At the Internet Governance forum in Paris, ARCEP has presented a new mobile app to test ISPs’ traffic management techniques.
Background: Among European regulators, ARCEP has always been one of the most sensitive to net neutrality. Over the years, the regulator constantly monitored the issue; after the approval of the EU Regulation, it turned its statutory obligation to write an annual report into the opportunity to publish a comprehensive “state of the internet” report.
What’s new? The launch of an app brings ARCEP’s interventionism to the next level, as the regulator is now empowering end users with a direct and immediate way to test whether their provider is slowing down or blocking any traffic on certain services. The app runs tests simulating the use of a given service, and then replaces it with randomised bites to see any difference in treatment.
What’s next? There is no legal or regulatory implication in the tests run by the app. However, it is reasonable to expect that, if the app becomes popular, complaints related to Net Neutrality will multiply. ISPs will have to strive to be transparent.
