In a surprising move, Dropbox has decided to put an end to the era of unlimited storage in its business-centric Advanced plan. This decision comes as a response to an uptick in questionable activities taking place within the realm of its services. In a candid and direct statement within a blog post, the company addressed the situation, highlighting that it has observed an unfortunate rise in individuals exploiting the Advanced plans for purposes far removed from their intended use, such as crypto and Chia mining, unaffiliated people collaborating to share storage for personal objectives, and even instances of storage being resold.
Naturally, amidst the sea of unlimited storage plans, there will always be legitimate exceptions. However, Dropbox is now grappling with the challenge posed by the miscreants who seem to think that unlimited means “consume without limits.” These bad actors have been hogging an exorbitant amount of storage space—thousands of times more than legitimate business customers—which, in turn, jeopardizes the experience for all users. While the company does have policies in place to curb abusive behavior, crafting a comprehensive set of acceptable-use restrictions seems to be a labyrinthine endeavor. As a result, Dropbox has opted for a strategic shift towards a metered model.
Starting from November 1st, the transition to the revamped Advanced plan will commence for existing users. In a bid to provide a cushion for this transition, the company ensures that users will receive at least a month-long advance notice before the shift is implemented.
It’s an interesting statistic that over 99 percent of Advanced plan users operate within the bounds of 35TB of storage per license. For these prudent users, the storage landscape remains largely unaltered. They can continue using the amount of storage they presently occupy, along with an additional 5TB of shared storage for five years, without facing an increase in their existing subscription fees.
For the minority who have surpassed the 35TB per license threshold, Dropbox extends a similar proposition but for a single year. The company is committed to collaborating with these users to devise a solution that is equitable and sustainable for all parties involved. In any case, all iterations of the Advanced plan will be capped at a maximum of 1,000TB of storage.
Effective immediately, anyone purchasing an Advanced plan comprising three licenses will be granted a cumulative 15TB of pooled storage. For each supplementary license added, an extra 5TB of storage will be appended. Furthermore, a novel development is set to emerge on September 18th for new subscribers (and November 1st for current users). Dropbox will commence the provision of storage add-ons, which can be procured at $10 per month for 1TB under a month-to-month payment arrangement, or at a reduced rate of $8 per month for an annual subscription.
The intricacies of this newly structured plan might appear somewhat labyrinthine in contrast to the previous version, but there’s a silver lining to this cloud of complexity: the crypto aficionados are to thank for this transformation. It’s a gentle reminder that even in the realm of technology and storage, a few bad apples can stir up quite the storm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Unlimited Storage Transition
Why is Dropbox ending unlimited storage in its Advanced plan?
Dropbox has decided to discontinue unlimited storage due to an increase in misuse, including crypto mining and personal storage pooling.
What prompted Dropbox to make this change?
The surge in activities like crypto mining and reselling storage led Dropbox to address misuse, ensuring a better experience for all users.
How will current users be affected by this change?
Starting November 1st, existing users will transition to the modified Advanced plan, with a 30-day notice. Most users won’t be impacted significantly.
Will legitimate business users be affected by the storage limits?
For the majority using up to 35TB per license, there’s minimal impact. They can continue with their existing storage and receive additional pooled storage.
What about users exceeding 35TB per license?
Users surpassing 35TB will receive a similar offer for one year. Dropbox aims to find a balanced solution for their needs in the long run.
Is there a maximum storage limit for the Advanced plan?
Yes, all versions of the Advanced plan will have a maximum storage limit set at 1,000TB.
How will new Advanced plan purchases work?
Starting from September 18th for new subscribers, an Advanced plan with three licenses grants 15TB of pooled storage. Additional licenses mean more storage.
What are the costs for extra storage?
Dropbox will offer storage add-ons at $10 per month for 1TB on a monthly plan, and $8 per month for an annual plan, starting November 1st for current users.
Why is the new plan more complex?
The changes are a response to misuse by some users, particularly in the crypto space. Dropbox aims to strike a balance between fair use and resource allocation.
More about Unlimited Storage Transition
- Dropbox Blog Post – Official blog post explaining the decision to end unlimited storage in the Advanced plan.
- Chia Mining – Learn more about Chia mining and its impact on storage consumption.
- Acceptable Use Policy – Dropbox’s policy on acceptable use and prohibited content to maintain a secure and reliable platform.
- Advanced Plan Details – Get comprehensive information about Dropbox’s Advanced plan features and pricing.
- Storage Add-ons – Explore additional storage options and their costs available for Dropbox users.
- Cryptocurrency Misuse – Insights into how cryptocurrency enthusiasts have sometimes misused resources for their endeavors.
1 comment
dropbox peeps be like “crypto what?”. Things gettin’ real serious now, huh?