Terms of Service

DiscoverNet has deployed certain technologies into its Network Operating Center that track the utilization of the satellite bandwidth of each end-user subscriber. These technologies are designed to ensure equal Internet access for all end-user subscribers.

The DiscoverNet unlimited usage plan is designed and priced for individual residential access of a non-commercial nature. It is designed to provide the "reasonable" user with download at speeds up to 512 Kbps for the 512K Package. Therefore, DiscoverNet's RUP (Reasonable Use Policy) establishes an equitable balance in Internet access for end-users regardless of the end-user's frequency of use or volume of traffic.

DiscoverNet's technologies have the ability to identify, in real-time, excessive consumption of bandwidth on a per end-user basis and correct it by temporarily reducing the throughput of the specific end-user that is excessively consuming bandwidth on the network. Once an end-user is identified as excessively using bandwidth, its individual throughput speed will begin to be reduced downward to a preset minimum. Once the end-user reduces its throughput and the DiscoverNet technologies observe the end-user's usage of the satellite bandwidth returning to RUP levels, the throughput limitations are lifted on the 6th day after the end-user's bandwidth consumption returns to RUP levels.

DiscoverNet's RUP has been designed to give end-users an above average surfing experience that far exceeds the typical end-user's needs. Additionally, the RUP ensures that the end-users all experience fair and equal access to the benefits of a satellite delivered broadband Internet access service. The RUP prevents the network from being congested by a handful of end-user's activities. End-users that maintain an average daily usage of up to 20 MB per day should not notice any throughput limitation. However, end-users that continually download large files, such as complete operating systems (e.g. Linux), should experience throughput limitations on a pro-rata basis over time until their average utilization returns to the levels expected from an individual residential user (e.g. average up to 20 MB per day over a 5 day period.) The DiscoverNet RUP will still allow for large consumers of bandwidth to complete the download of their data. However, this type of end-user will experience throughput speed reductions until such time that their usage conforms to average usage patterns.

DiscoverNet reserves the right to adjust download limitations as required to assure all users of equal access to the provided high-speed download service. The current RUP is based on cumulative usage over the previous 5-day period. Users averaging up to 20 MB per day will receive service at up to 512 Kbps; those averaging between 20 and 40 MB per day will be limited to 384 Kbps speeds. End-users that average between 40 and 60 MB per day will be limited to 256 Kbps and those that average between 61 and 100 MB will be limited to 128 Kbps. End-users that exceed an average of 100 MB per day will be restricted to 64 Kbps until the 6th day after their average usage drops to a lower level. Please note that our studies show that the average end-user downloads an average of 11 MB per day.

All usage tracking will be done on a rolling 5-day average. The dynamic adjustment chart is as follows:

The RUP table will be adjusted each month as per the average consumption for ALL users for the previous month, but never more than 10% plus or minus at each adjustment point.

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