Clients are often not sure why and how they are billed for bandwidth. Here is some information that may help you.
Why you received a bandwidth
With your hosting package comes a monthly bandwidth allowance. This constitutes all traffic to and from your hosting package, including web (HTTP), FTP and email (POP3 and SMTP) traffic. When you exceed the monthly allowance, you will receive an invoice for the overage. To see how much bandwidth is included with your hosting package, see www.anno.com/hosting.
How we measure bandwidth
For clients on dedicated IP addresses, e.g. those using reseller packages, we measure the traffic on the network switch. The measured values are accurated.
For clients on shared IP addresses, e.g. ANNO Basic, Advanced and Premium, we rely on bandwidth numbers calculated by our hosting software. Numbers tend to underestimate actual use.
What can you do to limit bandwidth charges
If you send a lot of email, considering using your ISP's SMTP server instead of sending through your hosting package. If you are concerned that this will unnecessarily add to your bandwidth quota at your ISP, you should know that you are using ISP bandwidth even when sending email via your hosting package (when you ISP in on the route, you are using their bandwidth).
If you have a lot of web traffic, e.g. offering large downloads, on a South African server, consider moving your web site to one our servers in the USA. Given comparatively low bandwidth prices, our USA hosting packages include approximately ten times the monthly bandwidth allowance. If you want to switch to a USA server, contact us via the Helpdesk and we will do it at for you free of charge.
Suspending bandwidth exceeders
We have a policy of not suspending any web site when a bandwidth allowance is exceeded. The bandwidth allowance is a soft limit, and exceedance is charged for afterwards.
Discussion
Feel free to share your view or ask questions in the ANNO Support Forum.
