F.A.P. : The WildBlue Fair Access Policy
Alike other satellite internet providers (such as DirecWay), WildBlue limits the amount of data a user can download at high-speed. While both companies call this limitation their "Fair Access Policy", they impliment the way their limitations are imposed differently. Below is the WildBlue Fair Access Policy as written on their site, as well a more simplified and easy to understand explanation.   

The WildBlue Fair Access Policy :

WildBlue estimates that a small percent of customers account for a disproportionate share of data usage on the WildBlue network. To ensure that all WildBlue customers have equitable access to the WildBlue network, WildBlue has implemented a Fair Access Policy (or “FAP”). WildBlue sets usage thresholds on the amount of data you can upload and download within stated time periods. If you exceed these thresholds, WildBlue will temporarily limit the speed at which you can send and receive data over the WildBlue access network. You will still be able to use the WildBlue Internet access service but your speed will be slower. In cases of extreme and continued violation of the FAP limitations, your service may be suspended. WildBlue may use other traffic management and prioritization tools to help ensure equitable access to the WildBlue network for all customers. Your WildBlue Internet access is not guaranteed and is subject to this FAP.

Based on an analysis of typical customers, we have set a rolling 30-day limit on data usage per customer, called a Usage Threshold. As shown in the table below, this threshold varies based on the service plan you selected. For each service plan, the Usage Thresholds are significantly above the amount of data that is used by a typical customer. Every day, we measure your upload and download data usage (“Actual Usage”) to determine if your total Actual Usage, as aggregated over the previous 30 days (“Usage Total”), exceeds the Usage Threshold for the service plan that you selected. At any time, you can see your Usage Total versus your monthly Usage Threshold under the Customer Care section at wildblue.net.

We will notify you via your WildBlue contact email address if your Usage Total reaches 80% or more of the Usage Threshold. If at any time your Usage Total is above the Usage Threshold, we will reduce your WildBlue access speeds, typically to 128 kbps in the downstream (from the Internet to you) and 28 kbps in the upstream (from you to the Internet) until your Usage Total is 80% or less than the Usage Threshold. Once your Usage Total reaches this level, your access speeds will be restored to the original speed levels by the next day.

You are likely to avoid any limitations imposed by the FAP if your use is typical of the majority of Internet users and consists primarily of Web surfing and a reasonable amount of downloading. The table below shows the monthly Usage Thresholds for each plan. These limits specify the amount of data that you can upload and download before your access speed is reduced. Please note that your Usage Total is far more likely to exceed the Usage Thresholds below if you use peer-to-peer file sharing programs, you use a webcam or you download full length movies, large quantities of music files, full software applications or similar high-bandwidth activities.

WildBlue FAP Monthly Usage Thresholds
 
Value Pak
Select Pak
Pro Pak
Upload Threshold (MB) 1
2,300
3,000
5,000
Download Threshold (MB) 2
7,500
12,000
17,000

1 Upload Threshold is the volume of data that can be uploaded during the previous 30 days before the Fair Access Policy may restrict the user’s speeds.
2 Download Threshold is the volume of data that can be downloaded during the previous 30 days before the Fair Access Policy may restrict the user’s speeds
The WildBlue Fair Access Policy (Simplified / Explained) :
 
  When you subscribe to WildBlue's service, you have your choice of three different "packages", or levels of service.  Each package has two main features that seperate it from the next available package .. those being "upload / download speed", and "upload / download data limits". Since we're just looking at the F.A.P. here, we'll only discuss the "upload / download data limits", as that's what makes up the FAP.
 
  Whether surfing the internet, playing on eBay, or downloading music & programs, most of what people do on the internet consists of much more downloading than it does uploading.  It's with that in mind that WildBlue has lower FAP limits for uploading than it does for downling.
 
  Value Pak : With the Value Pak a user is allowed to upload up to 2.3 Gigs (2,300 Megs) per any consecutive 30 day period, and download up to 7 Gigs (7,500 Megs) per consecutive 30 day period.  The uploads and the downloads will be at full speed until the user reaches or exceeds either the upload or download limit. Once the user reached or exceeds their package limits, WildBlue will decrease their upload & download speed until the previous 30 days use equals less than the users package limits. Typically the upload speed is reduced to around 28kbps, and the download speed is reduced to around 128kbps.  It doesn't matter if the user only exceeds the upload limit, or if they only exceed the download limit. Either will result in both the users upstream & downstream speeds being reduced for the remainder of the period. When those requirements are met, the speeds are returned to full.  WildBlue will send users an email letting them know when either their upload or download limit has reached 80% of it's allowed limit. This is so users can gauge their use and try to keep from getting their speeds reduced for going over their limit.
 
