Introduction
Bristol Wireless Community Co-operative Limited (hereafter referred to as BW) is bound by the laws and regulations governing use of the Data Communications & Services which serve to enable its Customers to use BW’s network and the Internet without interference or harassment from other users. The Bristol Wireless Internet Acceptable Use Policy (hereafter referred to as the AUP) is designed to help facilitate this.
By using the BW Service(s), as defined below, Customer(s) agree(s) to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy and to remain responsible for its/their users. BW reserves the right to change or modify the terms of the AUP at any time, effective when posted on BW’s website at http://www.bristolwireless.net/acceptable-use-policy/. Customer’s use of the BW Service(s) after changes to the AUP are posted shall constitute acceptance of any changed or additional terms.
This AUP applies to all the BW services (Internet, VoIP, hosting) that are used by the Customer.
1. Illegal use
BW services may not be used for illegal, unlawful or harmful purposes, or any activity that interferes with use of the BW network or systems, or the network of any other provider, or interferes with the lawful use of services by other users of BW services.
Use of the BW services for the purpose of spam/e-mail abuse, or any activity that poses a security risk or a violation of privacy to other users of the BW network and the Internet is not permitted.
This prohibition includes, without limitation, material protected by copyright, trademark or any other intellectual property right used without proper authorisation, and material that is obscene or defamatory, constitutes an illegal threat or violates export control laws.
Transmission, distribution or storage of any material in violation of any applicable law or regulation is prohibited.
Failure to adhere to any of the points set out in the AUP is a violation of the agreement.
2. Excessive use
The BW Network is a resource shared by all its customers, the quality of service of which, must not be impaired by any single customer to the detriment of any other(s).
Users of the Service must not make excessive use of the service to the detriment of other users of the Network.
Users making excessive use of the service will be advised about their usage or offered an upgrade to a higher level of service.
Continued excessive usage of the network will be deemed a violation of the AUP and may result in limitation of the service supplied by BW, or may result in the termination of the agreement with BW for use of its Services.
Examples of excessive use include:
- Streaming of High Definition Audio/Video(AV) Media at rates greater than 2Mbps (2,000 Kbps) for extended periods (10’s of minutes) of time.
- Unregulated use of BitTorrent or other Peer-To-Peer services for the transfer of files that adversely affects the Quality Of Service (QoS) of the BW network.
- Transfer (total of upload and download) of more than 20Gigabytes (20,480 Megabytes) in a single 24 hour period; or
- Transfer of more than 500Gb (512,000 Megabytes) per month.
3. The network
The user acknowledges that BW is unable to exercise control over the content of the information passing over the Network. Therefore, BW is not responsible for the content of any message whether or not the posting was made by a Customer.
The Network may be used to link to other networks worldwide and the user agrees to conform to the acceptable use policies of these networks.
In addition, the user undertakes to conform to the Internet protocols and standards.
The user may not circumvent user authentication or security of any host, network, or account (commonly referred to as “cracking” or “hacking”), nor interfere with service to any user, host, or network (referred to as “denial of service attacks”), nor intercept or monitor wireless network traffic.
Without prejudice to the above, BW considers that any application that overloads the Network by whatever means will be considered as making profligate use of the Network and is as such NOT allowed. Use of IP multicast other than by means provided and co-ordinated by BW is likewise prohibited.
Users who violate systems or network security may incur criminal or civil liability. BW will co-operate fully with investigations of suspected criminal violations and the violation of systems or network security under the leadership of law enforcement or relevant authorities.
4. System and network security
Violations of system or network security are prohibited and may result in criminal and civil liability. BW will investigate incidents involving such violations and will involve and will co-operate with law enforcement authorities if a criminal violation is suspected.
Examples of system or network security violations include, without limitation, the following:
- Unauthorised access to or use of data, systems or networks, including any attempt to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without the express authorisation of the owner of the system or network;
- Unauthorised monitoring of data or traffic on any network or system without express authorisation of the owner of the system or network;
- Interference with service to any user, host or network including, without limitation, mail-bombing, flooding, deliberate attempts to overload a system and broadcast attacks;
- Forging of any TCP/IP packet header or any part of the header information in an email;
- Interception or monitoring wireless network traffic.
If approached with complaints relating to any of the above violations, BW will co-operate with and assist the Police and law enforcement bodies with their investigations in order to bring such misuse and violations to an end.
5. Email
It is explicitly prohibited to send unsolicited bulk mail messages (“junk mail” or “spam”) of any kind (commercial advertising, political tracts, announcements, etc.).
It is also explicitly prohibited to allow others to send unsolicited bulk mail messages either directly or by relaying through the User’s systems. For the avoidance of doubt, users must ensure that their systems cannot be used for relaying. Users may not forward or propagate chain letters nor malicious e-mail. Aiding or abetting others to send bulk email is prohibited. This includes providing software, names and addresses of spam firms and selling of bulk email address databases. BW will regularly check customer address space to ensure that there are no open relays within its network.
A user may not solicit mail for any other address other than that of the user, except with full consent of the owner of the referred address.
6. Customer Responsibilities
Customers remain solely and fully responsible for the content of any material posted, hosted, downloaded/uploaded, created, accessed or transmitted using the BW Services. BW has no responsibility for any material created on the BW network or accessible using it’s Services, including content provided on third-party websites linked to the BW network. Such third-party website links are provided as Internet navigation tools for informational purposes only, and do not constitute in any way an endorsement by BW of the content(s) of such sites.
Customers are responsible for taking prompt corrective action(s) to remedy a violation of AUP and to help prevent similar future violations.
Complaints regarding illegal use or system or network security issues, email abuse or spamming should be sent to support@bristolwireless.net
INDIRECT OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS OF THIS POLICY AND ACTUAL OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS BY A THIRD PARTY ON BEHALF OF A BRISTOL WIRELESS COMMUNITY CO-OPERATIVE CUSTOMER OR A CUSTOMER’S END USER SHALL BE CONSIDERED VIOLATIONS OF THIS POLICY BY SUCH CUSTOMER OR END USER.
Version 2.0, September 2012
