But the dataset used to compare Internet throttling was collected between January 2009 and the end of March 2012. That’s just before Rogers Communications Inc. stated it would stop traffic management on its network. Bell Canada also stated its intent at the end of last year to stop throttling by March 2012. Telus has never used traffic shaping on its network.
The main offenders identified in the study are Rogers, which throttled 80 per cent of Bittorrent transfers, and Bell, which throttled 77 per cent. The analysis was done by Measurement Lab, a firm that offers a tool that allows Internet users to test and see if their connection is being throttled.
Traffic shaping has been a contentious issue in Canada and both Bell and Rogers have been warned about the practice by the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC does allow for throttling, so long as it does not interfere with real-time communications over the Internet.
Rogers previously estimated that half of its customers would not see any further traffic shaping by June of this year, and that would apply to all customers by the end of the year. Though it has defended the practice as legitimate, and says it could implement it again if needed.
Thanks to the Measurement Lab, Canadians who suspect they’re being throttled will now have an easy way to know.