Possible Change To Off Peak Period

[evanh]

I am fine with this; However as already mentioned, an official reason as to why has not been given. As a benchmark ( as I for one have not received any email like this before) all details of the proposal should be out in the open, even if trivial for some.

Thanks.

[ForumAdmin]

Personally, I would have thought sending an email to a customer's contact address inviting comments on a suggestion was a pretty sensible way of raising an issue - but that's just me.

Exetel has made constant changes to the 'off peak' period for over 5 years:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-re ... 180942&p=2

and doubtless we will continue to do so - just as we do with all other aspects of all services we offer - on the basis that we continue to try and improve every service type that we offer.

[Black Ice]

I have chosen my plan to suit my usage. Because of that I never have to modify my behavour to make it fit. My plan is probably higher then I need. I come close to my usage, but never over (on or offpeak). I do download quite a bit however, which is why I made sure my plan suited and why exetel has been the right choice for me.
The change of the start time won't affect me in any way. I can move the schedualed start times, or not.
I do like the recent suggestions of being able to select your start time for the off peak period. Choice is power, and flexiblity is a great marketing point.
I do game at nights, and often go past the midnight start point. I can't say I have directly noticed an impact due to this, but would be happy enough for any portential impact to be reduced.
I also often beta test games. The worst one required 2x 14GB downloads in a single month with new releases. Using a schedualer and a bandwidth throttler was the only sane way to do it. Everything is a balancing act. I couldn't get that in a single offpeak night anyway. Since this discussion is only about the start time, I am fine either way. If it was to reduce the number of hours or the quota (or throttled periods) I would be concerned, but the hours doesn't worry me.

[Lonx]

the potential arises that people who are on 12pm-12am peak are now affected in ther peak time by users on the 3pm-3am peak smashing downloads right up until 3pm.

Exactly the same point I mentioned... If the offpeak time changes for later, it gives a higher probability of people starting downloads when they get up & starting them in the morning between 6am - 8am when they head to school/work - which could negatively affect browsing/gaming/working from home just as much as the current midnight -> 2am period.

[kdmcc500]

Yep, would suit me..

[ipso777]

The proposed off peak times would certainly benefit me, so count this as a vote in favour!

[malayaustralia]

This is totally foolish marketing.....

thats the most strong/unic part of exetel....in winning costomer and retaining them as people prefer to work after comming from office in the evening and due to exetel is having such kind offpeak timings...it attacts more customers in comparion to other providers which are having 2 am-2pm timing.

IF EXETEL WILL ALSO DO THAT...IT WILL LOOSE SO MANY CUSTOMERS AND WILL ALSO FAIL IN ATTACTING NEW CUSTOMERS

specially there will be a big loos in all western part of australian coustomers that prefer exectel due to 2 hours extra utilisation of time.

[smmagic]

Works for me in every possible way.

[evanh]

Personally, I would have thought sending an email to a customer's contact address inviting comments on a suggestion was a pretty sensible way of raising an issue - but that's just me.

I agree wholeheartedly, and I thank Exetel for doing so. I think this kind of customer interaction is what makes Exetel a great ISP to be part of. However, raising an issue without detail is a moot point. Reasons as to why, I think, need to be addressed even if trivial.

Thanks.

[buzzdog]

All sweet here!

[jano]

I would be in favour of the 2am - 2pm change to off peak service. Perhaps a few months trial of the change would be the way to go.

[miklarchi2]

Hey there, User From Perth, WA
Offpeak kicks in at 10pm here. Can sort everything before bed.

Like the time as is no change for me , thanks

[lkml2000]

How about setting the standard off peak 12-12 (12 hours) and quota is 60G,
Give user an option for 1-12 (11 hours) but quota increase to 65G, and 2-12 (i.e. 10hours) quota becomes 70G.
This should give incentive to downloader to shift their download to a later time of the night
and less BW stress that is happening around 12 midnight.

[bozzq]

Sounds OK to me!

[ConnectInt]

It would be easier to respond to this question if Exetel were to inform us of their objectives with a 2am-2pm change as most of the posts have a strong element of self-interest.

I am a SOHO user and the change could advantage me with 2 more hours of un-charged download. However, I would like to mention the following:

* I need a reliable, always-on, constant-bandwidth service during business hours for email, VoIP and normal business data needs e.g. my and my customers’ internet browsing
* I need a profitable and service driven ISP. Both of which means Exetel needs to retain a 'healthy' slice of what I, and all other users, pay to Exetel
* My ISP needs to be able to invest its capital (the retained profits from what users pay) to invest in bigger, better equipment and additional value added services (e.g. audio/video conferencing) to survive in the playground with the '600lb' T gorilla.
* The data plans are reasonably affordable for most people and represent good value compared to the oligopoly suppliers’ offerings
* Exetel needs to have a balance of business and home customers to use the under-utilised bandwidth times, and/or cheaper Exetel supplier costs.
* Most SOHO business users can cope with 12/24/36 GB download during the business periods. I have never exceeded 12GB of chargeable download per month for the 30 months I have been an Exetel customer.
* Most home users would use substantially less than any of these plans unless they are downloading movies (usually with a copyright claim!)
* There are schedulers that will allow 12pm-12am downloading to keep them away from the early morning and evening peaks so light usage do not incur congestion and latency.

* Exetel does not need to be the cheapest / highest download kid on the block as it will jeopardise its current customer base / financial viability by attracting more 'download pigs' or more download activity during business hours
* The two extra hours of un-charged downloads during business hours increases the free data by 50% to be 75% (6 hours: 8am-2pm) of an 8 hour business day:
- good for me if I was always at my data limit.
- but bad for me if; latency becomes an issue, Exetel's customer mix changes and decreases their profitability or goes out of business - see the first 3 points above.

So my net position is - please keep the current 12am-12pm period as it seems to be working for Customers and Exetel - lets not 'fix something that's not broken'.