Fraud is too strong a word? well if their errors constitutes to your loss, whether in data or excess data usage fees, and they benifit from it~ I don't see why it should be seen as anything less.

For the Entire April the Optus Usage Meter has been WRONG!
It's almost as if Optus is making up my data usage as it goes, and what's more, they actually go back to adjust my data usage for days which have passed~

How can you trust the data Usage Meter if it constantly changes? How can Optus prove our usage if the Optus METER is WRONG!!

Take a look at this.

It was 7th April when I first noticed something was wrong.
My daily usage shows I only used 1510.92MB
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage.jpg
Whilst my Overall usage taken captured on the same time shows I used 7687MB
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage2.jpg

I called Optus immediately, for the first 20 minutes the operator attempted to tell me that I was wrong. She kept saying that I used 7687MB and I was reading my daily usage incorrectly. Well it isn't really rocket science you know, I DO know how to read tables. After SHOWING her what I meant, she finally realised that there did exist a discrepancy, and transferred me to the 'appropriate' people to speak to. These APPROPRIATE people told me that there is a current issue with the usage meter, and told me to rest assured, my total usage was only the 1510.92MB show on my daily usage table. They also assured me that this is currently being rectified and would be back to normal very soon. [I forgot to ask them to define SOON, which was a BIG mistake]

The next day, I went to take a look at the Usage meter again~ to my surprise, not only was NOTHING rectified, the daily usage meter jacked up for the the period April 6th a period which previously showed my total usage was 761.98MB (as seen in the first Screen Capture) now showed I used 1494.94MB. The fact that Optus could GO BACK and change the data usage of a day that passed, is quite frightening~ What's more, the discrepancy between the daily usage meter and total usage meter was still there. On 8th April, my daily usage showed 2685.06MB
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage3.jpg
Whilst my Overall usage taken captured on the same time shows I used 8128MB
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage4.jpg

Well I called Optus again of course~ AGAIN the not so bright Optus Operator tried to convince me that I was reading my daily usage meter wrong and my 761.98MB was only reflecting the download whilst 1494.94MB represented upload + Download~ I mean seriously where does optus get their staff? Or do they all go to a training course teaching, the 'Customer is always WRONG?' nowadays?

Again being reassured that this is just the same technical issue previously, and that it would be rectified immediately, and further assured that my total usage on the 9th was no more than 4Gig, well, I patiently let it go~ and wait another day or so for Optus to pull their act together.

I looked at the Usage Meter again on the 12th and by now, I was SWEARING~ Sure, the Daily usage and total usage meter was now showing the same figure, BUT it was showing a figure ADJUSTED UPWARDS!! Notice all the daily usage of every past day was increased by optus
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage5.jpg
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage6.jpg

I called Optus AGAIN~ this time the operator didn't challenge my complaint, she didn't say that I was reading it wrong, but she ACTUALLY challenged my authority in dealing with this matter, as the account was under my fathers name. Sorry for the poor indian lady on the receiving end of my wraith, but she got the full blow, I told her to check her computers thoroughly as I have been and authorised representative on the account for the past 5 years, and have only been dealing with Optus recently, and am also the one that pays the bills in this household. She tried to ask me to get my father on the phone, which I refused to do, and instead told her to check it on her end. Finally, she came back confirming my authority on the account~ ARRRGGGGHHH~~~

Getting back to the main issue, she told me that there is a known fault with the Usage Meter at the moment, this fault has already been announced, and again I was assured that at the time my total usage was only about 7Gig. Still trusting that Optus had their people working on this matter, I let it go again, and simply restricted my own usage because it was impossible to monitor our data usage if the meter was inaccuarate as it is now.

Today is the 21st April and nothing seems to have been rectified.
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage9.jpg
rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage10.jpg
so I call again, I get this guy on the phone, he was arrogant, and I was pissed, so we didn't mix at all. He told me that there was a know fault with the usage meter on the 1st and 2nd of April, but everything has now been rectified, and my current usage meter shows the correct amount of usage data. I challenged his comment, because if he claimed the fault was only isolated to 1st and 2nd of April, then why are my usage meters adjusted between 3-7. Then he said, that he looked into the issue further and actually the error was for the period between 1-6th??? I was quite displeased at the fact that it seemd they were improvising excuses as they went along. I then argued as to how the current data be correct, if I know that I wouldn't have used that amount of data, and on three previous occasions Optus advised me that my usage data on 7th was under 2Gig, on the 8th it was under 4 Gig, and on the 12 it was under 7 Gig.

