ISPs sign up to voluntary agreement

A number of big name Internet service providers are said to have signed up to a voluntary code that will mean providing greater clarity when it comes to traffic management.

For many broadband customers the way in which their broadband providers manage and shape Internet traffic can be quite confusing and many have no idea about how their ISP manages Internet traffic, as few make this information very clear. However, according to recent reports this could all change soon as a result of a number of big name Internet service providers deciding to sign up to a voluntary code that will involve them providing greater clarity about the way in which they manage traffic.

The Internet providers that are signing up to the code include BSkyB, BT, O2, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone. The agreement applies to both fixed line broadband services and mobile broadband services, and it has been arranged by the Broadband Stakeholder Group. The companies that have signed up to the agreement account for sixty percent of all mobile broadband customers in the UK and ninety percent of fixed line customers.

Antony Walker, Chief Executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, stated: “There has been more heat than light in the debate about traffic management over recent years. This commitment to provide clear and comparable information in a common format is very important. It will not only help to ensure consumers are better informed about the services they buy and use, but will also provide a clearer picture for policy makers of the way in which traffic management is actually used in the UK market. Consumers need to be able to make informed choices about the services they buy and policy makers need to be able to make informed decisions about the policy and regulatory framework they set. This new commitment provides an essential building block for getting both of these things right.”

Source – The Fonecast