Fair Usage Policy (FUP)
Configure Fair Usage Policy (FUP) to manage bandwidth limits for customer packages
Define and enforce bandwidth usage limits on customer packages using Fair Usage Policy. FUP helps ISPs manage network resources by automatically reducing speeds after customers exceed their allocated data quota.
FUP is commonly used by ISPs offering "unlimited" packages to ensure fair bandwidth distribution among all subscribers.
Overview
The FUP module in ISPBills allows you to:
- Create FUP policies with data thresholds and reduced speed tiers
- Assign FUP policies to specific internet packages
- Activate or deactivate FUP enforcement per customer or package
- Monitor customer data usage against FUP limits
What is FUP
A Fair Usage Policy defines a data usage threshold for a billing cycle. When a customer's total data consumption exceeds this threshold, their connection speed is automatically reduced to a lower tier for the remainder of the cycle. This ensures that high-usage customers do not monopolise shared network resources.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Data Threshold | The maximum data allowed at full speed within a billing cycle |
| Reduced Speed | The bandwidth speed applied after the threshold is exceeded |
| Billing Cycle | The period over which data usage is measured (usually monthly) |
| Reset | Data counters reset at the start of each new billing cycle |
Creating FUP Policies
To create a new FUP policy:
- Navigate to the FUP policy management section
- Create a new policy with the following parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Policy Name | A descriptive label for the FUP policy |
| Data Limit | The data threshold (e.g., 300 GB per month) |
| Normal Speed | The full bandwidth speed before FUP triggers |
| Reduced Speed | The throttled speed after FUP triggers |
| Applicable Period | The billing cycle duration for usage calculation |
- Save the policy
You can create multiple FUP policies for different package tiers — for example, a higher threshold for premium packages and a lower one for basic packages.
Assigning FUP to Packages
Once a policy is created, assign it to one or more internet packages:
- Go to the package management section
- Select the package you want to apply FUP to
- Choose the appropriate FUP policy from the available list
- Save the package settings
All customers subscribed to that package will automatically inherit the assigned FUP policy.
Changing the FUP policy on a package affects all current subscribers. Review active customer counts before making changes.
Activating and Deactivating FUP
FUP enforcement can be controlled at both the package and individual customer level.
- Activate FUP — enables FUP checking and speed reduction for the target
- Deactivate FUP — disables FUP enforcement, allowing full speed regardless of usage
This flexibility is useful for:
- Temporarily exempting a customer from FUP during a promotion
- Disabling FUP during off-peak hours or scheduled maintenance
- Testing FUP behaviour before a full rollout
Use selective FUP activation to offer promotional "no FUP" periods, which can be an effective marketing tool for customer retention.
Customer Impact
When FUP is triggered for a customer:
- Their connection speed is automatically reduced to the defined FUP speed
- The customer can be notified via WhatsApp or email (if configured) when FUP activates
- Speed returns to normal at the start of the next billing cycle
- Customers can view their current data usage and FUP status through the customer portal
Ensure customers are informed about FUP terms in their service agreement. Unexpected speed reductions without prior notice can lead to complaints and churn.