configured.
One thing that has been a change (within MSN) is to make the Chat window (the video) to the smallest.

[patndoris]

The answer to the specific question is no. There is no configuration within WLM directly that will monitor your bandwidth usage for you.

[xerraire]

Well technically I didn't want it to monitor it, I just wanted it to use less.

For anyone else with this issue, making the video window smallest seemed to help.