Understand what internet traffic management means for you
Just like public roads which experience peak hour congestion, the internet is becoming increasingly congested as more people are online, for longer, with higher bandwidth requirements.
At peak times, usually evenings, your internet speed may be slower due to an increase in traffic.
To ensure that networks operate efficiently, service providers often have a ‘fair usage’ policy that allows them to restrict or ration traffic on their networks, or give priority to traffic during peak periods. This is known as ‘traffic management’ or ‘traffic shaping’. The aim of internet traffic management is to limit delays and free up bandwidth.
Each service provider has its own traffic management policy. When choosing a provider check their policy meets your individual needs.
For example, an individual service provider may decide to prioritise audio and video services during peak times so it is less likely to be disrupted. To protect this service, they may slow down another type of traffic such as file sharing or downloading.
Review your usage patterns to determine which service provider is best for you.