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Q. What is U-Want Internet?
Q. What is the difference between the two products?
Q. Is the U-Want Internet service ‘contended’?
Q. What is a ‘contended service’?
Q. How many devices can I connect to U-Want Internet?
Q. Can I play console games online U-Want Internet?
Q. Can I play online PC games on U-Want Internet?
Q. How much does U-Want Internet cost?
Q. Can I pay by instalments?
Q. How does the cost of U-Want Internet compare?
Q. How do I apply for a U-Want Internet connection?
Q. If I move into somebody else’s room and they have already paid for U-Want Internet but moved out, do I have to pay?
Q. What happens if I change my computer?
Q. I already have an Internet account with another Internet Service Provider and want to dial them via the telephone socket in my room. Can I?
Q. Do I need a modem to connect to the U-Want Internet service?
Q. What kind of Network adaptor do I need to connect to U-Want Internet?
Q. What if I have problems connecting, a fault or am unable to access an application through my U-Want Internet connection?
Q. How fast is the connection?
Q. Are there any download or upload limits?
Q. What are U-Want internet’s usage allowances?
Q. What is a monthly usage allowance?
Q. Why does U-Want internet have usage allowances?
Q. How does it work?
Q. What happens if I exceed my monthly allowance?
Q. How do I know if I have exceeded my monthly usage allowance?
Q. What about watching U-Want TV content or making calls on U-Want Telephony? Does using these services count towards my usage allowance?
Q. What is the Fair Usage Policy on U-Want internet?
Q. How do I know I’m a very heavy user?
Q. What is U-Want internet's policy on P2P?
Q. Does this mean I can't use Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications?
Q. Can I download whatever I like?
Q. Is the bandwidth ‘guaranteed’?
Q. Do I need anti-virus software installed?
Q. I haven’t got any anti-virus software installed where do I get it from?
Q. I haven’t got any anti-spyware software installed where do I get it from?
Q. Can I use email clients such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express to send and receive emails?
Q. Can I share my connection?
Q. If I sign up to U-Want Internet mid-way through the term, say in November, how much will it cost?
Q. Can I upgrade my service?
Q. Can I downgrade my service?
Q. How do I pay?
Q. What about cancellations?
Q. Where can I see more information?
Q. What happens if my UID is incorrect?
Q. What happens if I haven’t got a UID?
Q. How do I get a refund?
Q. If I have a complaint what should I do?
What is U-Want Internet?
U-Want Internet is a high-speed Internet service providing two levels of Internet connectivity; "Lite" and "Super" with speeds of up to 512kbps and up to 2 Megabits per second respectively with a contention ratio of 35:1 for Super and 50:1 for Lite. U-Want Internet is managed by BT exclusively for UNITE customers.
U-Want Internet is divided into two products designed to support mixed usage of the Internet, "Lite" and "Super"
What is the difference between the two products?
"Lite" has a connection speed of up to 512 kilobits per second and is for Internet browsing and research, browser based email (Hotmail etc.) browser based gaming (e.g. www.miniclip.com) over up to 3 devices.
"Super" has a connection speed of up to 2 megabits per second and is for more advanced Internet usage including gaming (PC and console) and limited Peer-to-Peer activity, over up to 5 devices.
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Is the U-Want Internet service ‘contended’?
Yes. The U-Want Internet network bandwidth is shared between a pre-determined number of users. This ‘contention ratio’ is 35:1 on Super and 50:1 on Lite (See below for further description of contention ratio).
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What is a ‘contended service’?
It is an industry standard, allowing a pre-determined number of people to share the same network bandwidth. Contending the network enables us to provide our services at a lower cost to you, while still providing you with great download performance.
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How many devices can I connect to U-Want Internet?
On the "Lite" service you may connect up to 3 devices PC (or MAC) and Internet telephone. On the "Super" service you may connect up to 5 devices PC (or MAC), gaming console and Internet telephone.
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Can I play console games online U-Want Internet?
Yes but only on the "Super" service (for example X-Box live,
Playstation 2).
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Can I play online PC games on U-Want Internet?
On the "Lite" service you can play browser based games only
(such as miniclip). On the "Super" service online gaming will
be permitted.
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How much does U-Want Internet cost?
