Re: [DFRI-listan] "Lost on the broadband super highway"

[James Losey <jameswlosey@xxxxxxxxx>]

We're both looking at the same report. While the report does not some problems transparency, I didn't see it provide other concrete solutions.

Recommendations for Government and the European  Commission (from p. 8/51)

1 Need to consider ways to expand the existing 

regulatory framework by the principles of nonblocking and non-discrimination to ensure the 

internet remains an open platform 

2 If a self-regulatory or co-regulatory solution is a 

preferred option, it must have a robust, builtin compliance and enforcement mechanism 

alongside independent verification, oversight 

and sanctions, complaint handling and redress

The report aslo recommends OfCom work on methods to compare traffic management between services, rather than work on restricting types of traffic management that will be harmful to the open internet.

On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 3:03 PM, Linus Nordberg <linus@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Vilken rapport syftar du på?

Jag har inte läst hela rapporten från Consumer Focus, men får intrycket
att den tvärtom är kritisk till de som påstår att transparens skulle
lösa alla problem


The findings of the research showed that
increased transparency for traffic management
alone is unlikely to safeguard effectively the
principle of the open internet and prevent
discriminatory restrictions online.
(s. 5)


Yet policy makers believe
increased transparency about the term
can safeguard the principle of the open
internet, drive switching and enhance
competition in the broadband market.
(s. 4)


Yet these efforts to improve transparency raise
concerns. Specifically, there are questions over:
●● consumers’ ability to understand and determine
the extent of traffic management practices, and
their impact on their internet access
●● which part of the online chain is at fault
(for example, broadband provider, content
provider or end users’ equipment and
software)
●● what is genuine traffic management and what
is unfair practice
(s. 5)



James Losey <jameswlosey@xxxxxxxxx> wrote
Fri, 7 Dec 2012 14:44:20 +0100:

| A major problem with this report is the suggestion that transparency is a
| sufficient approach to addressing concerns over network management.
|
| J
|
| On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 2:30 PM, Patrik Wallström <pawal@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
|
| > Brittiska Consumer Focus har sammanställt en undersökning av konsumenters
| > uppfattning av operatörers traffic management. Åtminstone summeringen är
| > intressant att läsa för den oinsatte:
| >
| >
| > http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/files/2012/11/Lost-on-the-broadband-super-highway.pdf>
| > "Overall, our research found that consumers
| > have very limited awareness of the term ‘traffic
| > management’. Consumers do not understand the
| > term, find it difficult to access relevant information
| > and, when they do, struggle to understand it.
| > The research indicated that without explaining
| > traffic management and its impact on the user
| > experience, any information provided is not
| > meaningful to consumers and is therefore not
| > taken into consideration. The research found no
| > difference in perceived transparency between
| > BSG and non-BSG signatories."
| >
| > ...
| >
| >