Ofcom Looks to Revamp Net Neutrality Rules
Net neutrality rules need updating for an evolving internet ecosystem, the U.K. Office of Communications said in an Oct. 21 consultation. EU net neutrality legislation enacted in 2016 became part of U.K. law after Brexit, but because the rules constrain…
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ISPs' activities, they may be viewed as hampering ISPs' ability to innovate, develop new services and manage their network for better user experiences, said Ofcom, seeking comments by Jan. 13. It proposed allowing ISPs to: (1) Offer premium quality packages and services, such as for people who have high-quality virtual reality apps. (2) Develop "specialized services" for content and applications that need to be optimized. (3) Use traffic management measures to manage their networks. (4) Offer zero-rating (where the data used by certain websites or apps is not counted toward a customer’s overall data allowance) in most cases. The regulator is also considering possible new laws that would allow retail packages to offer different quality standards (such as for a package that only has a specific gaming app that needs guaranteed low latency); and give ISPs more flexibility to use traffic management for specific content to address congestion. Ofcom also waded into the debate on whether ISPs should be able to charge content providers for carrying traffic (see 2210130001), saying, "While there are potential benefits to a charging regime, we have not yet seen sufficient evidence that this is needed." That's a decision for the government and Parliament, Ofcom noted. A statement is due next fall.