Post Tagged with: "network management"

Smart Pipes vs. Dumb Pipes

While the early focus of the CRTC New Media hearings are unsurprisingly focused on levies and regulation, an important additional issue is quickly emerging.  CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein tried to set the stage for the hearings by noting that they are limited strictly to new media broadcasting.  He then followed with a question to Alain Pinot of the CCA in which he stated that he does not see the relationship between this hearing and the network management hearing. Von Finckenstein's comments come on the heels of the comment from Rogers over the weekend that they run a "dumb pipe" with respect to content. 

It seems to me that the comments are related as they present a vision that puts content in one box (new media hearings and the Rogers dumb pipe) and network management in another (net neutrality hearings and a smart pipe/traffic shaping).  I think this is wrong and points to key question.  To use Rogers' terminology – can an ISP that engages in active network management but does not directly filter content be said to run both a smart pipe (the network management) and a dumb pipe (for content)?

I think the answer is no – current network management necessarily leaks into content and cannot be said to be a dumb pipe.  

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February 18, 2009 12 comments News

The Angus Net Neutrality Bill

NDP MP Charlie Angus introduced his private member's net neutrality bill in the House of Commons this afternoon.  The short bill seeks to add transparency, neutral network management, and open devices to the Canadian telecom law framework: Network operators shall not engage in network management practices that favour, degrade or […]

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May 28, 2008 10 comments News