The U-Want Internet connection is charged at a rate of £3.49 a week for the "Lite" product and £6.49 per week for "Super". This cost is worked out on a per week basis from the moment you register for U-Want Internet until the end of your tenancy. All inclusive customers benefit from a discounted bulk Lite internet rate included in your rent, upgrading to Super is chargeable at £4.99 for these customers only
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Can I pay by instalments?
Yes. You can pay by two instalments, as follows:
50% to be paid on sign-up
50% to be paid on Thursday 29th January 2009
A £12 instalment fee to cover the additional transaction charges will be paid with the first instalment. Payment can be made by Visa credit card or Mastercard in your room.
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How does the cost of U-Want Internet compare?
The majority of UNITE's sites operate an all inclusive room rate where the Lite service is provided with your room. For these all inclusive customers, upgrading to the Super 2 Mbps service will cost an additional £4.99 per week from the day you sign up to the end of your stay, rounded down to the nearest week.
For properties where customers must pay for the service in addition to their room rate, the cost of U-Want Internet is calculated at a rate of £3.49 for "Lite" service and £6.49 for "Super" service per week.
As an indication a similar 2mbps domestic product from a leading provider is £19.99 per month for a minimum 12 month contract (a total of £239.88) in addition to this customers must pay line rental, this is around £10.50 per month (over 12 months = £126). This means that the total cost for a year is £365.88. With home services you must pay for 12 months, however with U-Want you only pay for the length of your tenancy so you could save nearly £100 with "Super" and over £200 with "Lite"*.
*Based on a 43 week tenancy.
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How do I apply for a U-Want Internet connection?
If you have a debit or credit card you can register on your computer in your UNITE room at any time or you can pay by cash or cheque at reception once you have checked in.
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If I move into somebody else’s room and they have already paid for U-Want Internet but moved out, do I have to pay?
Yes, the fee is for each individual customer connected to the service not per room.
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What happens if I change my computer?
If you change or upgrade your network card or computer our system will recognise you as a NEW user and re-direct you to our Registration Page – In order to activate your new computer or network card you will need to phone 0870 242 0019 us to update your computer’s MAC address on our system in order to allow Internet access. From September 08, a new system will automatically allow you to add your own new MAC addresses to your account using the My Account section of the new U-Want.com customer service website, due to go live in August 08.
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I already have an Internet account with another Internet Service Provider and want to dial them via the telephone socket in my room. Can I?
You will not be able to dial-in to an alternative ISP, but you should be able to collect e-mail from them via their POP mail server using your U-Want Internet connection. Please call the U-Want Internet Helpdesk on 0870 242 0019 or 01275 793 404 if you need advice on setting this up.
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Do I need a modem to connect to the U-Want Internet service?
No, modems are used to connect to Internet Service Providers via telephone lines. U-Want Internet is provided over a computer network, so you will need an Ethernet network adaptor for your computer, as well as an RJ45 cable to connect between your computer and the wall socket – this cable should be in your room. Use of a wireless router will slow down your connection and those around you please ensure you connect to the socket in your room straight from your PC or other device.
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What kind of Network adaptor do I need to connect to U-Want Internet?
You will need an Ethernet Network Adaptor. Most modern computers have this fitted as standard. If you have one, you’ll see a square socket a little bigger than a phone or modem socket. If you don’t think you have an Ethernet Adaptor go to your local PC shop and buy one. You should be able to pick up an Ethernet Network Adaptor for less than £10.
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What if I have problems connecting, a fault or am unable to access an application through my U-Want Internet connection?
Call the U-Want Internet Helpdesk on 0870 242 0019 or 01275 793 404 during the following times:
Extended Helpdesk hours from 8th September 08 to 8th October 08 and from 17th January 09 to 30th January 09
Monday – Friday 8.30am to 8.30pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm
Normal opening hours
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
How fast is the connection?
There are two available products from U-Want internet; "Lite" which provides connection speeds of up to 512 kilobits per second and "Super" which has a connection speed of 2 megabits per second. The actual speed achieved will depend on what you are doing and the volume of traffic on the connection.
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Are there any download or upload limits?
Yes
Lite 10GB per Calendar month
Super 30GB per Calendar month
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What are U-Want internet’s usage allowances?
From 1 September 2008 we're introducing a monthly usage allowance for all our customers. U-Want is a tiered internet service and operates two download limits specific to Lite and Super services.
U-Want internet |
Monthly Usage Allowance |
Lite |
10GB |
Super |
30GB |
What is a monthly usage allowance?
