Major UK ISP: video streaming's "free ride" is over
Found on Ars Technica on Friday, 12 June 2009
Major UK Internet provider BT opened up yesterday on the discriminatory traffic throttling it applies to streaming online video under certain plans.
That plan, called "Option 1," offers 10GB/month of data transfer, imposes throttling on P2P connections during parts of the day, throttles anyone who's a "heavy user," and places a limit of 896Kbps on video streaming services between 5pm and midnight.
But BT says it's losing millions by giving content owners "a completely free ride."
So, to sum it up, they promised people they could drive on their roads whenever they want and how much they want with cars which use the entire width of the road. Now that their customers make use of those promises, BT complains and calls it unfair. Sorry, but this is a perfect example of "shot yourself in the foot". Instead of giving customers lines their network can handle, they promised them more and more, knowing that it won't work anymore if enough start using it. What type of customer did they expect when promising unlimited and superfast broadband access? The granny next door who checks her five 10kB emails once a month? Wrong business model I guess. Or failing at upgrading network infrastructure.