Regulation and Policy: Grocery stores, telecom carriers and DPI

Management, shaping and throttling are all terms that have been used to describe the capability that deep packet inspection (DPI) technology provides to its telecommunications carrier users. Packet prioritization, no longer used as often as it once was, clearly describes what carriers can do when they put this type of technology in their pipes. They determine what traffic gets passed through their networks more quickly than others. Should they have the right to do so? Do carriers have the right to manage their network resources, regardless of how scarce they may or may not be? Absolutely. Over the years, they have invested billions of dollars to deploy those networks that in some cases span the entire country. They have a right to recoup that investment in any way they feel appropriate even if that means losing customers from one part of the business only to get more customers in another. Besides, these carriers aren't benevolent providers of service for consumers, businesses or governments - they are in the business of making money. Like it or not, this is the way it is. The question becomes a little more muddied, however, when there are third parties involved, namely ISPs that buy network bandwidth from carriers using DPI. Do these network wholesalers have the right to manage traffic that other providers resell to end-users? They say yes because of bandwidth hogging caused by the huge increases in peer-to-peer file sharing. Resellers say no because this breeches terms of capacity purchase agreements they have with the seller. These ISPs also say this type of activity will cause irreparable harm to their business by driving customers to rivals. In a nutshell, the resellers contend that they purchased a set amount of bandwidth that is not being used because consumers are unable to send and receive as much traffic. They are paying for bandwidth their customers can't use because of traffic management. Canada's telecom regulator is now looking into the matter after studying a complaint by the Canadian Association of Internet Providers against Bell Canada Enterprises (see last month's Regulation and Policy column). The CRTC wants tangible evidence from Bell that its network is experiencing congestion resulting from the use of peer-to-peer filing sharing. The commission already appears to be skeptical of Bell's claims of network congestion. One of the questions it asks the ILEC to answer is: "During peak periods before deployment of its traffic management solution, 60% of total traffic corresponded to 33% of available bandwidth. Commission staff notes that 100% of the total traffic would correspond to 55% (100/60 x 33%) of the available bandwidth. Provide a detailed explanation of why utilization of 55% of available bandwidth would require the use of traffic management to ease congestion," reads the letter to Bell and CAIP. But all of this makes me think of a recent trip to the grocery store. It happened to be in the middle of the afternoon. (I work from home and can do that every now and again. Not too often though, boss.) I picked up all the items I needed and headed to the checkout line where I was promptly served as there was no lineup. I paid and put the items in my car. All this took about 30 minutes. I don't remember the last time I went to the grocery store on a weekend, list and wife in tow, and was able to get out of there in 30 minutes. We're talking an hour and a half, even more, depending on the time of day. Despite having to fight the throngs of people, while avoiding shopping cart fender benders, my wife and I will still make that regular trip during the busiest time of the weekend. In my mind, however, those mid-day outings on a Tuesday afternoon are looking a lot more attractive. Eliminating the shopping cart jammed into the back of my legs is certainly one of the benefits of off-peak time grocery shopping. Not having to wait in line and getting quicker service are by far the biggest pros of shopping in the afternoon in the middle of the week. I have the advantage of being able to buy groceries in the afternoon. Others don't. They can only do this activity, chore if you will, during peak demand and they have to live with it. They don't have another choice. So they figure out ways to make the experience less bothersome. Perhaps some bandwidth consumption will shift to off-peak periods and those that do will get the benefits. However, for those that don't have a choice, unfortunately, you might have to live with slower service. Get used to it, or figure out a way to make it less painful.

Regulation and Policy: Grocery stores, telecom carriers and DPI

News | 05/28/2008 3:23 pm EDT

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