Posts by mike kiely

Deception of 'up to' broadband speeds exposed

As important as speed!

Although the folk in shiny suits have mis-represented the speed and oversold on unlimited, complete, total, and free offers, the UK Digital Commons and the engineers building it have done well to cope with the change in usage from traditional internet browsing and email, to coping with p2p, multi-media communications and now an increasing demand for broadcast quality streaming. The speed findings are dictated largely by physics but the Samsknows data does show that the underlying data transport is finite but stable. The underlying stability of the data transport is probably more important than the speed.

Stability of the underlying data transport means you can plan for critical services. Being finite means we need to make choices on how we use it.

What has not been made clear by Sam or Ofcom in these press release is that the Broadband access networks and the internet generally have not been configured for Broadcast TV. If it is to be engineered for this purpose, then the monies spent on other Broadcast mediums need to be diverted to Broadband and the case for fibre becomes self evident.

The Digital Britain report, if it encourages a Broadband USO consultation and I hope it does, cannot start with a speed demand. It will need to start with a set of key services to be supported on a UK wide basis from which a minimum speed and as importantly the minimum quality needed is derived. Initially, the speed and as importantly the quality to support end to end services will be defined around a combination of browsing and multi-media communications, but not live TV streams.

This ought to be a discussion of how we get from a first generation high speed best effort access to the internet, to data transport which provide known predictable outcomes for the key services carried. In the long run the significance of Samsknow data is not the speed but the underlying stability of the data transport which means we in a very good position to begin a definition for a universal service.

In its current state the UK Digital Commons is not engineered as a hardened Broadcast medium, this would require the engineers to be told to build for that purpose and given the budget to do so. The move from best effort internet to assured services demand choices on how you use your bandwidth, even if you have access to fibre.

Regulators back Bell Canada choking indie ISP traffic

Managing Busy Hour

Affordable Broadband means busy hours need managing. We should, under the trade descriptions act have full transparency of our Broadband service parameters, so we know what resources underpin the service we pay subscribe too.

Slowing Peer to Peer is non-discrimatory (equal misery for all) but it is a crude engineering fix.

Ignoring, free for all, unlimited, total and complete Broadband offers is a necessary step in setting some rules in how the Digital Commons is to be managed.

Our routers should allow us to mark traffic real time, best efforts and skavenger and given the throughput and quality each to conclude the session.

Whining about mis-selling is counter productive! We need to be informed of the limits of each package sold (embedded in the planning rules) and how best to use what we have purchased. This is net neutral but with the mind set that any system has limits - there is no information on the tin on this subject. We can work within those limits if we are informed of what these limits are when purchasing the service. I have had a go here - http://www.bbbritain.co.uk

Fibre helps but does not change the need to manage busy periods.

We should be more creative, this throttled traffic (non-time critical) should be classed as skavenger and charged in a different way, or perhaps it is free as it is now not contributing to the peak cost.

The informed user needs to make these decisions, not the engineer (whom I admire) keeping the network alive - while his marketing and sales colleagues have mis-sold the service. In mis-selling they have also undersold the true potential of the service.

Sorry, begining to rant and it's only 8am.

FCC defies Dolly Parton, opens white space waves

Good way to extend the Digital Commons

Great foresight! Given the UK 3G auction fees (£24bn) seem to have an indefinate effect on SMS and roaming charges, would it not be great if the UK Digital Dividend (spectrum auctions)was given to the public in the form of extending internet access rather than a dividend in the form of yet another subscription charge?

Why the US faces broadband price hikes

Define the service first

Good article, there is a real danger in defining fair but bad non-discrimatory network management practices. We do not need the equivalent of PSTN call blocking. Tell me what I am paying for? what resources have been built to support the service I pay for!

I think the FCC should focus on apply existing trade description legislation so there is more service transparency. I have had a go at a label here. http://bbbritain.co.uk/kitemark.aspx

Once there is more transparency of service parameters, consensus on best congestion management practices could then be progressed.

Ofcom asks ISPs nicely to stop mis-selling broadband on speed

There is more information on a loaf of bread .

The oftcom voluntary code is a start, we should push for complete labelling. I've had a go here. http://bbbritain.co.uk/kitemark.aspx. Suggestions on further improvements are welcome.