He then asked me what I wanted to achieve out of this conversation, I said simply for my data to be reduced to the correct amount, he said he can't do that, since the current usage shown is the correct amount. This I asked him, how could he justify the changes in my daily usage meter, if I have my screen captures, reflecting differently, and 3 separate Optus Operators telling me the usage amounts. He tried to talk over me, repeatedly saying that what currently shows on the meter is the accurate amount, I tried vigorously to put my words in, but he just wasn't listening, and kept saying that it doesn't matter what was previously told to me, it doesn't matter what my previous screen captures showed, what we see currently is the accurate figure. I knew I couldn't get anywhere with him so I demanded to speak to his team leader.

Got onto the team leader BEN, who, after I explain the entire situation to him, agreed to look at my screen captures and get back to me on the matter.

I have given this link to so many people with the same problem Optus better fix this soon.
/forum-replies.cfm?t=948991

My Optus usage meter only shows the overall usage and I can't find a link on the usage page to display the daily breakdown. Where can I find the link to the daily breakdown?

I'm on the old cable unlimited* (12GB/24GB) plan if that helps.

I would also like to find the link to the daily usage breakdown. I am on the old 12/24 unlimited plan

Thanks

It appears the daily breakdown is only available to Yes Fusion users at the moment, probably because they can be hit with excess usage charges.

Mick writes...

It appears the daily breakdown is only available to Yes Fusion users ....

Thanks. That would be a very high price to pay. I'll go without :)

Can I add a 'me too' here as I am on the old 12/24 unlimited plan and have serious issues with the metered downloads for this month.
Given the absense of a daily download meter it's virtually impossible to fight Optus on this.

Gibson writes...

Given the absense of a daily download meter it's virtually impossible to fight Optus on this.
Not so much the absence of daily figures so much as their refusal to accept a 3rd-Party monitoring program as accurate. It's their sandpit and they make the rules.

Mick writes...

as their refusal to accept a 3rd-Party monitoring program as accurate. It's their sandpit and they make the rules.

Unless the useage meter is part of the router, it will be inaccurate. It will not count dropped packets as these are dropped at the router intercace, but 'counted data' is still sent.

Magus writes...

It will not count dropped packets as these are dropped at the router intercace

Fair enough, but unless I've had 1.5Gig of dropped packets this month it's going to be reasonably accurate. Based on past months usage I'm about 1.5gig overweight on this months use.

Gibson writes...

but unless I've had 1.5Gig of dropped packets this month

High, but not unreasonable if you have been using p2p. And the amount would be less than 1.5Gb, as some dropped packets would get a response from the router (uploaded data).

I've also had similar issues but over the last few months rather than just in April. As with some of the previous posts, I am on the Cable 12/24GB plan. Could it be an issue with this particular plan? I rang Optus twice and emailed twice and got no satisfaction either way and to be told by one of the call centre women that she couldn't understand what I was asking her. Unfortunately I'm not tech-savvy enough to know how to use a third party program to check my usage. Could someone give me a link where it is explained as I would like some evidence?
I am extremely frustrated not only by the incredibly high downloads I am being told I am making via the usage meter but also by the lack of support from Optus. I am checking the metre a number of times each time I am online and it's just not making sense.
Is this a conspiracy to get us to upgrade our plans?? I have looked into this and Optus seems to be asking way too much to upgrade to the higher plans??
Any thoughts?

I've also had similar issues but over the last few months rather than just in April. As with some of the previous posts, I am on the Cable 12/24GB plan. Could it be an issue with this particular plan? I rang Optus twice and emailed twice and got no satisfaction either way and to be told by one of the call centre women that she couldn't understand what I was asking her. Unfortunately I'm not tech-savvy enough to know how to use a third party program to check my usage. Could someone give me a link where it is explained as I would like some evidence?
I am extremely frustrated not only by the incredibly high downloads I am being told I am making via the usage meter but also by the lack of support from Optus. I am checking the metre a number of times each time I am online and it's just not making sense.
Is this a conspiracy to get us to upgrade our plans?? I have looked into this and Optus seems to be asking way too much to upgrade to the higher plans??
Any thoughts?

My usage shows for the past 6 months but not daily, It's been pretty normal except for this month were my normal usage was telling me I had used 17gig within the first 7 days of my billing period and that my son in a 2 hour's had used 1.2 gig watching vids on YouTube.

