GiffGaff Tackles Data Junkies

Sim only mobile network provider, GiffGaff, has become the latest firm to get tough on those who use the data connection on their mobile phone to a degree that is considered excessive, according to Gizmodo.

GiffGaff released figures last week, which showed that a third of all data usage by its customers is carried out by just one per cent of users, indicating that there are those who hog a significant amount of the network bandwidth, presumably to the detriment of the service quality for others.

In a statement, the network provider said that it was not a viable option for it to continue operating in a way that allowed some users to consume so much data and, as such, it is going to introduce monitoring which identifies the heaviest users and caps their activities.

GiffGaff could go so far as to completely ban data access for sim only customers who act in a manner which it believes goes beyond what is reasonable.

The important point to make here is that for 99 per cent of GiffGaff sim only customers, the monitoring and potential banning will not have any impact whatsoever.

Average users never tend to get close to exceeding their monthly data allowances, even with regular surfing and downloading whilst on the move.

You have to be someone who downloads files constantly or streams video for hours a day, to pop up on GiffGaff's radar. Also people who tether their smartphone as an internet access point for laptops and other devices, could fall foul of this monitoring process, although, again, a little bit of discretion will certainly go a long way for users who think that they might be prime candidates for being banned.

The use of mobile phones for web access has increased exponentially in recent years and affordable sim only deals make it easy to get online for less.