Usage Policies

First, what is a "Usage Policy"?

Some providers will limit you on how much you can use their system in a given month. Their limits will also vary according to how many customers they have, which affects how many they can support or provide service to. All satellite systems, some cable systems and a few others have Usage Policies.

What Happens If You Exceed Their Limit?

Simply put, they cut you off or limit your speed to less than a dialup connection. But you still get to pay full price for their "service"

OnALot.com's Wireless Usage Policies

OnALot.com has the following usage policies:

1. You are paying us to download from the internet. We do not limit you on that. You can download anything you want 24/7. Games, email, web pages, radio stations, and so on - we don't care, downloading is what you are paying us for.
   
2. We do have restrictions when it comes to uploading TO the internet. These limitations apply ONLY to file sharing programs. We do NOT allow music or video sharing programs, bit torrent programs or other programs where outside users can extract files from your computer without your express consent. And seriously, do you actually WANT others to have full access to your computer without your knowledge or permission? That's what you're giving to file sharing programs! Please call us if you are unsure if the program you are using is a file sharing program.
   
3. Yes, you can upload to your website, send big emails, and transfer any size files that are under your control. That's OK with us - these are intermittant in nature and under your full control. It's the unattended uploading that sharing programs do that we do not allow.

Video Uploading / Streaming Devices

There are some products on the market that allow you to stream video from your TV, VCR, DVD player, etc. and watch them from anywhere via the internet. The buzzword for these is "placeshifting"

We DO NOT ALLOW these on our system. They consume 50% or more of our bandwidth, meaning other customers cannot enjoy the internet that they are paying for. Again, we will cut you off if we detect this sort of activity.

Surveillance Cameras

The only sort of surveillance cameras that we allow to be directly connected to our system are the types that email you when motion is detected. You then log into them and view what's going on. A camera that continually streams video is not allowed as it eats too much bandwidth and detracts from other user's ability to use the internet.

What Will We Do To You If....

First, you must understand that all of our systems are Shared Systems, meaning, there are other users on each system, and your activities will affect the quality of their internet experience.

If you decide to use sharing programs, also called peer-to-peer (p2p), or Bit Torrent programs, or stream video per the above definitions, and we discover these activities, we'll call you. We will explain that this is not allowed.

If you continue to violate our polices, our next step is to cut you off and wait for you to call us. We will again explain our policies.

If after that, you continue to violate our policies, you will be classified by us as a "Chronic Violator" and your speed will be adjusted as follows:

• Download speed will equal no greater than 256 kbps or 512 kbps, depending on which system you are on.
• Upload speed will equal no greater than 32 kbps
  

Note that these changes are PERMANENT! Your speed will not be raised again, and you will remain at the above speeds for as long as you remain a customer, regardless of your promises, excuses or the amount of begging you may do. While this may seem extreme, it's because of your previous disregard of our policies that we must take this stand.

And, if you take steps to circumvent our restrictions, you will be immediately and permanently cut off from our system. We are quite serious about maintaining the quality of our service, and will take all necessary steps to protect it from your activities, up to and including legal actions.

Quite frankly, if you do not want to "play nice in the sandbox" we would prefer to not have you as a customer because your activities adversely affect our other customers, and we would prefer to keep the majority happy at the expense of one problem customer. If you don't like these policies, or don't agree with them, you have other options for internet service elsewhere, and we encourage you to pursue them.

OnALot.com is also under no obligation to refund the price you paid for equipment. We do not re-purchase equipment, and we do not issue refunds. We also do not refund a partial month's subscription price. And if you are under a contract, and decide to quit as a result of the above, or we terminate your service, penalties apply. Click HERE for information on our contract policies.

We strongly encourage you to take the above seriously, we do.

Questions? Please read our Limits Of Liability section.