I only started checking regularly this month after last month being speed limited after just 14 days! There has been no change to the type of downloads or gaming that happens with the kids (or me!) and at one stage I stopped the kids from using the net at all for a few hours just to see what happened (that went down well!). Even in that time over 500MB of downloads were recorded. I understand there may be a delay in updating the usage meter but I don't think this explains it??

Niniane writes...

I stopped the kids from using the net at all for a few hours just to see what happened (that went down well!). Even in that time over 500MB of downloads were recorded.

That is a large amount!

Make sure that you have no viruses or have any neighbours tapping in to your internet connection. Are your kids able to do a fresh reinstall for you? If you have wireless - are they able to change the password?

Which programs are you using to download?

I have no viruses or spyware (all anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall programs installed, up to date and functioning properly), no neighbours tapping in (I've set the router to allow specific mac addresses only) and have only recently done a fresh install on the PCs. In terms of downloads, I've told them no Limewire or anything similar and all of these programs are set to run only when the user requires rather than on start up. I also turn the power off to the computer and modem when they are not being used. Instead of improving, the situation seems to have become worse the more vigilant I become! (I hate being the computer nazi too!!). I've also banished myself from second life until off peak times (not good when I work full time!) and my son from any online gaming until off peak time on weekends. I'm starting to wonder what the point of having it is????

Sorry, I should have added that I have set all updates to happen off-peak and once a week only also.

Your situation def doesn't sound good. It cetainly appears you are doing everything right.

Did you have the modem turned off when you received the 500meg of downloads?

If you still get anywhere near that much with it turned off it would def suggest something wrong at Optus end to me.

Do the test for as long as you can bear it, record the times you turn it off and on and save screen shots of the Optus usage page directly before and after.

Ring Optus with evidence. Speak to Rubystation and see how his problem develops.

Good luck - there must be a reason and a solution to your problem.

Niniane writes...

I only started checking regularly this month after last month being speed limited after just 14 days!

I have also been speed limited. I think that there is something wrong with Optus at the moment.

Thanks Woodhead! Will do :-)

The Optus usage meter has had ongoing issues for nearly a year.

I noticed last January that the first 3-4 days of that month my usage figures for December changed when I checked with Optus: Usage Meter: History a few times each day. It's as if the usage meter is playing catch-up.

The final download numbers for both peak and off-peak don't finalise until about day 4 of the new month. Initially I thought it may have something to do with New Years and public holidays but it happened again in February, March and April.

Optus' response: You're not reading the tables correctly.

Just how hard is it to read wrong a percentage which climbs... for the previous month?

I'm well pissed right now with the useage meter. At 4pm this arvo checked the meter and it said I had just under a gig to go before cap, so I cancelled any downloads I had going. Went and had dinner, come back to find an Optus letter indicating I've gone over. :( Check my firewall and find *minimal* traffic for last 2 hours.. grrrrrrr.

WTF Optus?

kbekus writes...

Check my firewall and find *minimal* traffic for last 2 hours

Its been said in the thread: /forum-replies.cfm?t=948991&p=4#r80
Optus measure data going to the modem, not the data after its past the modem that you initiated.
What about making sure that the 'last update' on the usage meter is at the current time or within the last 15mins or so. I've seen it a day out before and that cause me a bit of confusion.

So is this reasonable, as per this screenshot? members.optusnet.com.au/~kbekus/April useage.jpg

an average in (from the cable modem to my firewall) over the current month of 22.400 KB /second.
x60 = 1380KB /min
x60 = 82800KB / hour
x24 = 1987200KB / day
x27 = 53,654,400KB for the current month,
or /1000,000 = ~54GB for the month.

Where have I gone wrong? I know this doesn't break down peak and off peak... according to my useage meter I've downloaded 55GB, so I'm willing to accept the slight difference. But like I said above, what pisses me off is that I was watching my meter carefully and had 800MB peak up my sleeve, cancelled all my downloads, came back 2 hours later and was over the limit.

kbekus writes...

cancelled all my downloads, came back 2 hours later and was over the limit.

If these were torrents, that is to be expected, although 800M in 2 hrs would require quite a few torrents.

If you cancel torrents, turn modem off for 15 min to get a new IP.
Someone else may still get the traffic to your old IP though.

Have a read on torrents and transparent proxy services.

