Shaping and Traffic FAQ



What is shaping?

Shaping is the method we use to manage your download quota. Shaping only applies to our ADSL and ADSL2+ services.

When will I be shaped?

When you have reached your monthly quota on either your Prepaid OR Peering allowances you will be shaped to a lower speed. Once you have reached the second quota your speed will reduced again.

Why are there two tiers of shaping?

We have introduced two tiers of shaping because we believe that you should not be heavily penalised for exceeding you quota. Once you have reached your first quota our ADSL2+ plans only shape your download speed to 512k. Many other ISPs will shape your download speed to 64k or 72k. Our ADSL2+ plans shape to a minimum of 128k which means you will still be able to surf at double the speed of most other ISP shaped plans.

Our better shaping means you can actually download more on a Highway 1 plan when compared to our competitors equivalent plans.

What are the Pre-Paid and Peering data allowances?

These are the two quota's we assign to ADSL plans.

  • Pre-paid Data - this data you download directly from the internet. Effectively all sites that sit outside of the Highway 1 network. For example. YouTube, Facebook, Telstra, NineMSN, Sourceforge, SMH, News, NASA
  • Peering Data - this is data that is downloaded from other ISPs connected directly with Highway 1. (This data does not go over the internet.) We call this the Peering Zone.

When do I get unshaped?

  • Existing Customers (Pre 30th June 2008) - shaping will be removed and your quota will be reset on the 1st of each calendar month.
  • New Customers (Post 1 July 2008) - shaping will be removed and your quota will be reset on the monthly anniversary of your joining date.

Can I pay for excess and not get shaped?

Yes, we can provide you an unshaped ADSL1 or ADSL2+ account. Once your quota is reached you will be charged $9.90 per GB. Please contact our Service Desk to arrange this option.

What traffic is excluded from my monthly internet and peering quota?

The following destinations are excluded from traffic quotas:

  • Highway 1 Email, and email hosted with Highway 1
  • Traffic within the Highway 1 network and servers. E.g. ftp://ftp.highway1.com.au
  • Traffic to and from other Highway 1 customers. E.g. VPN Traffic
  • Uploads

Is traffic between Highway 1 customers shaped?

No. Highway 1 does not shape or count traffic routed over our network between our customers.

What sites/services are within the Peering zone?

The Highway 1 Peering Zone currently includes:

Highway 1 will soon introduce PIPE Networks into the Peering Zone. We will notify customers when this occurs.

Does my unused quota rollover to the next month?

No, unfortunately not. Your quota is reset.

Where can I view my monthly traffic?

Your traffic statistics are available on our traffic server. Please log into http://traffic.highway1.com.au.