Early this year, Smile Communication Uganda further spiced up its TrueUnlimited data bundle and introduced a weekly variant of the same bundle. When it first introduced the ‘TRUEunlimited’ internet in November last year, we applauded it for being the perfect video streaming mobile data bundle. Up to now, the real definition of TrueUnlimited internet is tricky for most to explain as carriers or telecom companies seem to have their own definition of unlimited internet from what customers expect.
News reaching this website indicates that Smile telecom has blocked the use of torrents for subscribers using the ‘TRUEunlimited’ internet as part of their fair usage policy (FUP). As more people are stuck home during the lockdown, a lot of video downloads are being done by subscribers who have it etched in their heads that they have purchased an unlimited data bundle that will last a month at guaranteed maximum speeds. However, the company has seen an increase in data usage, and the biggest culprit has been subscribers using torrents to download movies. In the tweet below, a Smile TRUEUnlimited bundle customer had to find out the hard way.
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According to Wikipedia, a torrent file gives addresses for computers around the world which can send parts of the requested file like a video or any media file. Torrent files themselves and the method of using torrent files were created to ease the load on central servers, as instead of sending a file to for request, it can crowd-source the bandwidth needed for the file transfer. With the help of torrents, one can download small parts of the original file from computers that already have it. These “peers” allow for downloading of the file in addition to, or in place of, the primary server.
Torrents will always cause a huge strain on mobile data telecom networks with shared resources– unlike some ISPs that offer dedicated data speeds where one doesn’t have to share resources.
Torrents Vs Fair Usage policy
Most of us subscribe to online services without reading the fine print. The usage of Smile’s services is intended for, but not limited to, personal activities the company says that this includes, but is not limited to, those relating to cybersecurity, protection of personal information, copyright, and a legal interception.
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With that said, Smile communications Uganda needs to ensure that all of its customers, and members, have fair and equal use of the services. It also has the right to protect the integrity of its network. Most telecoms reserve the right to take reasonable steps to prevent improper or excessive usage of the network. Smile Communications may amongst other things, limit throughput, and prevent or limit service through specific ports or communication protocols and this is what they have done when they blocked torrents. And this the fine print that most customers never read when they buy they so-called “unlimited bundles”.
According to the company’s Fair User Policy, Smile Customers may not restrict, inhibit, interfere with, or otherwise disrupt or cause performance degradation, regardless of intent, purpose or knowledge, to the Service or any Smile host, server, backbone network, base station, node or service, or otherwise cause a performance degradation to any Smile facilities used to deliver the Service. The company reserves the right to terminate the service and the Subscriber Agreement immediately if the customer breaches the FUP and this includes the use of torrents.
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