(Although I would not be suprised if the Optus meter is broken/inconsistant)

they were torrents, and I know that attempts to connect from other peers continue for a long time, but not to cause that much traffic given the previous few hours generated maybe a quarter of that.

I've complained with Optus, I'll see how I go. I'll also implement something like NetFlow to keep better stats on my activity. Anyone have a scraper that interrogates the useage meter and keeps a local copy of it for comparison?

I've had this problem since January, and at first I suspected someone within my wireless range was hijacking my allowance. However I've changed my passwords and wireless encryption 3 times now and allow only known computers to access my account and it's still happening.

I was throttled on April 13, despite by my measurement using only about 4GB of my 10/20GB ADSL2 plan. Optus had throttled me in Feb and March as well, and each time it took me between 45 mins and an hour to reach support on the phone. It takes under a minute to get thru to Sales!

I have had some fairly conciliatory responses from various BC support members, and for both March and April they agreed to unthrottle my account. Each time the different contacts have made it clear that this was a 'one-off goodwill' gesture. However, the problem is still unresolved and I'm looking forward to checking my alleged usage after the first day of May. Why do we no longer have access to our daily usage stats? This is not fair and allows Optus to readjust the stats seemingly in an arbitrary fashion. The goodwill gestures are simply too thin on the ground here.

*cough* ACCC *cough*

HI Guys,
I am new to the site. A relative referreed me to it due to my problems with Optus billing on my business phones (another story I will post here). However I noticed this thread which is close to my problem and hopefully some of you more technical guys can help me out.
I signed up for the $99 Fusion plan with 20GB on new home phone.When I received my first bill it was for $549 !. When I went through the bill the main blowout was for going over the 20GB.
I had a look at myzoo to see the usage. The downloads were 14265 and the uploads 14750 for March. The concept of uploads is new to me and I thought 20GB referred to downloads. The next bill will be worse as downloads 14GB but the uploads 17GB. It appears the rate of uploads is totally random with some days it being 3 x downloads and other days less than 10%.
Is it normal to be billed for uploads ? Are there plans that don't charge for them ?
On the evening of 28 April I disconnected the internet connection. On 29 April whilst nobody was home I noticed usage rising during the day until it ended at 0.56 MB. Today is at 0.30MB and nobody has been online or even at home. How can that be ?

BrettofBrisbane writes...

It appears the rate of uploads is totally random with some days it being 3 x downloads and other days less than 10%.
It would most likely correspond with the days you are running file-sharing programs such as Bit Torrent.

Is it normal to be billed for uploads ?
It is slowly becoming the norm. None of the current plans are download only.

Are there plans that don't charge for them ?
Not currently for sale by Optus. Other providers have plans that don't count uploads, but be aware of any contract termination fees should you switch (~$300-$450).

On 29 April whilst nobody was home I noticed usage rising during the day until it ended at 0.56 MB. Today is at 0.30MB and nobody has been online or even at home. How can that be ?
Was it actually disconnected as in cancelled completely by Optus?

I noticed that my usage is a bit weird, It's saying I have downloaded near;y 400mb of data already and I have only been on Whirlpool today with download speeds of about 39-80kb/s... I just don't see how that is possible...

I'll just add my story to the pile, to my incredible frustration I found out I got capped two days before the end of the month of April, and I had downloaded very very minimally that month. In fact, I wouldn't even have expected to reach HALF the limit.

But I don't care. Some Telstra guys came over my house yesterday, offering me their new "Defender" package (with the tagline being "Prepare for War!" :P), and for $109.95 a month I get 25GB on the Cable Extreme (30mb/s cable), unlimited free local and std calls, and kickass call rates to everything else. Needless to say, I'm now going with them.

Freakyboy writes...

$109.95 a month I get 25GB

Uploads counted?

Make sure you read all the conditions of the deal.

Can someone give me to a link with all the daily usage on it, like the page that lists this: rubystation.com/takako/usage/usage9.jpg

I want to see if I can access it on my grandfathered plan.

Thanks.

Things are starting to look suspicious here for me as well.

I will be keeping a close eye on this in the next few days.

Some friends of mine are having problems with this too, they signed up to Optus Fusion a couple of months ago and just got a bill for $400 - there's no way they are that far over the limit...they use MSN every couple of nights for video calls but that's about it. No filesharing, no youtube, nothing else really. I'm going to call Optus tomorrow and ask them about it... anyone else still having issues?

I had practically the same thing happen to me.
They limited the speed last month and also charged me an extra $300 for the slower connection.

