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Blog posts tagged broadband
Do you want your website to travel second class?
August 23, 2011
Shouldn’t we all have fast fibre optic connections? (Image: James Laurence Stewart on Flickr.)
If you pay attention to the business or technology press, you may have noticed the term ‘net neutrality’ popping up in articles. But what does it actually mean? And why should it matter to you and your business?
Net neutrality (or network neutrality) is the idea that all internet traffic should be treated equally. It’s how the internet works at the moment: no matter whether internet traffic is from the BBC iPlayer, your business blog, a video-conferencing service or any other source, it isn’t discriminated against.
Network providers can’t charge more to transfer it, or prioritise certain types of internet traffic over others.
Net neutrality also prevents internet service providers (ISPs) and governments from restricting what you choose to access. It gives you the freedom to view whichever sites or content you want, using any equipment you choose.
See a great visual representation of net neutrality >
The threat to net neutrality
To some extent, ISPs already restrict internet connectivity to their customers. Some perform ‘traffic shaping’ to limit the use of file sharing services. Others give voice and video traffic priority to make sure calls don’t break up.
So what’s the problem? Well, thankfully not much at the moment, but internet traffic is growing and broadband providers are doing everything they can to keep costs low and stay competitive.
Currently businesses pay their ISP for the internet connection they require (depending on what’s available in that location). Whether it’s broadband over a standard phone line or a fast fibre optic connection, the speed is only restricted by the type of connection and the package they choose.
But the end of net neutrality could see broadband providers signing lucrative contracts and exclusive agreements with favoured customers such as search engines. This would mean that your choice of ISP could determine the quality of your connection to certain websites, forcing you to choose them over other options.
What about your business?
One of the best things about the internet is how it has put small businesses on an equal footing with bigger competitors. The website for a local greengrocer will load just as fast as a supermarket’s website.
But without net neutrality, that could change. With its deep pockets, the supermarket could pay broadband providers to deliver its website faster, forcing its competitors backwards. The greatest rewards would only be available to those with the most to spend.
Today, many small businesses exist only online. So changes to the way the network is regulated will directly affect their success and even their livelihood.
Net neutrality in law
Last month the Netherlands became the first country in Europe to write the concept of network neutrality into national law. Mobile phone operators in particular are now banned from blocking or charging consumers extra for using internet-based communications services like Skype.
In the UK, things aren’t quite so advanced. Ofcom published a paper last year designed to promote debate on network traffic management. And the telecoms regulator is expect to clarify its stance on net neutrality sometime in this year. We’ll keep our eyes peeled, but I wouldn’t hold your breath!
We have also conducted our own Powernet research that shows UK businesses overwhelmingly support net neutrality. Only 19% believe that ISPs should be allowed to treat different types of traffic in different ways, and just 17% would be willing to pay for a top tier service.
So who chooses what your business does online? Well at the moment, you do, but in the future, things might not be so easy. That’s why we need government backing for net neutrality.
- How to choose an internet service provider
- Check internet speed with our online speed test
It's time to break down the broadband bull
March 08, 2011
By international standards, UK broadband isn't exactly super-speedy. But the worst thing is that when you buy it, often you have little idea what you're going to get.
Sure, your package might offer speeds 'up to 8Mbps', 'up to 16Mbps', or even (optimistically), 'up to 24Mbps'. But even if you know what 'Mbps' means, that 'up to' introduces massive uncertainty. You might end up with only a tenth of the promised speed, or worse.
It wouldn't be allowed elsewhere
In other industries, this wouldn't be allowed. Imagine if your car - which an enthusiastic salesman promised would do 'up to 100mph' - actually maxed out at 35.
You wouldn't stand for it. Yet with broadband, this kind of advertising is the norm.
The use of 'up to' stems from the way in which ADSL - which is how most of us get our broadband - works. It uses copper wires which were never designed for the purpose. And that makes speeds unpredictable.
We're relying on 1911 hardware to deliver 2011 connectivity. So if you're miles from a telephone exchange or your line is old and crackly, you won't get a good connection.
We want honest broadband
The obvious way to make our broadband better would be to introduce a modern, up-to-date broadband network. With guaranteed speeds, you could forget any 'up to' hassles.
And that is happening, albeit slowly. Some places can already get a fast fibre optic connection via Virgin Media or through BT's fledgling Infinity network. But those services won't reach many of us anytime soon.
So, while the rest of us are waiting for a fibre optic connection, ADSL providers need to shape up their act:
- Set charges to reflect real-world speeds. If I'm only going to get 10% of the advertised speed, I should only have to pay 10% of the advertised cost. That might give providers some incentive to improve things.
- Quote realistic speeds in advertising, not best case ones. Only a tiny proportion of broadband customers get the promised speeds (if any), so it's time advertising changed to reflect this. Even Ofcom seems to agree.
- Be open about fair use. Many packages limit what you can download each month to reduce network load. Hit your limit and your connection will crawl. But these limits are hard to understand. How much is 10GB?
Nowadays, internet access isn't just important to run your business. It's essential. So is it wrong to insist that broadband companies are open, honest and upfront about the speed of their services?
(Image of fibre optics from adrienneserra under a Creative Commons Attribution licence.)
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