Hot interconnection links: a HOT topic

June 22nd, 2014 by kc

We’re seeing unprecedented interest in the debate around whose responsibility it is to upgrade the Internet to handle current and impending demand. The carriers have expressed their positions (Verizon, Comcast, AT&T), as have intermediate content providers (e.g., Cogent, Level3), and large content providers such as Netflix. And while Netflix defends its version of transparency, there is clearly room for improvement (Each side emphasizing the need for more transparency from the other side).

A few more timely and related developments this week:

  1. The FCC finally begins to pursue more transparency.
  2. Independent industry group BITAG is undertaking its own effort to improve transparency about how Internet interconnection works.
  3. This past week the MIT CSAIL Information Policy Project and the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee hosted a briefing introducing our (CAIDA/MIT) research developing methods to detect interdomain congestion at specific location (presented two weeks ago to BITAG). (Audio available here (almost 2 hours).) Plenty of press reports followed.

Stay tuned, much more to say here.

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