This is the total amount of data you can send (upload) and receive (download) through your U-Want internet connection each month that is included in a calendar month.
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Why does U-Want internet have usage allowances?
We offer a tiered broadband service that provides a choice between
“I just need the internet for my studies and basics such as email, surfing, iTunes etc
or
“I want it all, a bigger monthly allowance to download more and experience all the internet has to offer”
- this allows you to choose the product that best suits your needs and your budget. Usage allowance is one of the distinctions between our products and helps customers choose which package is right for them.
The U-Want internet Lite service is designed for academic use, this service is perfect for research, uploading coursework, keeping in touch with friends and family.
The U-Want Super service is designed for everything else.
The vast majority of our customers find that the usage allowance for their package is suitable for their needs. If we allow customers to overuse heavily then this will be to the detriment of all users and slows the network during busy periods, so we have these usage allowances in place to safeguard the online experience for all of our customers.
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How does it work?
Everything you send or receive over the Internet is bits of data, whether it's a web page, an email, a music track or a video clip. Each bit of data has a different size and is measured in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The average email is around 4KB, a digital photo is around 1MB and a music track is around 5MB (1MB=1024KB, 1GB=1024MB).
Your monthly usage allowance lets you download (receiving emails, web pages and files) or upload (sending emails and files) any data you want, up to the GB allowance you choose.
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What happens if I exceed my monthly allowance?
If you are a U-Want Lite internet customer and you exceed your monthly allowance, you will be offered the option to upgrade to the U-Want Super internet service or you can choose to run at 256Kbps* dial up speed until the next calendar month begins
If you are a U-Want internet Super customer, your service speed will be reduced to 512Kbps until the next calendar month’s allowance begins.
*The dial up speed for Lite customers exceeding the allowance limit was previously stated incorrectly. We apologise for this error. Top
How do I know if I have exceeded my monthly usage allowance?
Your monthly allowance % used is displayed on your personal page on U-Want.com, where you can also manage your account and upgrade.
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What about watching U-Want TV content or making calls on U-Want Telephony? Does using these services count towards my usage allowance?
Your monthly allowance is not affected by either of these service. So you can watch as much TV and make as many online calls as you wish and it will not use up your monthly allowance. These services operate independantly of internet bandwidth allocation.
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What is the Fair Usage Policy on U-Want internet?
The Fair Usage Policy is designed to ensure that the service received by the vast majority of our customers is not negatively impacted because of extremely heavy usage by a very small minority of customers. This is why we continuously monitors network performance and may restrict the speed available to very heavy users during peak time. This applies to all customers.
Note if you are a heavy user we will only restrict your speed. Service will not be stopped, so you will still be able to upload and download. We will not impose any restrictions outside of peak times. Only a very small minority of customers will ever be affected by this (less than 1%).
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How do I know I’m a very heavy user?
There is no hard and fast usage limit that determines if you are a heavy user as the parameters that determine heavy use vary with the demands placed on the network at that given time. The average 2007-8 U-Want internet customer uses 8GB per month across both services.
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What is U-Want internet's policy on P2P?
P2P is the sharing of files and programs between groups of people who are logged on to a P2P network. It consumes a significant and highly disproportionate amount of bandwidth even when it’s being used by just a small number of customers. P2P is only available to U-Want internet Super customers, this activity is blocked on Lite.
We restrict P2P speeds if it's having a negative impact on the online experience of the majority of our customers. We normally place restrictions in the evenings at peak time, but we do apply them during the day if a lot of customers are using P2P at the same time.
Without these limits all our customers using their internet service would suffer, regardless of whether they are using P2P or not. It’s important to remember that P2P can be used at any time, and even when restrictions are applied it is not restricted completely, so is always available to use.
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Does this mean I can't use Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications?
If you are a U-Want internet Lite customer, you are not able to access P2P services as it has been designed for academic use. If you are a Super user, we are not stopping you from using any P2P service. P2P will just be slowed down in the evenings and during the day if a lot of customers are using it.
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Can I download whatever I like?
You accept the Terms and Conditions for the U-Want Internet service before using it. These Terms and Conditions lay out what is not acceptable use of the U-Want Internet service, for example downloading any material that is ‘illegal, abusive, indecent, defamatory, obscene or menacing.’
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Is the bandwidth ‘guaranteed’?