I have lodged a complain with the TIO as they never explained there would be a 15c per MB charge over the 7GB download limit and also a slower connection.

leary121 writes...

I have lodged a complain with the TIO as they never explained there would be a 15c per MB charge over the 7GB download limit and also a slower connection.

What did you expect? The connection to remain as fast when you exceed your usage? I don't know of an ISP that does nothing when you exceed your limit? Can you please name one so that I may consider joining them.

Can you guys tell a newbie where/how to monitor usage other than through OPTSU?

fochfoch writes...

Can you guys tell a newbie where/how to monitor usage other than through OPTSU?

I use Burnsie's Data Monitor. Runs on the tasbar of Windoze.

lol. haven't checked the prices and plans for optus lately but look what i found:

For 'yes' Fusion plans once you have exceeded your monthly download limit and the 2GB excess quota (charged at 15c per Megabyte), the speed of your service will be slowed to around 64kbps (kilobits per second) for 'yes' Fusion 2GB and 'yes' Fusion 7GB plans or 128kbps on 'yes' Fusion 20GB plan for the remainder of the month.

..in english it means you will only be capped @ 64kbps/128kbps after they charge you for the 2GB you go over your download limits at normal speeds.
Hence: $300 bill = $0.15 * 2000mb of excess bandwidth. So the people who keep getting excess usage bills I strongly suggest you monitor your daily bandwidth and/or upgrade to a better plan/jump ship.

I would say, most of you people who have discrepancies with their usage have had their modems mac address, used by another hacked modem.

If I were on fusion I would have already changed to iinet/internode.

This just happened to me :/

it's such a disgracfull business policy. I think Optus just lost another customer

TPG doesn't slow down and charge $150 per GB over, I know that for sure. I have no problem with the connection being slowed down but to be ripped off for that privlege? Hell no.

good idea about changing providers though from what I have seen, Optus lock you into a 24 month plan so there may be disconnection fee.

fochfoch writes...

Can you guys tell a newbie where/how to monitor usage other than through OPTSU?

theres only one usage monitor to use [imho] and that is:

USAGE AGENT: usageagent.sourceforge.net

check it out. pretty straight forward to setup and the guy who puts it together is here on the whirlpool forums very frequently!! :)

Dodgy Bob

has anyone had the issue of down/uploadas not being counted??

its been well over 12hours now and my usage has not changed and its out by about 7 or so gig?? meaning, by the way its looking, i've got another 7gig to chew up.

anyone with this issue at all??

Where the hell are you guys getting daily usage from ? My usage doesnt have that option. Next to the billing period, where yours has a "View my daily usage" link, mine does not.

I Only have a Usage history area where i can check my past months total, but again, nothing on daily usage

Why?

shkip writes...

Next to the billing period, where yours has a "View my daily usage" link, mine does not.

i think earlier in this thread someone mentioned something that only the fusion plans have been graced with the likes of a daily historical break down gizmo!!

if you are on a fusion plan: fire up your members services page, on the left hand menu under member services click on my internet account, log in, under my internet account on that same menu click on my usage, then under that click on daily usage ... it is there, but again, i think it is possible that only the fusion plans have it!!

hope that helps,
Dodgy Bob

Yeah i read that, thats why i questioned it as i am fusion 99$. i guess the old fusion users dont get it - ie, the fusion plans where you dont get charged, just capped immediately.

That is outrageous! I can't really identify with it, since I've never noticed such discepency in my meter.. as long as I'm below 20gig for the whole month then I'm happy..

What I'm UNHAPPY with since getting ADSL2+ is upload is now counted to our download, and that I only have 20gig a month to do those!! So long my anti-leeching life T_T

Also why would optus want to mess around with ur usage, unless you had a bigger one you could purchase?

AND I HATE INDIAN PHONE CUSTOMER SUPPORT! I've had my name authorized several times already and they keep asking my mum to authorize it OVER AND OVER! They suck at keeping records and/or reading. Bleughhh. I want to switch ISP already :) terrible customer service, and there's always something wrong.

Me too but my dad, had to give in to the 10% of contract.....

Mate we are in same problem,
/forum-replies.cfm?t=982967&p=-1#bottom

Someone must do something about this.
Optus cheating on internet usage, and Coles and Woolworths cheating on old veggie and fruit. No differences big shame that happening in Australia. I don't think this will happen in Europe like Germany or other country.

We should write letter to Current affair, and today tonight shows.

cheers