Bandwidth limits are set by ISPs on wired and wireless connections, often based on monthly usage measured in GB. Throttling and additional charges may apply if limits are exceeded. The issue is contentious, with ISPs citing increased demand for content and online providers fearing limitations on access.
A bandwidth limit is a limit placed on the size and speed of data transfers by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Bandwidth limits can be placed on wired connections such as cable and digital (DSL) lines and on wireless cellular access. Restrictions placed on Internet use generally depend on the country or region where the customer is located. Countries with less broadband infrastructure generally allow for stricter limits on customer activity. Some ISPs that started out by providing unlimited bandwidth to customers later set restrictions.
A bandwidth limit is typically based on an Internet customer’s monthly usage and is usually measured in gigabytes (GB) of data. If you exceed your monthly bandwidth limit, you may be subject to additional charges or your connection may be limited for the remainder of the month. Throttling refers to the ISP’s practice of slowing down a connection for all or some types of data. Rates are usually based on how many GB of data the user has consumed that has exceeded their monthly allotment. In some cases, these can be quite high compared to the normal monthly cost of the Internet connection.
In the early days of the Internet, usage was usually limited by time rather than bandwidth. Users with dial-up connections were often restricted to a certain number of hours each month until customer complaints about these restrictions resulted in unlimited access in many areas. As ISPs upgraded to high-speed Internet services, they often advertised unlimited access for new users. As broadband penetration increased, content providers began offering services that consumed much more bandwidth than was possible with dial-up connections. In some areas, this has led to broadband customers transferring more data than expected, and ISPs have started imposing caps on their customers.
Bandwidth caps are a contentious issue with multiple stakeholders arguing for their own interests. ISPs have said that the increased demand for content such as high-definition video and the use of peer-to-peer network services are crushing their ability to provide a consistent connection to the end user, thus necessitating the implementing a bandwidth limit to improve the experience for the consumer. Some online content providers fear that their business models are being compromised by any limitations on the consumer’s ability to access their products and services. Other media industries support caps as a way to restrict peer-to-peer file sharing, which they believe facilitates copyright infringement of music, games and movies. Finally, consumer activists fear that access restrictions are being used as a means to increase profits for ISPs and could result in the elimination of some types of Internet services.
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