Stitched up by Globalgig - beware this roaming internet service trap.

[AndrewB]

I signed up with Globalgig at the beginning of the year. Sailing round Europe, their roaming service covered all the countries I'd be visiting at a cost of £15 per month for 5Gb. This seemed reasonable, quite adequate for me to check weather forecasts, and a lot easy than a pay-as-you-go sim in each country separately. There was a severe penalty for over-run, but they'd let us know at 50% and 85% usage, and they'd block the account 'as soon as possible' if there did happen to be an over-run which would cost me £50.

This worked fine for several months in 2016. Then, one day when I returned back to the boat after a day out sightseeing, there was a series of email messages waiting for me: 50% of monthly allocation used; 85% used; 100% used; service blocked with £265 owing. As far as I can make out, Windows 10 had decided to do one of its mega-updates while I was out, blowing my monthly data allocation to shreds. Even though my laptop was in 'sleep' mode.

Globalgig told me they couldn't stop it at the £50 mark, because the service was actually being provided by an Italian telecom sub-contractor, and they had to wait for daily accounts. I've been arguing the case with them.

Meanwhile I'm back with local pay-as-you-go providers. It may look more expensive, but at least I am in control.

 

[Tony Cross]

Ouch! But to be fair I don't see this is Globalgig's problem. Their explanation as to why they couldn't stop the service is reasonable I would think. The problem is that you neglected to tell Windows 10 that your Golbalgig connection was a 'metered' connection, had you done so the upgrade would not have been downloaded. This is why the concept of a metered connection exists in Windows 10.

 

[charles_reed]

Simple answer. Use one of the Linux distros as your OS of choice - or Win7 as downgrade rights in a new PC.
Yours is the tip of the Win 10 outrage as they busily, on each successive update, wipe your settings and any non-MS programmes you may value.
You can, if you have Win10 Pro, set up to choose when you and what updates you install. Unfortunately that doesn't meet the OP's problem.
As Tony says: a metered connection setting will go some way to reducing (but not obviating) the problem, it just means that Win10 will happily use all your monthly allowance and then be stopped, contrary to his current opinion - I know, I've tried.
Microsoft intends to rule the PC world!!!

 

[Tony Cross]

As Tony says: a metered connection setting will go some way to reducing (but not obviating) the problem, it just means that Win10 will happily use all your monthly allowance and then be stopped, contrary to his current opinion - I know, I've tried.
Microsoft intends to rule the PC world!!!

That's not entirely accurate. Here's the Microsoft FAQ page for metered connections: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq. As you will see, setting a connection to metered prevents Windows Update downloading all except priority updates (these are security patches and critical bug fixes). Of course it is entirely possible that, if there are a large number of priority updates that your data cap could still be reached, but a Windows 10 upgrade (i.e the next full version of the OS - a 4GB download) will not download over a metered connection because it's not a priority update.

And it's Google who are trying to take over the world..........

 

[charles_reed]

That's not entirely accurate. Here's the Microsoft FAQ page for metered connections: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq. As you will see, setting a connection to metered prevents Windows Update downloading all except priority updates (these are security patches and critical bug fixes). Of course it is entirely possible that, if there are a large number of priority updates that your data cap could still be reached, but a Windows 10 upgrade (i.e the next full version of the OS - a 4GB download) will not download over a metered connection because it's not a priority update.

And it's Google who are trying to take over the world..........

Well yes you're half right - but despite having metered connection set up, on 3 occasions Win 10, with its "security patches only" pushed me over my 5Gb Cosmote limit last summer- though Kaspersky is nearly as greedy over gobbling internet bandwidth.

The unfortunate difference between theory and practice...
People have to learn the hard way... :-(

 

[Tony Cross]

Well yes you're half right - but despite having metered connection set up, on 3 occasions Win 10, with its "security patches only" pushed me over my 5Gb Cosmote limit last summer- though Kaspersky is nearly as greedy over gobbling internet bandwidth.

The unfortunate difference between theory and practice...
People have to learn the hard way... :-(

Well I did point out how a pile of priority updates could bust a metered connection but there are other ways. Live tiles, syncing of application data etc. all consume bandwidth. If you have a data capped connection set to 'metered' you also have to ensure that you are not also wasting bandwidth with unnecessary or unwanted traffic. That might have been the problems you had?

 

[charles_reed]

Well I did point out how a pile of priority updates could bust a metered connection but there are other ways. Live tiles, syncing of application data etc. all consume bandwidth. If you have a data capped connection set to 'metered' you also have to ensure that you are not also wasting bandwidth with unnecessary or unwanted traffic. That might have been the problems you had?

In fact none of the above, but one it's perhaps underhand to bring in - the fact that I'd gone from a 3G limited USB to one with 4G and that had a bearing on the matter when I was in an area with Cosmote 4G coverage - of which there were several and increasing fast. I found the best way of limiting the damage to work in Linux which retains operator control, rather than Win10 where you have it forcibly wrested from one.
Probably the most sensible action would be to up my monthly limit from 5Gb to 10Gb/month, a change in charge from €15 to €20/month.

 

[Tony Cross]

In fact none of the above, but one it's perhaps underhand to bring in - the fact that I'd gone from a 3G limited USB to one with 4G and that had a bearing on the matter when I was in an area with Cosmote 4G coverage - of which there were several and increasing fast. I found the best way of limiting the damage to work in Linux which retains operator control, rather than Win10 where you have it forcibly wrested from one.
Probably the most sensible action would be to up my monthly limit from 5Gb to 10Gb/month, a change in charge from €15 to €20/month.

You certainly seem to be doing a good job wasting your bandwith by complaining about in on here!