No. This is in line with other Internet providers.
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Do I need anti-virus software installed?
Yes. Each user is required to have up-to-date Virus Protection enabled on their PC and such requirement forms part of the terms and conditions for use of the service. Where UNITE identifies a user who is impacting the Service performance due to either a virus or improper usage of the Service, the User will be quarantined from the Service until it is proven that they have rectified the issue. A "three strikes and out" policy will be operated whereby users with infected machines will have the opportunity to remove viruses once they have proven to their Hospitality Team that they have up to date and effective anti-virus software running on their PC, will have their accounts reinstated. If this happens 3 times the user will be permanently disconnected from the service. Appeals can be made by emailng support@u-want.com. We also strongly recommend that users have an anti spy-ware solution installed to assist in the performance of the overall service.
The reason why you must protect your machine and keep it up to date is that, unlike a single ADSL type connection (e.g. a home Internet connection), your U-Want Internet connection is a Local Network with multiple users and as such, a virus on your machine can potentially be spread to other users on the ‘Network’. So, avoid the pain of losing your course work or having to reinstall Windows because of a virus infection or spy-ware process which you can’t remove… and keep your machine up to date, you’ll be glad you did!
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I haven’t got any anti-virus software installed where do I get it from?
There are many products available including Norton Anti-Virus and Norton Internet Security, McAfee Anti Virus etc. Any of these products would be suitable and can be purchased from most computer retailers.
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I haven’t got any anti-spyware software installed where do I get it from?
There are many products available including Spy Sweeper and Pest
Patrol. There are also some free solutions available on the Internet.
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Can I use email clients such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express to send and receive emails?
No, you will only be able to use web browser based email such as Hotmail or Gmail; this is due to limitations (on TCP port 25) which have been implemented to protect you against other computer users sending unsolicited bulk emails (SPAM) via your computer.
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Can I share my connection?
No. Please refer to clause 5.4 in your U-Want Internet Terms and Conditions and to the U-Want Internet Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
If you set up any network to share your connection you will be in breach of the U-Want Internet Terms and Conditions and your connection may be cancelled.
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If I sign up to U-Want Internet mid-way through the term, say in November, how much will it cost?
U-Want Internet is charged at a weekly rate from the time you register until the end of your tenancy, therefore if you sign up in November you will not be charged for the weeks from the beginning of your tenancy until you register for U-Want Internet.
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Can I upgrade my service?
Yes. You can upgrade from "Lite" to "Super" at any time. You will be charged the difference in price from "Lite" to "Super" pro rata from the time you register for your upgrade to the end of your tenancy. This process can only be paid for online with a debit or credit card by visiting the My Account section of U-Want.com from September 08.
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Can I downgrade my service?
No, therefore, it is important that the customer selects the right service for their needs.
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How do I pay?
You can pay in full for the year or 2 instalment payments in advance.
Paying in full for the year: You can pay all upfront with vouchers, which can be purchased from your hospitality team using cash or cheque. You can also pay by credit/debit card in your room.
Instalment payments in advance: You can pay by instalments, using a Visa credit card or Mastercard in your room, as follows:
50% to be paid on sign-up
50% to be paid on Thursday 29th January 2009
A £12 instalment fee will be paid with the first instalment.
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What about cancellations?
You can cancel within 14 days of acceptance of the service providing you have not used U-Want Internet during that period. A limit of 5MB has been set, if you exceed this usage threshold you will be deemed to have used the service and will not be eligible for a refund under the terms of the distance selling act.
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Where can I see more information?
Check out your personal home page at www.unite-students.com or U-Want.com.
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What happens if my UID is incorrect?
Check with your Hospitality Team and they will investigate the situation. Make sure that your surname is spelled correctly on our system and you are entering your UID correctly.
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What happens if I haven’t got a UID?
Check with your Hospitality Team and they will investigate the situation. All customers must have a UID to purchase U-Want internet.
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How do I get a refund?
There are no refunds except on compassionate grounds or if you cancel your U-Want service within 14 days of agreeing to the U-Want Terms and Conditions (see U-Want Ts&Cs section 13.3)
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If I have a complaint what should I do?
All technical complaints (speed, limitations and lost connections etc) should go through the U-Want Helpdesk (0870 242 0019). All other complaints (pricing, availability etc.) should be passed to your local Hospitality Team.
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