My take on the traffic shaping

Image via WikipediaConsumers frequently dislike telcos. In the case of the ISPs we built, Viatel, Jazztel, Ya.com and Fon we have generally been liked because we have been on the other side, against the former monopoly and for the consumer. But when I read about the large telcos/cable co´s in the States getting sued right and left for traffic shaping, I have to say that I do feel a bit sorry for them. What is happening now is that on one side content rights owners are trying to use telcos to enforce their rights against consumers and on the other telcos are trying to save their business model by slowing P2P traffic. Some ISPs, like Carphone Warehouse have made it clear that they will not act as the policemen of the content industry. Others have mixed feeling as on one side P2P is a clear bandwidth driver (many people buy bandwidth to download illegal content fast) but on the other it overloads their networks. In my view what is needed here is some guidelines similar to those that force the food industry to disclose food ingredients. Government Telecommunications agencies should force ISPs to share with the public what is it that they do to shape traffic and allow them to make better offers that involve true faster connections at higher prices for those who would like to pay for them. As it stands the internet is full of web sites that try to tell you what they think ISPs are doing and it is one big confusion out there.

• Carphone Warehouse
• Jazztel
• Traffic shaping