Net Neutrality : Bandwidth Throttling is Happening Now

[galacticstone]

Internet bandwidth throttling is happening now.

Proof : every 5-10 mins, the internet goes down and nothing will load. It happens for just a few seconds upwards to 1-2 minutes, then it returns to normal. This has been happening for a couple of weeks now, but I started noticing that this NEVER happens when watching Netflix. This happens at three different locations in the Tampa area - all different ISP's with different hardware.

They are slowly and quietly doing it - get used to it. This is the new normal apparently.

Has anyone else noticed a recent drop in internet service consistency?

[wildmanne39]

Please use the default font color and properties unless you need to highlight or draw attention to a part of your post.

I am not sure that can be attributed to internet bandwidth throttling due to net neutrality, I would need proof that net neutrality is the reason and not something else. It is am important issue and I have not kept up with it lately but I hope it does not happen.

[galacticstone]

It looked like the default font on my end, I didn't change any of that or post any differently than I usually do. Maybe I accidentally clicked something?

I am not sure how I could definitively prove this is throttling relating to net neutrality. But, I can say this : one can tell a good bit about what's wrong with a car by how the engine sounds and acts. One can also determine a thing or two about an internet connection by how it behaves. This does not act like line noise or interference. It also does not act like a hardware issue on the user end. It is strangely regular in it's frequency - you can almost set your clock by it.

The thing that really makes me wonder is the fact that it never happens while streaming on Netflix - but it happens almost everywhere else.

[poorguy]

We haven't experienced anything like what you are posting and in my area we have excellent internet service. :)

We are also getting optic fiber network installed in the area so that should really kick the speed up and provide more bandwidth. :)

[galacticstone]

Coincidence? When I open a browser tab to Netflix and start streaming a movie, the connection works flawlessly with zero interruptions. If I close the Netflix tab and start trying to do anything else, the connection goes to crud and it is throttled every few minutes. If I run multiple tabs, the tab with Netflix works without interruptions, but all other tabs are throttled.


Bandwidth throttling is happening people. If it's not happening to you yet, be patient because it will. Consider yourself lucky for now.


I am getting an early taste of it, because my area is the fastest growing in the entire southeast US - there is a high and ever increasing demand for bandwidth on this node.

[QIII]

Cable? How many other customers on your local node? Have you contacted your ISP and created a trouble ticket?

Is there more than one ISP available in your area? If so, it's unlikely that Netflix is going to pay an ISP's bandwidth extortion fee.

[galacticstone]

Netflix was already caught doing it in the past - https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/21/16010766/verizon-netflix-throttling-statement-net-neutrality-title-ii

Yes, cable broadband on fiber-optic. My local area was rural, but the area has exploded with development - tens of thousands of new housing units and businesses in just a couple of years.

There are other ISP's in this area, and I am now considering my options. While I am not 100% certain this is throttling, it certainly looks and behaves that way.

I am going to submit a support ticket tomorrow and see what they say - it's possible that the lower level employees of the ISP might not know about it. Your typical customer service rep who answers the phones might not have a clue.

Question for the tech-savvy : is there any way I can tell definitively if my connection is being throttled?

This is interfering with my work (I work from home).

[wildmanne39]

Netflix was already caught doing it in the past - https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/21/1...ality-title-ii
The above says verizon was caught capping download speeds not that netflix paid to have there speed increased and there is a difference between what mobile carriers do and traditional ISP's.

[QIII]

That's why I asked about cable. There are some technical constraints on mobile -- such as data limits -- that make that market a different kettle if fish.

What happens if you use something like speedtest.net? Try different times of day, different servers, servers geograhically far from you.

What I have found consistently for years is that around the time that everyone gets home from work and gets on their computers to read email, watch cat videos, check in on Facebook and catch some news, cable nodes get saturated and things slow down. That's a limitation of physics.

Also bear in mind that a smaller organization with limited capacity of bandwidth on their end can't manage more throughput than their pipes allow. If they are getting a lot of demand, they have physical limits, too.

I'm not saying I'm not worried about net neutrality, just that one should not jump to conclusions based on a sample size of one.

[galacticstone]

" The above says verizon was caught capping download speeds not that netflix paid to have there speed increased and there is a difference between what mobile carriers do and traditional ISP's."

True, but they were not capping download speeds that were streaming Netflix. Netflix was getting special treatment. The only way one gets special treatment is to pay. So the implication is there.

But, I do get your point. Mobile and home internet are two different animals.

[galacticstone]

That's why I asked about cable. There are some technical constraints on mobile -- such as data limits -- that make that market a different kettle if fish.

What happens if you use something like speedtest.net? Try different times of day, different servers, servers geograhically far from you.

What I have found consistently for years is that around the time that everyone gets home from work and gets on their computers to read email, watch cat videos, check in on Facebook and catch some news, cable nodes get saturated and things slow down. That's a limitation of physics.

Also bear in mind that a smaller organization with limited capacity of bandwidth on their end can't manage more throughput than their pipes allow. If they are getting a lot of demand, they have physical limits, too.

I'm not saying I'm not worried about net neutrality, just that one should not jump to conclusions based on a sample size of one.

I ran some speedtest checks, but they didn't tell me anything, The internet doesn't slow down, it completely stops - although the PC says it is still connected.

There is no doubt this node is slowed down due to heavy development putting a strain on the available bandwidth. But, the same thing happens 50 miles away at my soninlaw's house - he has a different ISP, a less crowded node, and different hardware. But, the issue acts exactly the same. It's curious....

[sandman887]

The above says verizon was caught capping download speeds not that netflix paid to have there speed increased and there is a difference between what mobile carriers do and traditional ISP's.

Comcast and Verizon are both heavily against net neutrality, and they have both been caught violating NN.

[iscollin]

I miss NN but until something major happens I don't think it's coming back I recommend you use a VPN like tunnelbear

[coffeefiend]

I haven't noticed any changes in my browsing speeds at home. I have Verizon FiOS, so nothing seems particularly slow, or slower, than before NN repeal to me.

[pearlyjam]

Oh wow, if your Internet is being throttled by ISP that sucks. May I suggest you use some kind of VPN? I personally use NordVPN, because of Netflix streaming here in Europe, but it would be great in your scenario too -- over 4000 servers to choose from and pretty rapid speeds. I used this code GIFT75 and got 3 bucks a month (just entered into https://nordvpn.com/). Seems like a pretty good deal. Iscollin recommended TunnalBear, but free version is only 500 MB's, it was bought by McAfee and I don't really trust them.