FAP

Further, it is clear through communication with these subscribers that some of them were reselling the DirecPC service, or using DirecPC's single-user service plans to provide Internet access to an entire network. In short, these subscribers were doing much more than surfing the Web at high speed - the purpose for which the DirecPC "Surfer" service plans are designed.

To ensure that all DirecPC subscribers have fair and equal access to the benefits of Turbo Internet™ service, DirecPC has enacted a Fair Access Policy (FAP) to prevent abusive consumption of bandwidth by a handful of users.

The structure of the FAP is straightforward: using historical, statistical analysis of its user base, Hughes Network Systems has established a generous baseline for use of DirecPC system resources. When a customer exhibits patterns of system usage that place him or her above that threshold for an extended period of time, the FAP may temporarily limit that subscriber's throughput to ensure the integrity of the system for the vast majority of users (this "vast majority" is approximately 98% of the subscriber base at any one time). Once a subscriber's usage pattern settles back into the normal range for the subscriber's service plan, the bandwidth restrictions are lifted.

Subscribers are likely to avoid the limitations imposed by the FAP if their use is typical of the majority of Internet users and consists of Web surfing and a reasonable amount of software downloading. Using the free-of-charge DirecPC services such as Turbo Newscast and Turbo Webcast help prevent the imposition of the FAP, because they take advantage of caching, which automatically delivers bandwidth-intensive Internet content directly to the user's hard drive.

The following table lists the maximum usage thresholds for subscriber plans. The usage thresholds in megabytes per hour are cumulative and dependent on previous usage. The thresholds do not represent a download rate.

*2:00am - 5:00am Eastern Time

DirecPC is a product and service of Hughes Network Systems, a Hughes Electronics (GMH) company. Hughes Network Systems also manufactures DirecDuo and HNS Brand DIRECTV System.

Copyright 2000, Hughes Network Systems, Inc. , a Hughes Electronics Corporation company. DirecPC® is a registered trademark of Hughes Network Systems, Inc. Turbo Internet, Turbo Webcast, and Package Delivery are trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For comments and suggestions about this website please contact: techsupport@direcpc.com.

Say What?

Someone at Hughes has a math problem. They are punishing the "top five percent" of users for using a service they paid for (hours of high speed access) to benefit the "vast majority of users" (approx. 98%). Let's see, 5 plus approx. 98 = approx. 103.

And a language problem. "The usage thresholds in megabytes per hour are cumulative and dependent on previous usage." What the hell does that mean in English? Hmmm.

The table is also troublesome. The worst case scenario, 90 MB/hour, is 1.5 MB a minute. The stated maximum ("speeds up to 400 kbps") equates to 2.9 MB a minute, half that rate would be typical. When it's working, my satellite/cell combination averages 1-1.5 MB a minute, sometimes as high as 2 MB a minute. Punishment for exceeding this ill defined, seemingly generous quota? Connection Limits 22. 22 what? 22 MB an hour is still faster than a 56 K modem will average. Maybe 22 remote party disconnects.

Talk to a real person at Hughes and you will surely hear about the "leaky bucket." I can't get my brain around that metaphor any better than I can understand FAP.

Bottom line? Hughes can do no wrong, but it be right. (I paraphrase one of the stupidest things Shakespeare ever wrote.)

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