Trying to purchase more data

[gertieg]

i have tried for the last 2 days to purchase more data but nothing is happening.  Any idea what I can do?

[GabeU]

@gertieg 

Are you referring to Data Tokens?  If so, how are you trying to buy them, and when you do, what specifically happens?   

[gertieg]

Both. But specifically I want to make a purchase. I have tried twice. It looks like it is going thru but the % is not updated. I don't want to be double charged.  Should I try again.

[maratsade]

I wouldn't try again, because you may end up buying more than you want.  Do you have the HughesNet Usage Meter installed? 

gertieg wrote:

Both. But specifically I want to make a purchase. I have tried twice. It looks like it is going thru but the % is not updated. I don't want to be double charged.  Should I try again.

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[gertieg]

I am looking at the app. Is that what you mean?

[maratsade]

You're looking at the app on your phone?  

When you've exhausted your regular data, it will show 0% -- because you have no regular data.  The token data is not shown as part of your regular data.  But the system is using tokens, and you can tell because the amount of token data will begin decreasing, and also because your speed is not throttled (though these days the net is sluggish so it may feel that way!)

EDIT:  When I look at the app on my phone, it shows me a red circle with 0% in the middle. That's because I've used up my data.  The blue circle to the right of it shows me 67% of bonus zone bytes left. 

Under that there's a bar labeled "Buy tokens"

Under that it says Data Tokens Available, and it tells me how much data I have in tokens.

Under that there's a warning that tells me I've exceeded my allotment for this service plan data cycle, and tells me how many days are left until the new cycle

Below that it says "Using your data tokens to maintain your full service speeds" <-- this last part is what tells you tokens are in use.

gertieg wrote:

I am looking at the app. Is that what you mean?

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[GabeU]

Exactly.

@gertieg   

You have three data banks.  Service Plan data, Bonus Zone data and Token data.  When you purchase Token data, it is only added to the Token data bank.  Data is drawn from the three banks in the following manner, with the subsequent data bank "kicking in" when the former has been exhausted...

8AM to 2AM:  Service Plan data >> Token data >> FAP

2AM to 8AM:  Bonus Zone data >> Service Plan data >> Token data >> FAP

Bonus Zone data is ONLY used from 2AM to 8AM, but Service Plan data can be used at any time (it used to be called Anytime Data because of this). However, Service Plan data is used between 2AM and 8AM ONLY when the Bonus Data has been exhausted.

FAP stands for Fair Access Policy, and when you've exhausted all applicable data for the particular time period you are then subject to FAP, and your service speed is throttled.

[gertieg]

Thanks for trying explain this to me.  So when I purchase an additional 10 GB does that replenish my account and bring me back up to speed? And now I  have a real mess because I just found the page showing my billing info and I have indeed purchased multiple 10 GB Oof data over the last few days.  Now what do I do about that?

[GabeU]

@gertieg

When you're out of plan data and are in FAP (throttled), purchasing token data brings you back out of FAP, and you're then no longer throttled.  But, your service speed will still be subject to load and congestion, just as it would be when using plan data.  

Basically, token data is like gasoline in a reserve gas tank.  If you use up the gas in the regular tank in a truck, the truck then switches to using the gas in the reserve tank.  Though it's "reserve" gas, it's still gas and used just like the gas in the regular tank.  IOW, token data is just like service plan data, but when it's used is what's different.  Token data also has it's own "data bank" because, unlike your plan or bonus data, token data rolls over.  You keep what you haven't used.  

I don't have the mobile app available to me right now (my phone's battery is dead), but it should be showing something that indicates you're drawing from your token data, and if you are out of plan data and you do have token data, your token data is definitely being used.  

With regard to the token data purchases, there's no way to undo them, unfortunately.  And I know with multiple purchases at $30 a pop, that's going to add up.  😞  

[gertieg]

And what does it mean when it says I have "16 GB of tokens"?

[maratsade]

It means you have 16 GB of broadband to use when your regular broadband is exhausted. You can only use them when your daytime broadband is gone.  When that happens, your system begins using the tokens. 

gertieg wrote:

And what does it mean when it says I have "16 GB of tokens"?

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