[Discuss] Https - the solution to net neutrality and ISP monopolies

[blu at nedharvey.com (Edward Ned Harvey (blu))]

> From: discuss-bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org [mailto:discuss-
> bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Ronan
> 
> Slashdot discussion re: Verizon Fios customer's experience:
> "However, his Netflix video streams were limping along at just
> 375kbps (0.375mbps), equivalent to 0.5 percent of the speed he's
> paying for. On a hunch, he decided to connect to a VPN service,
> which in theory should actually make things slower since it's
> adding extra hops. Speeds didn't get slower, they got much
> faster."
> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/14/07/26/0324226/enraged-verizon-fios-
> customer-seemingly-demonstrates-netflix-throttling

Yup, but remember there are two possible explanations why:

1- There's a congested segment, and by using VPN, you're effectively routing around the congestion.  This is the present case today.

or

2- The ISP throttles the traffic.  While this is not the case today, it is possibly the case in the future.  This is the situation that encryption could potentially help solve.