Ofcom has set out the steps it expects Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to take to ensure customers are aware of how internet traffic is being managed on their networks.
Traffic management is used by ISPs – fixed and mobile – to deal with congestion by slowing down or accelerating the flow of traffic over the internet. In general it is beneficial, and is used for example to protect safety-critical traffic such as calls to the emergency services. But it can cause concern, if for example it is used by ISPs to target competing services, in a manner which is not visible to consumers.
The full news release can be found at http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2011/11/improving-traffic-management-transparency/