Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Network Traffic?
Network Traffic – aggregate total of all data sent, both upstream and downstream, using an Internet connection provided by
CMA Access High Speed Internet. This includes, but is not limited to: email, web surfing, file downloads/uploads, FTP (File Transfer
Protocol) applications, instant messaging (i.e. ICQ, Microsoft Instant Messenger), chat rooms, audio/video streaming, and MP3
downloading/uploading.
Am I likely to use more than 5GB per month?
The answer to this depends entirely on how much you use your Internet account and what you are doing when you use it. The following
is meant to help put this amount into perspective…
| Scale: |
5GB Example: |
| 1 Byte = 8 Bit = 1 character |
5,368,709,120 Bytes |
| 1 Kilobyte (kB) = 1,024 Bytes
| 5,242,880 kB |
| 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1,048,576 Bytes |
5,120 MB |
| 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,073,741,824 Bytes |
5 GB |
Gigabyte – a unit used in measuring data size. (One Byte = one character. i.e. the word "coffee" is six characters, so
six bytes. One Gigabyte = 1,073,741,824 bytes)
|
To help put this into perspective…
The complete text for Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is 201,152 bytes. With a 5 GB per month limit, you could download or upload this play
about 26,689 times per month.
Most floppy disks can hold 1.44 MB of data per diskette and have a physical dimension of about 3.3 millimeters thick. Five GB’s would
fill just over 3,555 diskettes. If you were to stack those on top of each other, the pile would be over 11 meters tall
(more than 38 feet).
Most new computers today come with hard drives that hold anywhere from 20 GB to 40 GB of data. Please note: Using 5 GB of Network
Traffic per month does not necessarily mean that your hard drive will become full in short order. Most Network Traffic does NOT get
permanently stored on your hard drive unless you specifically and deliberately command the computer to save this data – examples of
these deliberate actions would be saving files such as MP3s, Video Clips, image files, and other documents.
Examples of common web usage:
| Usage Example: |
Typical Size/Rate* |
@ 5 GB per month** |
Web Pages
(liberal use of graphical components and text within content) |
30 to 80 kB per page |
178,956 to 67,108 individual web pages per month |
Good Quality Images
(Such as those in specialized online image galleries, .jpg type) |
80 to 120 kB per image |
67,108 to 44,739 good quality images per month |
MP3 sound files
(CD Quality music files at 160 Kbps and 44 kHz sampling) |
1.146 MB per minute of music |
Over 74 hours of music per month |
Streaming Audio
(Such as a 20.7 Kbps Real Media Audio Stream from CBC.ca online radio) |
2,649 bytes per second |
Over 23 days worth of audio streaming per month |
Streaming Audio/Video
(Such as a movie trailer using an 80 Kbps Real Media A/V Stream) |
10,240 bytes per second |
Over 6 days worth of audio/video streaming per month |
* These numbers are based on anecdotal evidence and experienced estimates, not statistically significant information. Actual file sizes are subject to extreme variations depending on many variables including, but not limited to; the source of the files, the discretion of the person posting the file on the file server or web site, and the file type and the intended purpose for the file.
** This represents Network Data Traffic if used exclusively for the line item – your Network Traffic limit would normally be a mix of these uses aggregated together to total a maximum of 5 GB. Usage beyond 5 GB is subject to additional charges.
A common reason for exceeding your network traffic limit:
The most common cause for exceeding network traffic limits is the use of some file-sharing programs without proper configuration
and attention. Examples of these programs include Morpheus, BearShare, and KaZaA Media Desktop. The default configuration for most
of these programs is such that they will automatically run whenever the computer is on, and, unbeknownst to the user, their computer
is acting as a file server that is open for any other user on the Internet to access and copy files - an activity that results in
network traffic flow and potential charges for the account of those hosting the file server. The easiest ways to avoid this problem
are to turn off the sharing feature, move any files out of the shared directory that these programs automatically use, and to shut
off your computer when you are not using it.
If you have further questions about network traffic or how to decrease your network traffic usage, please contact our technical support
center at 1-888-207-0204.
Disclaimer
This document is intended as a general guide to help customers attach meaning and perspective to the Network Traffic limits on High
Speed Cable Internet accounts. The examples above are meant to present a collection of typical examples but are not the result of a
scientific study. There are a vast number of variables contributing to network traffic that cannot be adequately accounted for in this
document, thus each individual’s usage habits and activities may result in wildly differing traffic flows. It is recommended that High
Speed Internet customers (end users of the CMA Access High Speed Internet accounts) monitor their traffic flow on a regular basis
by using the reports available to their local Cable Operators’ Portal. To find these reports, users may follow the link on the portal in
“myToolBox” called “My Account”, and then click on the “Check your network traffic” link. Accessing this report regularly is the best way
for users to get a feel for their typical usage activity. |
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