I don't understand the 20 hour limit

[Gauwain]

Dear forum,

I'm not one to register on a forum and make a rant-post right away. But there's this thing bothering me.

Spotify Open stops playing music after 20 hours. As that feared moment comes closer and closer, I feel forced to look for the mysterious invites to Spotify free, which doesn't have this limit (and something called radio mode). But after looking for a short while, I see that chances of actually getting an invite to Spotify free is slim. Hardly anyone is paying 10 coins a month to be a premium member, and they get two invites per month to give away. I stopped looking.

One would think Spotify offered us Spotify Open with a play limit of 20 hours to save bandwidth, but I feel that creates more frustration, panic and chaotic attempts to get an invite for Spotify free. God forbid, I'd probably see them auctioned if I looked.
The only difference is the "Radio mode" and the 20 hour limit; but unless they IP-ban you for the rest of the month after you played 20 hours of music, what stops us from making a new account and get another 20 hours of Spotify Open?
They don't save band width, but only create frustration and a bad mood.

Why did they chose to impose that time limit? I learned that music is a force that isn't to be caged.
I simply don't understand.

-G_

Edit: various spelling issues

[Brian]

It's because Spotify is finding it hard to cope with all the attention, back when I signed up, there was premium and free. As time went by they had to impose a invite system to handle the amount of people signing up. Now, they obviously have updated their servers and can handle higher volumes of people listening, the limit is another measure to handle the demand, by having free (open) users not suck up there bandwidth.

Also, you say that people don't give out invites, and people don't buy premium. But I myself am a premium user, and I was just on bespotify.ning.com giving people my invites. All gone now!

Anyway, hope that helps,

Brian

[bala]

Does it refresh every week?

on site it says

http://www.spotify.com/uk/help/faq/unli ... tify-open/

[Sanvien]

Another thing I don't get about the 20 hour monthly limit which I made a forum account for was the fact that when looking at the timer it said 20 minutes left (I listen to a lot of music)

I queued up two 10 minute long songs to end my precious music time, the first song played and then finished, but I realised it said 15 minutes still left meaning It had only counted 5 minutes of the 9:30 something song. When I tried to play the second song it asked me to buy premium if I wanted to listen to more and that my last 10 minutes had disappeared.

Not the biggest of problems I know, and I thank Spotify that I can listen to music free but It was slightly annoying it gets rid of time.

On that note; when the end of the month comes that your hours 'reset' it should actually reset it to 20 hours rather than adding 5 hours every couple of weeks or so.

I would love to get premium some time but at the moment I have little money so will just have to wait :/

[SpotifyHax]

This will reset the time limit of Spotify Free/Open: http://fastyshare.com/DQqIikE3vNGjbnM

[victor rock]

Its too marvelous and great sharing
i really love it

[piash006]

The biggest change to Spotify's free accounts is a 10 hour per month listening limit that will be imposed on all free accounts six months after they are created. Spotify says that 10 hours is good for 200 tracks or 20 albums.

[mindhelix]

I personally think its ridiculous for them to put limitations when they are already making money from the companies who are advertising on Spotify. I just signed up for the service so if I feel this limitation hinders me too much, I will go with Grooveshark - there is no point paying for a service if another service offers it for free with absolutely no limitations AND DOESN'T have audio ads! I think they should re-evaluate considering the competition...

[mlopez]

Anyways this should be done to limit things...I understand the this is must thing to do.. Electronic Toys Christmas Gifts...

[acosmicfriend]

I personally think its ridiculous for them to put limitations when they are already making money from the companies who are advertising on Spotify.

I think you may be missing the fact that Spotify has to use that advertising money to pay the royalties to the record labels and whatnot. I would be willing to actually put up with more ads to help pay the bills rather than having my time limited.