Are Internet Providers Slowing Traffic To Popular Websites?

June 25, 2015 at 12:50 pm By

It has come to the attention of consumers and experts that major Internet providers are slowing connections to popular websites for thousands of customers across the U.S., and it’s starting to make serious headlines.

Some of the big names in question include AT&T, Time Warner and Verizon according to The Guardian.

“The study, conducted by internet activists BattlefortheNet, looked at the results from 300,000 internet users and found significant degradations on the networks of the five largest internet service providers, representing 75% of all wireline households across the US,” reported Sam Thielman.

“The findings come weeks after the Federal Communications Commission introduced new rules meant to protect ‘net neutrality’ – the principle that all data is equal online – and keep ISPs from holding traffic speeds for ransom.”

This could mean that consumers both business and residential have been paying for high-speed internet, however, they have been receiving quite the opposite. According to the Federal Communications Commission, AT&T has already agreed to pay a $25 million settlement after an open investigation following the release of the study.

“For too long, internet access providers and their lobbyists have characterized net neutrality protections as a solution in search of a problem,” said Tim Karr of the Free Press, according to the article.

“Data compiled using the Internet Health Test show us otherwise – that there is widespread and systemic abuse across the network. The irony is that this trove of evidence is becoming public just as many in Congress are trying to strip away the open internet protections that would prevent such bad behavior.”

The study examined comparative speeds of Content Delivery Networks. The article states that any site that becomes popular enough has to pay a CDN to carry its content through a network of servers. As the FCC continues to investigate it just might be possible that other companies follow AT&T’s move.

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