Detecting network neutrality violations through packet loss statistics

Abstract

Network Neutrality states that users should have equal access to all Internet content and that Internet Service Providers (ISP) should not unfairly block or degrade access to any site. The Network Neutrality controversy has been in the spotlight for several years due to political, economic, social, and technical implications. While proponents argue that enforcing Network Neutrality by law is important to preserve the openness of the Internet and boost innovation, the opponents counter this argument by stating that such rules provide disincentives for the ISPs to invest in their network. Among the various issues related to Network Neutrality, we focus on the issue of detecting whether or not an ISP is Network Neutral (or Content Provider neutral). We propose a methodology for monitoring ISPs to ensure compliance. We monitor the packet loss statistics and determine if the rate adaptation in case of streaming media is being influenced by throttling at the ISP, and support our proposal through simulations.