Talking Using-up Data?

[dazuk1972]

Does voice chatting on the PC use-up data. If it does, how much data does it use-up for an hour of chatting?

The reason why I'm asking is because I have a friend that still lives with his parents and they have Sky Broadband. When downloading is done, anyone downloading can hit a download limit that causes further costs on the bill. My friend's internet use has been limited to stop these extra unwanted fees and the internet there has to go off a lot and his parents don't even let him go on the internet to voice chat as much neither because one of them claims voice chatting uses up data as well like downloading. All it is is talking over the internet so I don't understand where this data thing comes into it. I thought surfing the internet would cause more data to be used than talking.

Many thanks.

[MilesAhead]

Your friend should get a meter. There are free softwares around that measure total bandwidth usage on your network. Many providers count not just what comes down, but what goes up... all the little "acks" and other synchronization stuff to tell servers to send more data etc..

On the big download sites you should be able to find something free.
I don't use one so I don't know which one to recommend.

But if your friend has the meter running and can show that the chat hardley registers he might be able to get dispensation to chat and give up a few downloads instead.

[dazuk1972]

A meter has been fitted and one time when he was downloading a game off XBox Live he was told he used-up 10% of the useage. I wonder how voice chatting can make a difference.

[atifsh]

how much cant say but it will sure use good amount of data, ur talking about voice, think about as if ur downloading a mp3 ... and when u enable video its big.

bandwidth that companies cap are combined up and down. many ppl confuse about this, so say 10 gb cap means combined up / down of 10 gb.

[dazuk1972]

It makes sense now. All this problem is causes because of Sky Broadband. What I mean is, they have this stupid download limit that caused my friends to have to have a meter installed. I use a different ISP and and I can download until the cows come home with no download limit.

Anyone in England that reads this and is thinking of getting Sky Broadband, stay well clear of it otherwise when you hit the download limit Sky Broadband shut the Broadband off until the extra fee is paid and of course they charge extra for going over the limit. They act as if they are running a credit card company where people get charged a fee for going over their spending limit.