 

[charles_reed]

You certainly seem to be doing a good job wasting your bandwith by complaining about in on here!

Unmetered!!

But thanks for the thought!!

 

[ronsurf]

Stitched up by Microsoft rather than Globalgig, go ask them for some cash.

 

[AndrewB]

Thanks guys. The 'good' news for me is that Globalgig have agreed to limit the damage to £50. But I won't be renewing my contract.

Yes, Windows 10 is a PITA, every so-called upgrade seems to result in the loss of useful facilities. I've found a way to block all upgrades, including 'priority' upgrades, and intend leaving it like that (even though I get a lot of moany notifications from MS as a result). I'll take my chance with viruses.

 

[santelmo]

Thanks guys. The 'good' news for me is that Globalgig have agreed to limit the damage to £50. But I won't be renewing my contract.

Yes, Windows 10 is a PITA, every so-called upgrade seems to result in the loss of useful facilities. I've found a way to block all upgrades, including 'priority' upgrades, and intend leaving it like that (even though I get a lot of moany notifications from MS as a result). I'll take my chance with viruses.

I have been trying to find a way to block upgrades along with data gathering telemetry, could you share it with us.

 

[charles_reed]

Stitched up by Microsoft rather than Globalgig, go ask them for some cash.

In fact an American woman did just that when her Win10 update wiped a specialist software programme, upon which her business was totally dependent.
With one of the Win10 installations I have, on a Lenovo laptop, the same has happened on two occasions - though, as Tony points out, Google are responsible for installing, without permission, any number of spyware programmes.

 

[charles_reed]

I have been trying to find a way to block upgrades along with data gathering telemetry, could you share it with us.

Only possible with Win 10 Pro - full details on the Alphr site, though Microsoft are curiously quiet about how to do it.

Though a very good, stable OS, Microsoft Win10 has too many secret backdoors into our boxes - the only way to avoid that is to use one of the Linux distros. Another benefit is that you'll find your computer has a second lease of life.

 

[Ric]

Only possible with Win 10 Pro - full details on the Alphr site, though Microsoft are curiously quiet about how to do it.

Though a very good, stable OS, Microsoft Win10 has too many secret backdoors into our boxes - the only way to avoid that is to use one of the Linux distros. Another benefit is that you'll find your computer has a second lease of life.

It is possible to turn off updates on Win 10 amateurish versions (or whatever they're called) - go to Administrative Tools/Services then tab down to Windows Updates and select updates startup to "disabled".

 

[Tony Cross]

It is possible to turn off updates on Win 10 amateurish versions (or whatever they're called) - go to Administrative Tools/Services then tab down to Windows Updates and select updates startup to "disabled".

....and then promise never to complain about anything that ever goes wrong with your Windows 10 computer ever again.

 

[charles_reed]

It is possible to turn off updates on Win 10 amateurish versions (or whatever they're called) - go to Administrative Tools/Services then tab down to Windows Updates and select updates startup to "disabled".

Unfortunately (apart from Tony's comment) you'll find that all you've stopped is the installation of the updates, rather than the cause of the problem - the downloads themselves - so Globalgig will still be blamed!!

An alternative is to use your downgrade rights to install Win7 on new computers (again only possible in Pro and Developer versions and not Home)
Keep trying, I'm sure the combined computer cunning of the site will come up with other suggestions.
Like, for example, don't turn it on or use your iPhone, Android device or whatever.

 

[Ric]

Unfortunately (apart from Tony's comment) you'll find that all you've stopped is the installation of the updates, rather than the cause of the problem - the downloads themselves - so Globalgig will still be blamed!!

An alternative is to use your downgrade rights to install Win7 on new computers (again only possible in Pro and Developer versions and not Home)
Keep trying, I'm sure the combined computer cunning of the site will come up with other suggestions.
Like, for example, don't turn it on or use your iPhone, Android device or whatever.

According to the description of the wuauserv module, it "Enables detection, DOWNLOAD and installation of windows updates..."

I'm running Windows 10 on a Mac (with Parallels) which makes a virtual ethernet connection between the two systems so it is not possible for me to set the internet connection to "metered" on Windows 10. Thus the only way I have found so far to prevent Windows 10 sucking up huge amounts of my data connection with endless updates is to turn off the detection and download. I'm happy to take the risk as I use the Mac side for the vast majority of my personal use - the Windows side is only used to run a few legacy programs or technical interface programs.

 

[charles_reed]

According to the description of the wuauserv module, it "Enables detection, DOWNLOAD and installation of windows updates..."

I'm running Windows 10 on a Mac (with Parallels) which makes a virtual ethernet connection between the two systems so it is not possible for me to set the internet connection to "metered" on Windows 10. Thus the only way I have found so far to prevent Windows 10 sucking up huge amounts of my data connection with endless updates is to turn off the detection and download. I'm happy to take the risk as I use the Mac side for the vast majority of my personal use - the Windows side is only used to run a few legacy programs or technical interface programs.

As I suggested, the only answer appears to be to use another OS - in my case I use Suse Linux - you use OS X, both Unix-based programmes.

? Have Microsoft shot themselves in the foot?

The last decent OS they produced was NT4...

 

[Caladh]

As I suggested, the only answer appears to be to use another OS - in my case I use Suse Linux - you use OS X, both Unix-based programmes.

? Have Microsoft shot themselves in the foot?

The last decent OS they produced was NT4...

NT4 was hardly plug'n'play was it. XP was their last decent OS but then the Internet boomed along with Apple et al. MS still have the monopoly on office based systems worldwide. For the likes of you and me we now have a half decent choice. I'm quite happy with Windows 10 on PC/laptop and Apple for stuff where I don't need to screw my eyes up to read all the time.