NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] ISP User-Centric Questionaire of Network Neutrality Metrics
I took Phil's original 3 factors and added the input that was transmitted on the list. I then tried to convert these to more user-centric questions for users to report about their ISPs. Using these questionnaires, we can confirm and compile the data. 1. Latency. I want to know how network latency changes with independent variables such as packet size, packet rate, source, destination, transport protocol, application protocol, user data, etc. Several other metrics can be expressed entirely in terms of latency: "Packet loss rate" is just the fraction of packets with infinite latency. "Bandwidth limit" is the packet size * rate product above which latency rises to keep the delivered size * rate product constant. [comment (robb): Phil, I'm confused as to the intent of 1? Can you say more about this? Is this also covered by 2c below?] 2. Transparency. Does the carrier deliver my packets to and from their specified destinations exactly as they were sent, or are they intercepted and modified in some way? Transparent web proxying would be an example of non-transparent behavior. NAT would be another, although most NATs are under the customer's control and the ISP is to blame only for not making enough routeable IP addresses available. Port 25 blocking would be another example. [comment (robb): Changed above to make the Transparency bi-directional] 2a. Does the carrier, by default, use transparent proxying or caching? Disclosed or undisclosed? 2b. Does the carrier, by default, use NAT? Disclosed or undisclosed? 2c. Does the carrier automatically block, degrade, modify, or prioritize communications between certain internet addresses, ports, protocols, services, sites, or applications? Disclosed or undisclosed? 2d. Does the carrier automatically block, degrade, modify, or prioritize based on factors such as amount of use, recent bandwidth rate or consumption, number of attempted or established connections, and etcetera? Disclosed or undisclosed? [comment (robb): Added 2a - 2d above] 3. Packet spoofing. Does the network inject packets that appear to be, but are not from the party with whom I am speaking? (apologies to Lily Tomlin) Comcast's TCP reset injection would be an example here. [comment (robb): I think this is covered by 2c now, yes?] 4. Undocumented or vague limits or regulations on usage. For example, Comcast's and Verizon Wireless's invisible capping of their service. 4a. Is the company prone to administratively enforce unspecified or vague limits on the bandwidth that is consumed by a user? [comment (robb): Added 4a]