An Empirical Evaluation of Deployed DPI Middleboxes and Their Implications for Policymakers by David Choffnes, Phillipa Gill, Alan Mislove :: SSRN: "This paper presents evidence of deployed middlebox-enabled policies that provide differential service to network applications affecting subscribers of T-Mobile US, Boost Mobile, and others. We used rigorous controlled experiments and statistical analysis of the performance of popular online services to identify traffic differentiation. The observed policies include throttling bandwidth available to video and audio streaming, transcoding video, and selectively zero-rating traffic such as video and music streaming. Such policies may violate the “No Throttling” and/or “No Unreasonable Interference” provisions of the Open Internet Order [15] (OIO), and potentially violate rules in different jurisdictions. Some of these policies were not transparent to consumers and/or were presented in misleading ways, violating the transparency requirement of the OIO. We recommend that providers concerned about traffic loads use application-agnostic techniques to throttle, thus meeting the “reasonable network management” clause of the OIO. Such policies are also easy for consumers to understand, thus providing better transparency."
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
Press release 11 October - BEREC moves forward on future monitoring of mobile and net neutrality issues
Press release - BEREC moves forward on future monitoring of mobile and net neutrality issues and publishes a statement on NRAs competencies: "In its continuous effort to safeguard an open environment throughout Europe, BEREC has decided to develop an opt-in measurement tool. The aim is to help NRAs and end-users to measure the quality of fixed or mobile internet access services and detect potential illegal traffic management practices such as blocking or throttling of specific applications.
A tender will be developed in the coming months with the objective to launch in the first quarter of 2018. A report on specifications for such tools has also been approved for publication.
At the Plenary, BEREC also approved the NN Regulatory assessment methodology. The work on document was built on regulatory best practices and previous BEREC guidance as regards the internet access service quality monitoring. The methodology is developed to assist NRAs in the implementation of the BEREC Net Neutrality Guidelines." 'via Blog this'
A tender will be developed in the coming months with the objective to launch in the first quarter of 2018. A report on specifications for such tools has also been approved for publication.
At the Plenary, BEREC also approved the NN Regulatory assessment methodology. The work on document was built on regulatory best practices and previous BEREC guidance as regards the internet access service quality monitoring. The methodology is developed to assist NRAs in the implementation of the BEREC Net Neutrality Guidelines." 'via Blog this'
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
What is net neutrality? Hot your breath on complaining to Ofcom
What is net neutrality? - Ofcom: "You can also complain to Ofcom. We cannot process or take action over individual complaints but we use complaints data to help us identify cases where enforcement action may be required." 'via Blog this'
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Translation of key paragraphs NRA decision on net neutrality – Bits of Freedom
Translation of key paragraphs NRA decision on net neutrality – Bits of Freedom: "For the ACM, these conditions do not form substantial entry barriers.
The first requirement is, for the ACM, not an unreasonable condition, because the music streaming service would otherwise not be consumable by other end-users at all.
The technical condition with regard to the IP address is, for the ACM, not an unreasonable condition either because it allows T-Mobile to discern between internet traffic that should be zero-rated and internet traffic that should not be zero-rated.
This condition, for the ACM, does not yield a substantive restriction." 'via Blog this'
The first requirement is, for the ACM, not an unreasonable condition, because the music streaming service would otherwise not be consumable by other end-users at all.
The technical condition with regard to the IP address is, for the ACM, not an unreasonable condition either because it allows T-Mobile to discern between internet traffic that should be zero-rated and internet traffic that should not be zero-rated.
This condition, for the ACM, does not yield a substantive restriction." 'via Blog this'
Dutch NRA: T-Mobile may continue to violate net neutrality – Bits of Freedom
Dutch NRA: T-Mobile may continue to violate net neutrality – Bits of Freedom: "The ACM states in its decision that T-Mobile does not discriminate against music services, “as long as they comply with the conditions that T-Mobile imposes”.
Well, duh, that's exactly the problem! T-Mobile is imposing all kinds of conditions upon these music services and therefore decides which ones are entitled to preferential treatment. For example, if a music service doesn't want T-Mobile to use its logo, they're out of luck. If the music service isn't able or willing to structure its systems to the whims of T-Mobile, they're left out in the cold.
The ACM also thinks that your freedom or the freedom of the music service provider isn't being constrained. That's hardly surprising when you realize that the ACM seems to have no regard for the impact of services like T-Mobile's Data-free Music on the innovative nature of the internet. One of the powerful properties of the internet is precisely that every computer, and therefore every service and user, is as easy to reach as any other.
A service like T-Mobile's flies in the face of that idea by giving some services preferential treatment."'via Blog this'
Well, duh, that's exactly the problem! T-Mobile is imposing all kinds of conditions upon these music services and therefore decides which ones are entitled to preferential treatment. For example, if a music service doesn't want T-Mobile to use its logo, they're out of luck. If the music service isn't able or willing to structure its systems to the whims of T-Mobile, they're left out in the cold.
The ACM also thinks that your freedom or the freedom of the music service provider isn't being constrained. That's hardly surprising when you realize that the ACM seems to have no regard for the impact of services like T-Mobile's Data-free Music on the innovative nature of the internet. One of the powerful properties of the internet is precisely that every computer, and therefore every service and user, is as easy to reach as any other.
A service like T-Mobile's flies in the face of that idea by giving some services preferential treatment."'via Blog this'
Friday, October 13, 2017
Press release - BEREC moves forward on future monitoring of net neutrality issues
Press release - BEREC moves forward on future monitoring of mobile and net neutrality issues and publishes a statement on NRAs competencies: "In its continuous effort to safeguard an open environment throughout Europe, BEREC has decided to develop an opt-in measurement tool. The aim is to help NRAs and end-users to measure the quality of fixed or mobile internet access services and detect potential illegal traffic management practices such as blocking or throttling of specific applications.
A tender will be developed in the coming months with the objective to launch in the first quarter of 2018.
A report on specifications for such tools has also been approved for publication.
At the Plenary, BEREC also approved the NN Regulatory assessment methodology. The work on document was built on regulatory best practices and previous BEREC guidance as regards the internet access service quality monitoring. The methodology is developed to assist NRAs in the implementation of the BEREC Net Neutrality Guidelines.
To explain the past and future role of BEREC in the implementation of Net neutrality rules, BEREC launches today a video.
Open internet:
BEREC analyses Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market
In line with this key objective to safeguard an open environment, BEREC has adopted a draft BEREC report on Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market that summarises approaches taken by NRAs and competition authorities to address potential competition concerns in this area. BEREC adopted the report for public consultation, inviting the stakeholders to provide their valuable inputs. The public consultation on the preliminary report will run from 11 October to 8 November 2017." 'via Blog this'
A tender will be developed in the coming months with the objective to launch in the first quarter of 2018.
A report on specifications for such tools has also been approved for publication.
At the Plenary, BEREC also approved the NN Regulatory assessment methodology. The work on document was built on regulatory best practices and previous BEREC guidance as regards the internet access service quality monitoring. The methodology is developed to assist NRAs in the implementation of the BEREC Net Neutrality Guidelines.
To explain the past and future role of BEREC in the implementation of Net neutrality rules, BEREC launches today a video.
Open internet:
BEREC analyses Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market
In line with this key objective to safeguard an open environment, BEREC has adopted a draft BEREC report on Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market that summarises approaches taken by NRAs and competition authorities to address potential competition concerns in this area. BEREC adopted the report for public consultation, inviting the stakeholders to provide their valuable inputs. The public consultation on the preliminary report will run from 11 October to 8 November 2017." 'via Blog this'