d_l
Barsoom
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Reno, NV
3 edits | For Reno users - AT&T BUMT vs. Wallwatcher comparison
Note: This is intended to be a technical discussion thread concerning the accuracy of BUMT and ways a user can self-monitor bandwidth usage. It is not an editorial thread discussing the merits of the bandwidth limits.
Apparently, BUMT = Bandwidth (or Broadband) Usage Monitoring Tool. BUMT is AT&T's acronym and is accessible at »broadband-usage.att.com/
I don't normally use a great deal of bandwidth so this initial comparison is only based on the first two days of usage in Nov. Apparently the BUMT runs up to 4 days behind. That will be just dandy for people crowding their limits.  
The results below are for an Elite line and as I understand it, the value in the red oval means that existing users were grandfathered in at 150 GB no matter which speed plan they were on when this started. I can't get to the BUMT output for my Basic line to check this though. It says that account info is inaccessible.
BUMT
vs. the Wallwatcher monitored bandwidth for IP 71.142.xxx.xxx
Wallwatcher
So far for this limited comparison, it seems that the aggregate usage reported by BUMT under reported what Wallwatcher monitored. The data for 11-03 will be interesting as I used over a GB total viewing several hours of TV video on the ABC network site. This is a bandwidth consumption rate that could easily bust the monthly quota of any speed plan. |
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Defcon888
Premium
join:2003-07-22
San Bruno, CA | Is the cap for both down and upstream, or just down? |
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d_l
Barsoom
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Reno, NV | Both. Note the top blue box on the BUMT graphic. They add the two together. |
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Defcon888
Premium
join:2003-07-22
San Bruno, CA
 ·AT&T Yahoo
·DSL EXTREME
1 edit | Omg. Doesn't DSL require a bit of upstream in order to receive...?! 
Is it true you were grandfathered the 150GB/mo cap? I think I saw one of your posts somewhere.
--
defcon888 @ gmail |
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d_l
Barsoom
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Reno, NV
1 edit | Yeah. There is upstream ACK traffic to acknowledge the downloaded packets. If you only downloaded big files, I think your upstream traffic might add something like 2-4% more to your total usage. I got those percentages from some high bandwidth days that I had in my WallWatcher records.
Edit: I think the 150 GB that I circled with the red oval means that is my monthly limit which was supposed to apply to exisiting users in Reno. |
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d_l
Barsoom
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Reno, NV | reply to d_l
Within the past day, BUMT tracking on all speed plans (not just Elite speeds) speeds has started. It is confirmed that even Basic speeds plans are shown as grandfathered to use 150 GB as per various news reports. |
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JoshG5
join:2004-02-09
Sparks, NV
| reply to d_l
I am in Sparks and using B.U.M.T. I no longer show the "150GB included" on that page. I called to cancel my 10Meg Uverse today because of the cap, but their servers were down. Now I'm wondering (hoping) if maybe they are reconsidering this cap nonsense. |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to d_l
Going on six minutes to load, now. |
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Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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jordanair
join:2000-08-15
Wylie, TX | I don't know maybe it's just me but if the cap is 150GB would not one have to download say up to 50GB a day to exceed that limit.. how many HD movies would that be? |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| 50 GB a day would hit the limit in just 3 days! Or did you mean 5 GB a day.
But, for those of us who don't have Uverse, the caps are lower; only 60 GB a month for Pro.
I will be checking for more accurate estimate of my usage; though we've had DirecTV VOD since last June, and that will skew my usage upward.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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jordanair
join:2000-08-15
Wylie, TX
| your right my bad math I thinking 5 GB in a day not 50, but what do people think they need on a monthly basis unlimited? I know I don't download constantly so it will not affect me as much I would surmise, I wonder though is VOD included in the count for Internet usage seems it should not since you are already paying a extra for most VOD's.. I'm interested in the numbers since do I only play on line games, kids have 2 xbox 360s but I really don't count myself in that 5% over users they allude to and I would say most of us here would not have a problem unless the numbers were incredibly low I could be wrong I'm just not all up in arms. I always hear folks here talk about leaving and going to anothe ISP but seems to me they all are or will be taking this route at one point as the overall usage increases |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| DirecTV VOD is free for DirecTV subscribers, but utilizes the subscriber's HSI connection. Unless your connection is DTV satellite (does DTV still offer satellite Internet? I though only Hughes was offering satellite Internet), your DTV VOD is coming in through AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Embarq, Road Runner, Qwest, Verizon; whichever ISP the DTV subscriber is using.
Of course, that may be the rub. AT&T would rather I paid for their Uverse product, than use their transit for DTV VOD. However, the Uverse DVR, and TV in general, is not as good as DirecTV. But, if I can't use my HSI connection, why pay for HSI at all? If I am reduced to surfing the web, and email, then I'll just fall back on $14.95 a month Basic, or even see if $9.95 a month dial-up is available.
I expect that more people won't do that than will, and so AT&T probably won't miss my money when I cut back, or go away.
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Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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jordanair
join:2000-08-15
Wylie, TX | i think time will tell I would say those that a downloading tons and tons of Torrent stuff will be affected but those that are doing moderates stuff will get by just fine..even with what you say your use is i don't think will have a problem |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| My rough estimate, based on the growth of my collection of fansubbed anime was 30 GB to 40 GB a month. I just need to set up WallWatcher to monitor the extra B/W claimed by VOD. If WW looks to be well under the Pro cap, I won't worry so much; but I do want to find out.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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jordanair
join:2000-08-15
Wylie, TX | If you could rate yourself compared some of the folks that seems to be extremely up in arms about this subject. Where do you think you fall between the moderate to extreme end of the spectrum? |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| I am going to study my usage, and make a decision based on the actual numbers. If I am not using over 40 GB a month, I won't worry. But, if the numbers are over 50 GB a month, I will be looking at making changes.
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Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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jweek
join:1999-08-27
Reno, NV
 ·Charter Pipeline
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to d_l
here's my ddwrt vs bumt comparison - top is ddwrt and bottom is from bumt
the d/l seems about right, the u/l is off... |
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