 Select Pak : With the Select Pak a user is allowed to upload up to 3 Gigs (3,000 Megs) per any consecutive 30 day period, and download up to 12 Gigs (12,00 Megs) per consecutive 30 day period.  The uploads and the downloads will be at full speed until the user reaches or exceeds either the upload or download limit. Once the user reached or exceeds their package limits, WildBlue will decrease their upload & download speed until the previous 30 days use equals less than the users package limits. Typically the upload speed is reduced to around 28kbps, and the download speed is reduced to around 128kbps.  It doesn't matter if the user only exceeds the upload limit, or if they only exceed the download limit. Either will result in both the users upstream & downstream speeds being reduced for the remainder of the period. When those requirements are met, the speeds are returned to full.  WildBlue will send users an email letting them know when either their upload or download limit has reached 80% of it's allowed limit. This is so users can gauge their use and try to keep from getting their speeds reduced for going over their limit.
 
 Pro Pak : With the Pro Pak a user is allowed to upload up to 5 Gigs (5,000 Megs) per any consecutive 30 day period, and download up to 17 Gigs (17,000 Megs) per consecutive 30 day period.  The uploads and the downloads will be at full speed until the user reaches or exceeds either the upload or download limit. Once the user reached or exceeds their package limits, WildBlue will decrease their upload & download speed until the previous 30 days use equals less than the users package limits. Typically the upload speed is reduced to around 28kbps, and the download speed is reduced to around 128kbps.  It doesn't matter if the user only exceeds the upload limit, or if they only exceed the download limit. Either will result in both the users upstream & downstream speeds being reduced for the remainder of the period. When those requirements are met, the speeds are returned to full.  WildBlue will send users an email letting them know when either their upload or download limit has reached 80% of it's allowed limit. This is so users can gauge their use and try to keep from getting their speeds reduced for going over their limit.
Keeping track of useage :  WildBlue makes it fairly simple to keep track of how much data has been uploaded & downloaded. A graphic display can be seen by logging into WildBlue's useage site and entering your WildBlue email address. This can be either a "WildBlue.com" specific email address, or an offshoot one offered through a coop, like "oeccwildblue.com".  The link for the WildBlue useage page is :
http://my.wildblue.net/content/fap/input_username.asp . Your dealer or coop likely has a special login page too, where you can view basically the same information. Information through dealer / coop sites show useage back three months.  Below are the graphic displays one would see at wildblue.com's useage page. The 1st picture below shows a Value Pak customer display.Below that is a Pro Pak. 
Pictured (above) is the WildBlue useage screen for a Value Pak user. The gold bars show
the user how much they're allowed to upload & download. The blue bars show the users actual useage that month. Above shows 4mb uploaded & 163mb downloaded.
 
Pictured (below) is the same type of useage screen for a Pro Pak user. Note the different capacity limits on the gold bars vs the Value Pak.
Shown below is a new Pro Pak users 3-Month useage screen from their coop.  August shows no data, as their service began in September. The 3-Month screen is good for tracking overall useage so a user can choose what package best meets their needs. 
  When WildBlue was first offered to consumers, they didn't have the 30 day "Rolling FAP". The limits were month-to-month, and users got a clean upload & download slate at the beginning of the month. With the rolling-30, a user never gets a clean slate unless they don't use their service for an entire month straight.  The "Rolling FAP" was started on 12/01/05.
   One month later on 01/01/06 WiildBlue again changed the FAP .. this time by lowering the amounts of data a user could upload and download. The original limits were : Value Pak : 3000 / 10000 (Now lowered to 2,300 / 7,500) .. Select Pak : 4,000 / 16,000  (Now lowered to 3,000 / 12,000 ) .. and Pro Pak : 6,000 / 22,000  (Now 5,000 / 17,000).
 
  Although in both cases service levels were lowered, the cost of the packages themselves remained the same.