The Executive Director of broadband at cable operator Virgin Media, Jon James, has suggested that the chances of a Net Neutrality (the principal of treating all internet traffic as equal) battle between access and content providers happening in the UK will remain remote so long as “intense competition” exists between ISPs.
A new study by Rebtel, which claims to be the largest independent VoIP (Voice-over-IP) provider after Skype, has found that almost 60% of UK Smartphone users would be prepared to switch Mobile Broadband networks if operators continue to impose traffic blocks or slow down access to online voice calling and other internet streaming services.
The European Commission (EC) has responded to BEREC’s final report into Net Neutrality (the principal of treating all internet traffic as equal), which criticised fixed line broadband ISPs and Mobile Broadband operators over a lack of transparency, by proposing to stiffen industry guidelines through “strong and targeted action” and deliver more “effective consumer choice“.
The Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC), which is composed of the heads from 27 national regulators (e.g. Ofcom in the UK), has published its preliminary findings on internet Traffic Management practices by broadband ISPs and mobile operators in Europe. The practices were found to “vary widely” between countries and providers with some exceptions, the blocking of VoIP (e.g. Skype) and P2P (BitTorrent – File Sharing) traffic is common.
Business ISP Entanet, a UK telecoms and internet supplier, has suggested that the national communications regulator (Ofcom) must “be prepared to step in” and force Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to stop their “anti-competitive practices” (e.g. blocking VoIP traffic) by protecting Net Neutrality (the principal of treating all internet traffic as equal).