Google Recommends the FCC to Collect Network Management Practices Information

 

Google has submitted to the FCC a document, "regarding the collection, use, and dissemination of data by the Media Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Wireline Competition Bureau in connection with the Federal Communications Commission’s (the “Commission” or “FCC”) ongoing Data Innovation Initiative."

See "REPLY COMMENTS OF GOOGLE INC" - here. See also a post to the Google Public Policy Blog - "Maximizing openness of broadband data" - here.

One of the recommendations (or "ideas" as the blog calls it) follows the Verizon/Google "Net Neutrality compromise" (see "Google/Verizon Net Neutrality Compromise - Is it really "FCC Enforceable"?" -here). The new idea maybe a way for the FCC to enforce (or at least monitor) Net Neutrality rules suggested by Google and Verizon. Note that Form 477 must be filled also by "Facilities-based providers of mobile telephony service" (here), which were exempt from the compromise.

Google recommends that ".. Form 477 should collect information concerning network management practices that will (1) directly impact the performance of particular applications, content, or protocols or (2) reduce the speed or quality of the connection below the provider’s advertised measures for the service offering. Relevant network management practices include traffic prioritization, traffic blocking or throttling, processes to address traffic congestion such as usage download or upload restrictions, content/message examination processes (e.g., deep packet inspection), and traffic routing processes that are based on sender/receiver, or type of traffic. Because such practices likely will affect broadband availability, adoption, and competition, the Commission should have access to clear, accurate, and useful information about them. Applications developers, content providers, and other Internet users should have access to this data, as such practices impact their ability to design and invest in their offerings."

".. For example, consider a practice that prioritizes traffic from a particular application. A broadband provider should disclose what application is being prioritized and how that will impact performance (e.g., this application will have a guaranteed low latency, even at times of congestion). A provider would not, however, have to disclose the exact networking equipment, router configurations, or algorithms that achieve this impact."