# Bell fibe TV and internet usage fees



## Jaberwock

Does anybody here have Bell fibe TV and internet?

I have been using fibe for six months and although the service is very good I have recently discovered a serious problem.

My internet usage has been steadily climbing even though my online time and download habits have not changed. Recently I took a vacation, my computer was turned off and nothing was connected to the internet during that time. My usage continued to follow a pattern similar to what it had been when I was at home using the internet. Bell claims that I have used over 50 Gb during a period when there has been zero internet activity at my home.

I am getting stung with increasingly higher overuse charges. Bell is supposedly investigating, but so far they have not given me a satisfactory answer.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?


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## brad

Sounds like a neighbour may be tapping into your network via WiFi and eating up your bandwidth.

I've been using Fibe since this summer (internet only, we don't have tv) and haven't experienced anything like this. But basically I've been disappointed in Fibe: I see no difference at all in internet download speeds compared with DSL; uploads are faster but otherwise no change in performance or reliability (my connection drops a few times per month just as it did with DSL). It's cheaper than my DSL was, but I had an unlimited DSL plan and Fibe has bandwidth caps.


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## carverman

Somebody could be using your bandwith, as Brad mentioned.

seems that other people with Bell fibe tv are complaining about excessive data charges.
http://www.broadbandreports.com/for...ternet-usage-up-200-since-upgrade-to-Fibe-25-
Scroll down and read (Ventile). 

You need to install your own data usage tool such as DUMeter and some router security,
so nobody else can use your WIFI bandwidth.

DUMeter will give you an instant display of data incoming/outgoing and give you a report of data usage, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly that you can store as a file on your computer to compare to what Bell are charging you for. 
If you are on wi-fi, and don't have the proper security setup, others can find and
steal your bandwidth as well.

I don't have fibe tv, but I have DU Meter, so I know how much my computer is using
at any given time. I like this tool. You can try it for free for 30 days.
http://www.hageltech.com/dumeter/download


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## ddkay

They don't let you have Fibe TV without also having their internet service (forced bundling), ontop of that they won't sell it unless you accept a 2 year contract. It's more expensive than Rogers, less channels, you're more restricted than ever (less usage compared to a cable reseller like start.ca). IMO it's a raw deal.


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## Jaberwock

I finally sorted this out after several phone calls. Changing my passwords seemed to have no effect so I disconnected the modem for a day to find out if Bell would record any internet usage with the system completely inoperative. Sure enough, they claimed I had used about 1 Gb of download for the period when the modem was disconnected. 

I managed to get my overage charges refunded for the last six months, and hopefully the problem will not re-occur.

I wonder, however, how many other people are having the same problem and are blindly accepting the overage charges. Is mine an isolated case? or is Bell raking in millions of dollars based on faulty data?


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## brad

I've never had any overage charges, but I only have the Fibe internet, not TV; this may be an issue only with people who subscribe to both.


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## bgc_fan

Jaberwock said:


> I finally sorted this out after several phone calls. Changing my passwords seemed to have no effect so I disconnected the modem for a day to find out if Bell would record any internet usage with the system completely inoperative. Sure enough, they claimed I had used about 1 Gb of download for the period when the modem was disconnected.
> 
> I managed to get my overage charges refunded for the last six months, and hopefully the problem will not re-occur.
> 
> I wonder, however, how many other people are having the same problem and are blindly accepting the overage charges. Is mine an isolated case? or is Bell raking in millions of dollars based on faulty data?


Given that Fibe TV is essentially TV over IP, is it not possible that the TV usage is being counted towards your bandwidth usage?


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## ddkay

No, Bell doesn't sell over-top service like Netflix or Youtube. They don't need to because they control your connection end to end. Internet and video services are separated/partitioned with virtual LANs.

The only thing I can think of is OP had his account login stolen. He should reset the PW to something complicated and put the new one in a safety deposit box. http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/

I have a Fibe account and I'm positive they don't add data just to overcharge you. This is what a full month of no usage looks like:









However the usage restrictions have opened a black market / given hackers new incentive to attack weak wireless networks and steal account logins. So be careful.


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