Author: Joseph Heenan Date: To: Andy Smith CC: users Subject: Re: [bitfolk] How much should BitFolk allow you to owe us before we
suspend your service?
Hi Andy,
To be honest, it has always semi-terrified me as I had a decent understanding that if I did something wrong I could easily end up with a 4 figure bill. I'm hence a bit paranoid about always actually opening the data usage email and checking the figures even though my normal usage is nowhere near the allowance.
I'd be very happy for the default position to be for service to be suspended by default as soon as I start incurring extra costs.
Ideally (just in case I was deliberately doing something really different to my normal usage) a warning email (and/or sms) a few days before I hit overage that had a way to give an easy "yes, I understand I'll have to pay more, don't suspend my network if I hit the limit" response sounds good, though I appreciate a few days notice isn't actually feasible in all cases.
The model is a little similar to the caps applied to overseas usage of mobile data on a contract. We've seen two different models there, one of the networks doesn't let you use anything at all abroad until you explicitly "buy" a set amount of data, and other networks send SMSs to warn when you hit a particular amount of spend (possibly £10 or so?). I once made the mistake of using google maps abroad many years ago and it sucked data down so fast I'd spent a painful amount by the time the first SMS arrived, the former model results in a much better understanding of what you're spending.
(FYI My VPS is technically contracted with me personally, but I regularly use it for things associated with work so put the bill through as a business expense.)
