Caution! Updating Windows 10 could exhaust your broadband plan

Windows 10 has started updating several desktop PCs and laptops around the world. People who have a licensed operating system of Windows 7 and Windows 8 are entitled to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, within one year of the release. However, upgrading to Windows 10 could pinch your pocket.

Upgrading to Windows 10 is not as before where you could pop in your new Windows 10 DVD in the optical drive and run the setup to upgrade your existing OS. The new upgrades are in the form of internet downloads, which is a whopping 3GB+ and can suck your broadband FUP plan along with trying your patience (if you have a really slow bandwidth). If you are using a broadband connection with an FUP, make sure you have a sufficient amount balance before you do so. If you have a slow speed, you better get your internet package upgraded. Downloading Windows can take a while and the download is not small.

However, the issue does not end here. As a default setting in the operating system, Windows 10 will download and install all updates and patches that are released by Microsoft. Though Windows Updates are automatic, Microsoft has slyly also introduced the Windows Update Delivery Optimasation option in Windows 10, and sadly, has also kept it on by default. Windows Update Delivery Optimisation will start sharing the downloaded updates (and not your data) from your PC to other computers on your local network as well as the internet. This means that instead of other users around you, and the internet, will get the new updates from you and others who have an updated Windows 10 PC.

In short, similar to how P2P networks work (torrent file sharing), others who need the update will find your PC with an updated version and start pulling the data from your PC, using your internet broadband. This is not only an issue to those who have a small FUP broadband plan, it could also be an issue to those who have slow internet speeds.

How does Delivery Optimisation work? Delivery Optimisation works in two ways.

Download updates and apps from other PCs: In addition to downloading updates and apps from Microsoft, Windows will get updates and apps from other PCs that already have them. You can choose which PCs you get these updates from:

PCs on your local network: When Windows downloads an update or app, it will look for other PCs on your local network that have already downloaded the update or app using Delivery Optimisation. Windows then downloads parts of the file from those PCs and parts of the file from Microsoft. Windows doesn’t download the entire file from one place. Instead, the download is broken down into smaller parts. Windows uses the fastest, most reliable download source for each part of the file.

PCs on your local network and PCs on the Internet: Windows uses the same process as when getting updates and apps from PCs on your local network, and also looks for PCs on the Internet that can be used as sources to download parts of updates and apps.

Send updates and apps to other PCs:

When Delivery Optimisation is turned on, your PC sends parts of apps or updates that you’ve downloaded using Delivery Optimisation to other PCs on your local network, or on the Internet, depending on your settings.

So how do you turn this off? Fortunately, you can choose to share the updates only to computers on your local network, or choose to completely turn it off. The first option is beneficial if you have numerous computers at home or office, but if you own just one PC, its best to keep it disabled.

Go to Start > then Settings > Update & security > Windows Update and then select Advanced options. On the Advanced options page, select Choose how updates are delivered, then use the toggle to turn Delivery Optimisation off. When turned off, you’ll still get updates and apps from Windows Update and from the Windows Store. Alternatively, you can keep it on and choose between sharing the updates to the internet or your local LAN. Microsoft states that the updates will not be shared over metered connections. However, if you are using a router or if your broadband is not detected as a metered (FUP-based) plan, it will be an issue. It could be safer to turn it off.

This feature could be a benefit for millions of Windows 10 users so that they can get the updates faster, rather than relying only on Microsoft’s update servers. This method also puts a lower strain on the servers at Microsoft’s end.