What is fair use?
A Discussion & Debate but
hopefully not an all out riot!

Points to Bear in Mind

Points to Bear in Mind
• Fair <> Unfair

Points to Bear in Mind
• Fair <> Unfair
• Therefore what is unfair use?

Points to Bear in Mind
• Fair <> Unfair
• Therefore what is unfair use?

Points to Bear in Mind
• Fair <> Unfair
• Therefore what is unfair use?
• Social Precedent

Points to Bear in Mind
• Fair <> Unfair
• Therefore what is unfair use?
• Social Precedent
• All You can eat buffet

Why do we need it

Why do we need it

Why do we need it
• Session time doesn’t work in an always on
world

Why do we need it
• Session time doesn’t work in an always on
world
• Users don’t understand data volume

Why do we need it
• Session time doesn’t work in an always on
world
• Users don’t understand data volume
• Flat rate is needed to encourage take up

Why do we need it
• Session time doesn’t work in an always on
world
• Users don’t understand data volume
• Flat rate is needed to encourage take up
• 24x7 maxed out connections would kill the
networks!

Definition of Fair?
Oxford Dictionary
• Just or appropriate in the circumstances.
• Treating people equally

Appropriate In The
Circumstances:

Appropriate In The
Circumstances:
• Therefore 20Gb for your home broadband
is not the same as 20Gb on your mobile.

Appropriate In The
Circumstances:
• Therefore 20Gb for your home broadband
is not the same as 20Gb on your mobile.
• All you can eat: Lunch vs. Dinner

Treating People Equally:

Treating People Equally:
• Fair to the network operator (who`s a
business)

Treating People Equally:
• Fair to the network operator (who`s a
business)
• Fair to the customer

Treating People Equally:
• Fair to the network operator (who`s a
business)
• Fair to the customer
• Fair to other users of the network.

Treating People Equally:
• Fair to the network operator (who`s a
business)
• Fair to the customer
• Fair to other users of the network.
• If you take all the food people behind you
won`t be happy, if everybody did it the
restarant would close.

Appropriate:

Appropriate:
• Depends on what other people are doing.

Appropriate:
• Depends on what other people are doing.
• Should use in the early hour of the morning
be treated the same as at peak time?

Fair Use is relative!

• Relative to what you pay
• Relative to what others are doing
• Relative to time of day
• Relative to type of service

Proposal

Proposal
• A Fair use policy should never had a
defined limit, instead it should be a multiple
of the average use.

Proposal
• A Fair use policy should never had a
defined limit, instead it should be a multiple
of the average use.
• Eg if most users consume 200mb and you
use 50Gb thats unfair!

Proposal
• A Fair use policy should never had a
defined limit, instead it should be a multiple
of the average use.
• Eg if most users consume 200mb and you
use 50Gb thats unfair!
• But if most users consume 30Gb and you
consume 50Gb thats fair :-)

Proposal
• A Fair use policy should never had a
defined limit, instead it should be a multiple
of the average use.
• Eg if most users consume 200mb and you
use 50Gb thats unfair!
• But if most users consume 30Gb and you
consume 50Gb thats fair :-)

• However there is wide variation in users,
but everyone wants flat charging.

• However there is wide variation in users,
but everyone wants flat charging.
• Therefore Tiers of Service:

• However there is wide variation in users,
but everyone wants flat charging.
• Therefore Tiers of Service:
• Small, Medium, Large users, all unlimited but
£10, £20, £30 per month.

• However there is wide variation in users,
but everyone wants flat charging.
• Therefore Tiers of Service:
• Small, Medium, Large users, all unlimited but
£10, £20, £30 per month.
• You are only compared to others on the
same tier.

To Do:
• The actual figures would need to be
worked out for each service
• Users need to be educated
• .......?