Note The following is based on a 1 GB example. You can find your Network Traffic limit in section 8.0 here Bailey Cable Tv Acceptable Use Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Network Traffic?
Network Traffic - aggregate total of all data sent, both upstream and downstream, using an Internet connection provided by Bailey Cable High Speed Internet. This includes, but is not limited to: email, web surfing, file downloads/uploads, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) applications, instant messaging (i.e. ICQ, Microsoft Instant Messenger), chat rooms, audio/video streaming, and MP3 downloading/uploading.
Am I likely to go over the limit?
The answer to this depends entirely on how much you use your Internet account and what you are doing when you use it. The following is meant to help put this amount into perspective…
| Scale: | 1 GB Example: |
| 1 Byte = 8 Bit = 1 character | 1,073,741,824 Bytes |
| 1 Kilobyte (kB) = 1,024 Bytes | 1,048,576 kB |
| 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1,048,576 Bytes | 1,024 MB |
| 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,073,741,824 Bytes | 1 GB |
Gigabyte - a unit used in measuring data size. (One Byte = one character. i.e. the word "coffee" is six characters, so six bytes. One Gigabyte = 1,073,741,824 bytes)
 |
To help put this into perspective…
- The complete text for Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is 201,152 bytes. In 1 GB you could download or upload this play about 5,339 times.
- Most floppy disks can hold 1.44 MB of data per diskette and have a physical dimension of about 3.3 millimeters thick. One GB would fill just over 711 diskettes. If you were to stack those on top of each other, the pile would be over 2 meters tall (more than 7 feet).
- Most new computers today come with hard drives that hold anywhere from 20 GB to 40 GB of data. Please note: Using GB's of Network Traffic per month does not necessarily mean that your hard drive will become full in short order. Most Network Traffic does NOT get permanently stored on your hard drive unless you specifically and deliberately command the computer to save this data - examples of these deliberate actions would be saving files such as MP3s, Video Clips, image files, and other documents.
| Usage Example: | Typical Size/Rate* | @ 1 GB** |
| Web Pages (liberal use of graphical components and text within content) |
30 to 80 kB per page |
35,791 to 13,422 individual web pages per month |
| Good Quality Images (Such as those in specialized online image galleries, .jpg type) |
80 to 120 kB per image |
13,422 to 8,948 good quality images per month |
| MP3 sound files (CD Quality music files at 160 Kbps and 44 kHz sampling) |
1.146 MB per minute of music |
Over 14.5 hours of music per month |
| Streaming Audio (Such as a 20.7 Kbps Real Media Audio Stream from CBC.ca online radio) |
2,649 bytes per second |
Over 4.5 days worth of audio streaming |
| Streaming Audio/Video (Such as a movie trailer using an 80 Kbps Real Media A/V Stream) |
10,240 bytes per second |
Over a day worth of audio/video streaming |
A common reason for exceeding your network traffic limit:
The most common cause for exceeding network traffic limits is the use of some (peer-to-peer) file-sharing programs without proper configuration and attention. Examples of these programs include Morpheus, BearShare, and KaZaA Media Desktop. It is not uncommon for such programs to run whenever the computer is on, and, unbeknownst to the user, their computer is acting as a file server that is open for any other user on the Internet to access and copy files – an activity that results in network traffic flow for the account of those hosting the file server.
* These numbers are based on anecdotal evidence and experienced estimates, not statistically significant information. Actual file sizes are subject to extreme variations depending on many variables including, but not limited to; the source of the files, the discretion of the person posting the file on the file server or web site, and the file type and the intended purpose for the file.
** This represents Network Data Traffic if used exclusively for the line item - your Network Traffic limit would normally be a mix of these uses aggregated together to total a maximum equal to the Network Traffic limit of your account type. Usage beyond your account limit is subject to additional charges.
| Disclaimer This document is intended as a general guide to help customers attach meaning and perspective to the Network Traffic limits on High Speed Cable Internet accounts. The examples above are meant to present a collection of typical examples but are not the result of a scientific study. There are a vast number of variables contributing to network traffic that cannot be adequately accounted for in this document, thus each individual's usage habits and activities may result in wildly differing traffic flows. It is recommended that High Speed Internet customers (end users of the Bailey Cable High Speed Internet Access accounts) monitor their traffic flow on a regular basis by using the reports available to their local Cable Operators’ Portal. To find these reports, users may follow the link on the portal in “myToolBox” called “My Account”, and then click on the “Check Network Traffic” link. Accessing this report regularly is the best way for users to get a feel for their typical usage activity. |
Please note that the above links are provided for your convenience. Bailey Cable is in no way affiliated with any of the above companies and we do not provide technical support for any of their products or services.