Atlasst Classic Connection, LLC

Well as I sit here this morning waiting and waiting for my internet pages to load, I find myself getting more and more discussed with HughesNet and their ability to control how much I enjoy the internet and the fact that I pay them monthly to do it.  How do they control you might ask. Well it’s something they like to call the Fair Access Policy and yes their must be FAP police who make the decision to put the slow down on your internet when you have violated this policy. Oh and the penalty for this crime 24 or more hours of slow connection.  Now the solution is to not be on the internet more than HughesNet allows you to be, or sleep all day and connect between the hours of 2 am and 6:59 am.  Wow, good thing I don’t work all day, that allows me to sit up during those times and connect away.  In all fairness to HughesNet, I feel it is important to look very closely at this policy to make sure we all understand it. So here it is:

Fair Access Policy FAQs

Who is affected?
Only a small percentage of subscribers will experience reduced download speeds as a result of exceeding the download threshold.
(Well, I wonder exactly how many people this really does happen to, or am I only one among a very small few),  Any why does it only happen to a very small few when I experience it all the time and I am not on the internet or downloading anything I consider to be outrageously abusive.  

Online activities such as viewing Websites, checking email, watching short streaming media presentations, or automatic software and anti-virus updates are unlikely to exceed the download threshold. (Well this sounds like what I do, but I still get the violation penalties all the time)

What activities may cause a subscriber to exceed their download threshold?
Some activities are more likely to exceed the download threshold and trigger the application of the Fair Access Policy. Several examples are listed below:

1. Full-length movie downloads (Never watch movies, so this can’t be the reason.  How many of you that have HughesNet do this? I’m not sure but I think that all other highspeed internet services allow this activity with no penalty)
2. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs such as Napster, Kazaa or LimeWire  (Never do this)
3. Continuous downloading or viewing streaming media content such as audio or video programming (Oh well every once in a while my dad might listen to this favor preacher on line.Well should have known this would cause the FAP Police to come out and slap the violation clause on me)
4. Hosting of server devices such as email, FTP or Web servers  (Never do this)
5. Hosting computer applications such as Web camera feeds (Never do this)
6. Automated computer to computer connections used for archiving of local computer content (Never do this)
7. Extensive downloading of Usenet Newsgroups (NNTP) (Never do this)
8. Use of BitTorrent applications (Never do this)
9. Simultaneous file downloads (Never do this, that I am aware of)
10. Downloading large files (i.e., file sizes that are close in size to the download threshold of your service plan) (Oh well here it is, I do have my computer download updates to the security system to avoid having viruses, or to remove spyware and keep others from messing with my privacy and identity, but I have this scheduled for 3am, so how would this affect the connection access limits?)  Now you would think that HughesNet would allow you enough access to download a good amount of information or use your internet a good amount of time since you pay them. However, my understanding is that for me if i use my internet past 200 then I am in violation.

Excessive downloading or use of the services described above may cause subscribers to be affected by the Fair Access Policy, or in severe cases, to be terminated from the service.

What will my Internet access be like if I exceed the download threshold?
When the download threshold is exceeded, you will experience reduced download speeds for approximately 24 hours. During this recovery period, the HughesNet service can still be used for activities such viewing emails and Web surfing, but speeds will be significantly slower than your normal browsing experience.

If I exceed the new download threshold, what should I do?
Minimize your bandwidth-intensive activities in order to return to normal download speeds after the recovery period. If you continue these activities during the recovery period, you may experience reduced download speeds beyond the 24-hour recovery period. If you find that your download threshold is too small for your needs, you should consider upgrading your service to a plan that offers a greater download threshold. (Here’s the catch folks, if you don’t like being in violation, pay us more money and we will allow you more freedom!)

How do I verify that I have exceeded my download threshold?
Go to myHughesNet.com, click on Customer Care, then click on the Check My Usage link in the Resources section.

How is the Fair Access Policy applied during the middle of the night?
Currently, you can use your HughesNet service for several hours during the middle of the night (the "Download Period") with relaxed application of the Fair Access Policy. The actual hours of the Download Period depend on the HughesNet Equipment platform you are using. The hours of unrestricted use shall begin no later than 2:00 AM and end no earlier than 7:00 AM eastern time. (Here they are those unrestricted hours.)

Why was the Download Period implemented?
This period has been provided for HughesNet subscribers to schedule the downloading of automated updates or download of other large files.

Are there any limitations to what I can do during the Download Period?
Yes:

1. This period is subject to available capacity;
2. Download speeds are not guaranteed during these hours; and
3. The HughesNet Acceptable Use Policy is still in effect.

What do you recommend I do during the Download Period?
We recommend that you automatically schedule your system updates during the Download Period. We also suggest the use of a download manager software application to assist in the scheduling of large file downloads.

Do you recommend a particular download manager?
While we cannot recommend any at this time, we are currently in the process of testing several download managers for this purpose.

Will my standard FAP-reduced throughput period of 24 hours be extended by length of the Download Period?
No, the FAP- reduced throughput period will not be by the length of the Download Period.

What will happen if I'm in the middle of a large download at the outset of the Download Period?
During a large download, if you are subject to FAP and the download is not interrupted up until the start of the Download Period, the balance of the download will complete during the Download period at normal speeds, subject to available capacity.

What will happen if I'm in the middle of download at the end of the Download Period?
If you were subject to the FAP-reduced throughput period just prior to the start of the Download Period and you started the download of a file which does not complete by the end of the Period, your download will continue under the FAP restrictions. If you were not subject to FAP prior to the start of the Download Period and you started the download of a file which does not complete by the time the Period ended, your download will continue and the portion of the download occurring after the end of the Download Period will be counted toward the download threshold for FAP.

So what’s your take on this?  Mine is that you spend hundreds of dollars to buy HughesNet equipment, you pay them a monthly fee for ever, and they get to tell you how, when and how much you get to connect to the internet.  Any if you don’t like it, pay them more money and they’ll let you do more.  I do believe it is time to check out other sources for internet connection that don’t restrict me on what I do with equipment and services that I own and pay for.