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Differential Timer Explanation - plus "Bonus time"

As part of the continuing efforts to improve the service and value for money, Melb PC subscribers are now able to access additional time each day provided they connect before 4.00 pm. 

Melb PC provides subscribers with 180 "time units" which is reset at 1.59am each morning.

Currently the 180 units each day will count down at different rates depending on the time of day you are connected. Between

  • 2.00am and 8.00am - each unit represents 10 minutes,
  • 8.00am and 4.00pm - each unit represents 2.0 minutes, and from
  • 4.00pm to 2.00am    - each unit represents 1.0 minute.

    Users who connect for the first time after 4.00pm will have a maximum access time of three hours; connecting before 12:00 noon will have the benefit of up to five hours; or starting at 2.00am could give more than eight hours of continuous access per day. However once the daily 180 unit allowance has been expended, further dial-ups will be disconnected immediately after authentication until the system is reset again at the next 1.59am timeslot.

    Both the time sequences and the unit rates are flexible and can be changed to suit traffic or other demands in the future should it prove necessary. This method of timing rates will run each day during the week and at weekends.

    It is hoped that this system will encourage a better load distribution during quieter periods. Under this timer, no user will have less access than previously, and all users should have the opportunity to gain additional access time. Usage will continue to be monitored together with traffic costs, and additional dial-up lines and other equipment changes will continue to be introduced to meet loading increases as required.

    Bonus Time - the latest innovation!

    Introduced in April 2000, this new timer system interrogates the banks of modems to determine how many free lines exist when your normal daily access time has been used. If more than 25% of the lines are free then you will not be disconnected and can remain on-line until you either hang up or the modems start to fill. 
    PLEASE NOTE that the bonus time applies to the specific call when you exceed allocated normal time AND at least 25% of modems in the modem bank are free    . 
    After your allocated time for a 24-hour period has been exceeded, you will be disconnected on attempting to log-in again until the start of a next log-in day. You can of course log in again and be eligible for bonus extension time if your allocated time has not been exceeded

    This bonus means that you may be able to stay connected for many hours during periods of low modem usage and the main bonus will be during the weekend. Generally there are few spare modems during the weekday evening peak from 6 pm to about 1 am but many more are free during weekends. 

    For Melb PC subscribers only: To view the pattern of modem usage from the Message Of The Day (MOTD) page, hww.melbpc.org.au/motd/ click on Useful Links, System Statistics and then select “Melbpc Dial-Up Server statistics”. The vertical axis shows the number of modems in use and the horizontal axis is the time on a 24-hour clock reading from left to right. The line at the extreme right-hand side is the number of modems in use at the minute of your viewing. From the MOTD page you will be shown not only the time that you have used but also the number of free lines that represents the bonus limit.

    Your personal timer information at the bottom of the MOTD page also lists the number of "free lines" - this figure represents the number of modems currently available up to the "25% free" limit described above.

    Current timer information is available at the bottom of the Home Page on your browser where three items of information are provided to you. The values listed at the bottom of your timer will show:

  • Real minutes used - total access since 2.00am that day.
  • Timer units used - the equivalent total units used.
  • Timer units left - users can calculate the number of minutes still available depending on the time of day.
  • Free lines - the number of modems currently free on the number you accessed
  • Yesterday's usage - summary information of your usage on the previous day.

    To initiate this timer simply enter your username in the box provided immediately it appears on the screen, and reporting which is updated every two minutes will then continue to display automatically each time this page is visited.
    Note: If you mistype or enter the wrong username, it may be necessary to cancel the previously created Cookie.

    Generally this can be corrected by retyping with the correct username as soon as the timer box appears on your screen next time you open your browser. However if this fails, it can be completely cleared as described below.

    In Internet Explorer, go to Tools | Internet Options, and then the General tab.
    In the middle of the page under Temporary Internet Files click Settings, and then on the next page click View Files. Here you will see a long list of the files stored, and these can be sorted by just clicking Name at the head of the first column. Then Search down and look for all files listed as nptime.cgi and delete them.
    On next returning to the MOTD page, you will find the timer box empty, ready for typing your username correctly.

    For Netscape users, go to C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\[yourname]\ and use Notepad or other program to open the file Cookies.txt.  Search for lines containing nptime.cgi and edit that group of lines out of the file.

    Note: Modem auto-redial should always be turned off otherwise your modem could continue to repeatedly redial after the expiry of your day's allowance. This will cause phone charges to accumulate while the system is continuing to reject your calls.