If you follow me on Twitter, you know I don’t have the fasted Internet connection. Today I found out not only is it slow but I have a 500mb limit on what I can download in a 24 hour period.
How did I find this out? I tried to download the new Mac OS Lion. I did everything right, checked I have the latest updates, plugged in to my charger and then hit download.
Whoops. Can you say molasses through a coffee filter? Yes, that slow.
At last check it was going to take me 1 day, 18 hours. At last check I also found I was over my limit for the day so the download is now going to take even longer. When you go over your limit you get punished…your system slows to half speed for the next 24 hours.
After reading the FAQs on my ISP’s website, I discovered about 10% of users consistently go over their broadband limit. These ten percenters have basically screwed things up for the rest of us. There’s now a “Fair Access Policy” in place. That’s where the slowdown comes into play. Unfortunately, the ISP is not focussing on this 10%…they are monitoring everyone and crack down at the first transgression.
How totally rude. How totally unfair. How totally Nazi-like. Come Monday morning I’ll be having a little chat with the folks at my ISP. I can already tell you it won’t make a difference. Not unless I agree to shell out another $200 a month to upgrade to a “professional” plan.
I think my only option will turn out to be driving around looking for a faster Internet connection…perhaps at my local Starbucks. A 45 minute drive away.
Sigh.
The beauty of the free market is that it is always anything but. Enjoy your call.
BTW, their policy sounds utterly ridiculous. Maybe you can ask for a temporary waiver on your limit. I’m sure they’d understand that upgrading to OS X Lion is a one-time thing and rather legitimate. If not, perhaps we can all sit around and second guess Apple’s decision to go away with DVD distribution of software.
The cloud stands ready!
Cloud this…I did some checking and did see the memory stick option but hello…already paid the $29.99 to upgrade. I’ll keep you posted and I’ve already convinced the Mister we need to take a drive to the “big” city tomorrow so I can steal me some high-speed speed.
You can’t get OS X Lion on a DVD. But Apple is making it available on a memory stick. Price: $69. Ouchies.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20081319-1/get-os-x-lion-sans-download…on-a-$69-stick/
Dram so sorry to hear about the limit imposed by your ISP. I don’t know your location, but Apple stores are letting those with slow download speeds and limits download from Apple store servers. Would only take minutes. Apple will be selling OS Lion on a USB thumb drive for 69 dollars perhaps some time in August.
Great tip on the Apple Store letting you download. The closest one to me is about 6 hours drive so if I have to…road trip!
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I feel your pain. I live in the sticks and have a crappy satellite IP who’s FAP sounds similar to yours. I’ll share my work-around: install a download manager and schedule your updates for the middle of the night when the IP lifts the FAP. You can go gangbusters during those hours without limits. Though this doesn’t solve the bigger issue of how I will function in these “The Cloud” days. I’m feeling very left out…
Thanks! What a brilliant idea. I’m so on that…