Rogers, Bell rank as global throttlers: Report

Data compiled through user-generated tests on Google Inc.’s Measurements Lab (MLab) project show Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. are two of the world’s most frequent throttlers of BitTorrent traffic. Rogers was the fourth-highest throttling Internet service provider (ISP) in the world during the first three months of 2012 and Bell was the sixth-highest in MLab data released Thursday by Syracuse University's School of Information Studies. The MLab project allows Internet users to test speed, quality, and other characteristics of their Internet connections. The Syracuse University project uses MLab data to determine if those connections are affected by deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, which is used to manage peer-to-peer BitTorrent traffic. The project has reported the world’s heaviest traffic shaping ISPs each year since 2009. Rogers has made the top 10 list each year and Bell was a new addition to the list in 2011. In first quarter 2012 data, Rogers’ subscribers who activated the MLab test recorded BitTorrent throttling about 80 per cent of the time. Bell subscribers recorded throttling approximately 76 per cent of the time, the report said. Rogers has said it intends to stop throttling all Internet traffic on its network by the end of the year. Jacqueline Michelis, a spokeswoman for Bell, said in an emailed statement the company "stopped traffic shaping as of March 1, 2012." Liberty Broadcasting Inc., of the Philippines, ranked as the world’s heaviest traffic managing ISP, with approximately 93 of its subscribers recording some evidence of BitTorrent traffic management by DPI technology. Finland’s Elisa Oyj ranked second at 92 per cent, Japan’s J-Com ranked third at 82 per cent, and Taiwan Fixed Network ranked fifth at 76 per cent. British Telecommunications plc, Malaysia’s TM Net, Korea Telecom and Argentina’s TeleCentro were also in the top 10. The first quarter 2012 data released Thursday did not say how many tests were used to support the data.

Rogers, Bell rank as global throttlers: Report

Brief | May 3, 2012

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Rogers, Bell rank as global throttlers: Report

Brief | May 3, 2012

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