Usage Limits FAQ
Q: What is the usage limit?
A: The usage limit is the amount of internet usage you are allowed in any given month. If you exceed this limit you will need to top up online using a credit or debit card if you want to carry on using the internet in that month.
Q: Why do I have a usage limit where I didn’t have it before?
A: Modern rate-adaptive broadband can potentially run up to 16 times faster than the old fixed-rate (either 512k, 1m or 2m) services. It is important that we protect the network from overuse and congestion.
Q: How will I know if I am nearing my usage limit?
A: We send out emails to advise if you are nearing your limit. Also the customer portal at https://customer.clara.net allows you to see your usage at any time.
Q: How can I top up if I reach my usage limit?
A: The portal at https://customer.clara.net allows you to see your usage and purchase a 10GB topup for £10 if necessary. Unused parts of any topups purchased will be rolled over into the following month.
Q: Will I use more if my line is faster?
A: Not unless you want to! The usage limit counts the overall volume of data transferred, so it doesn't make any difference how quickly that data is downloaded. Only if your habits change (e.g. watching more videos online now that the line is faster) will you find your usage increasing.
Q: What if I don't have a usage limit - can I do what I like?
A: You still have to adhere to our acceptable use policy, which means that if your usage is excessive and causing problems for other customers we may contact you in relation to this, and could potentially implement some kind of usage restriction if your usage does not reduce. You should find that most ISPs have an acceptable usage policy of some kind, so this is consistent with the rest of the industry. Unlike many other ISPs however, we do not automatically cap usage over a certain threshold for customers that do not have a specific advertised download limit. Some ISPs advertise their broadband services as 'unlimited' but will in fact implement caps automatically on all users whose usage goes over a certain limit.