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Smallband is a term mainly used by the customers of Belgian Internet service providers to describe the Internet connection speed one obtains when the monthly data-transfer-limit has been reached. The internet providers themselves don't use the word smallband in official communications, they only talk about reduced speed.〔Telenet online support pages: (Wat is de telemeter? (Dutch) )〕 Unlike the rest of the world and all the frustrations of the subscribers, this method is still being used by the Belgian ISPs today. According to the Acceptable use policy of most providers where this limitation is in place, the speed is comparable to that of an old dial-up connection. However, there are numerous complaints by customers that the actual speed is lower. In response to these complaints, Telenet (cable internet provider) has in October 2007 increased the speed from 32 kbps downstream and 16 kbit/s upstream to 192 kbit/s downstream and 64 kbit/s upstream, for http data traffic only.〔Tik vzw forum: (Telenet increases smallband speed for http (Dutch) )〕 All other traffic shaping remains at 32 kbit/s downstream and 16 kbit/s upstream. When the limit is reached, users can choose between surfing at reduced speed for the rest of the month or buy extra blocks (1 block = 1 gig) at high prices. Additional data is typically around 1 euro per gibibyte.〔Telenet product pages: (Diensten - Opties (Services - Options, Dutch) )〕〔Belgacom product page: (Volume Pack Light (Dutch) )〕 Some ISPs offer bigger blocks at a lower price; subscribers of Belgacom's "Internet Favorite" for instance can buy a 20 gibibyte block for 5 euro.〔Belgacom Internet vergelijking & opties: (Internet Start (Dutch) )〕 Subscribers to unlimited plans are limited by the Fair Use Policy, which warns against excessive use. It is known that Telenet reduces the speed of these subscribers (to 1Mbit download and 0.5Mbit upload) in the "busy periods", which is about everyday from 16:00 - 23:00 and in the weekends the whole day. The word 'smallband' (double l) in Dutch is an anglicism. It is created as an opposite for the Dutch word 'breedband' (broadband), however it is an incorrect translation. The opposite of broadband in English is narrowband. The Dutch translation for narrow is 'nauw' (same etymology) or 'smal' (single l), so a more correct Dutch translation would be 'nauwband' or 'smalband' (single l). ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Smallband」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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