- What is usage allowance?
- How do I know how much usage allowance I’m using?
- What happens when I exceed my monthly usage allowance and I can’t get online?
- If I have usage allowance left over one month, can it be rolled over to the next month?
- My usage is very high but I’ve hardly been online.
- Can you tell me what has used my usage allowance?
- My router has a secure wireless connection, but my usage is still high, why might that be?
- I don’t watch or download videos, music or large emails, is there anything else that could be using up my usage allowance?
- I think I might have a Virus, Trojan or other malware on my computer, could this use up my usage allowance?
- I do a lot of uploading, does this count against my usage allowance?
- Is there anything else that could be using up my usage allowance?
- My speeds seem to have slowed down. Is Zen traffic shaping my connection because I have been doing a lot of downloading?
1. What is usage allowance?
Usage allowance is the amount of data your Zen Broadband package allows you to download each month. For example, the Zen 8000 Lite package has a usage allowance of 10GB per month. Usage allowance is automatically reset at 00:01 on the 1st day of every calendar month.
2. How do I know how much usage allowance I’m using?
The following page provides details of the methods available for tracking your Broadband usage:
3. What happens when I exceed my monthly usage allowance and I can’t get online?
You will need to purchase additional usage. You can do this by clicking the Purchase Usage Wizard link which appears in your Web browser when you are restricted and attempt to browse to any website.
Alternatively you may sign into the Customer Portal which you should still have access to.
The following guide shows you how to order additional usage on the Customer Portal:
You can also call Customer Billing on 0845 058 9000 or 01706 902 000 between 9am - 8pm Monday and 9am - 5pm Tuesday to Friday.
4. If I have usage allowance left over one month, can it be rolled over to the next month?
Unused monthly usage allowance included with your Broadband package is not rolled over. However, if you have purchased additional usage but have not used it all then this will automatically be rolled over.
For example, a customer exceeds their 5GB usage allowance and purchases an extra 1GB. However they only use half of the 1GB before the end of the month. The remaining half GB is kept on our systems and would automatically kick in if the customer exceeded their 5GB usage allowance again.
5. My usage is very high but I’ve hardly been online.
Do you have a wireless router? If so, does it have wireless security enabled? If not a neighbour or someone within range of the router’s wireless signal could be connecting to it allowing them to tap into your usage allowance. Alternatively if you are using WEP standard encryption this only offers limited security. Either way we recommend you secure your router using WPA-PSK or a stronger wireless encryption – such as WPA2. This encryption standard is much harder for anyone to “hack” into and makes your router much more secure.
6. Can you tell me what has used my usage allowance?
No - Zen only track the amount of downloads and uploads on a connection. We do not have access to or store any information on what has been downloaded or which computer or device on your network has been using your usage allowance. See the link on question 2 for details on how to track your usage.
7. My router has a secure wireless connection, but my usage is still high, why might that be?
BBC iPlayer, Youtube, OnLIVE, p2p, gaming, VoIP/Skype and emails with pictures or large attachments have all become much more popular and accessible. We estimate that watching an hour of iPlayer can use more than 2GB of your usage allowance. So 4 or 5 hours of viewing is likely to push a customer over the monthly usage allowance of a Zen Lite package. With newer services, such as High Definition (HD), usage rises even quicker. Downloading a full 90 minute film in HD could use 3.5 GB or more.
8. I don’t watch or download videos, music or large emails, is there anything else that could be using up my usage allowance?
Program updates, such as Windows updates, anti-virus updates and other general software updates, can use significant amounts of usage over time. Program updates, however, are necessary for improving security or fixing malfunction issues and should be allowed.
9. I think I might have a Virus, Trojan or other malware on my computer, could this use up my usage allowance?
Yes, a Virus or Trojan could indeed be using up your usage allowance as it’s likely to be downloading data. We recommend you do a regular deep virus scan on all your computers with at least one Anti-Virus program as well as an anti-spyware program. A router will usually come with a firewall built in. We recommend you ensure this firewall is enabled and functioning correctly to limit your vulnerability from attack.
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks will also affect your usage. DDoS attacks are when someone decides to attack your IP address with large packets of data from multiple sources in an attempt to disrupt your Internet service or website. Such attacks are generally rare, but your router’s logs may be able to help you identify who is attacking your router.
10. I do a lot of uploading, does this count against my usage allowance?
No, uploading data does not affect your usage allowance. Only data being downloaded from the Internet affects your usage allowance.
11. Is there anything else that could be using up my usage allowance?
There are other tasks that may be running in the background on your computer that you are unaware of. Checking your Task Manager for Applications and Processes is a good way of finding out what is running on your computer. Some of these tasks are critical to your computer working, however, if you are unsure, try searching on Google for the Application or Process and check it is legitimate.
A product called “Home Plug”, which sends data through the power cabling in your house, has occasionally been known to allow neighbours with similar Home Plug equipment to find your router, connect to it and tap into your usage allowance. Home Plug products can usually be secured against this in a similar way to a Wireless signal. Instances of this happening are very rare but worth investigating if you have installed this kind of equipment yourself.
12. My speeds seem to have slowed down. Is Zen traffic shaping my connection because I have been doing a lot of downloading?
No, Zen does not use traffic shaping. If you are experiencing speed issues we recommend you read the following troubleshooting guide: