What is Bandwidth Throttling?

Bandwidth throttling is the intentional slowing down of internet speed by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or network administrator to regulate and control the amount of data a user or application can transmit and receive within a specific time frame.

Dissecting Bandwidth Throttling

Bandwidth throttling traces its origins to the late 1990s and early 2000s when the internet began experiencing rapid growth, and ISPs were faced with increasing demands on their networks. As the number of internet users and the consumption of online resources surged, network congestion became a prevalent issue. To address this problem and ensure efficient management of their limited network resources, ISPs began implementing bandwidth throttling techniques.

The term "bandwidth throttling" is derived from the mechanical concept of a throttle, which is used to regulate the flow of a fluid or the power transmitted by an engine. In the context of the internet, bandwidth throttling refers to the process of regulating the flow of data by limiting the rate at which it can be transmitted or received. As ISPs started employing these techniques to control bandwidth usage, the term "bandwidth throttling" was coined to describe this practice.

How it Works

Bandwidth throttling works through a series of steps carried out by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or network administrators to intentionally limit the data transfer rate for specific users, applications, or protocols. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Identification of User/Application/Protocol: The first step involves monitoring network traffic and identifying users, applications, or protocols that consume a significant amount of bandwidth or are deemed non-essential. This identification can be based on data usage patterns or the type of application or protocol involved.
2. Setting the Throttle: Once a user, application, or protocol has been identified for throttling, a limit is set on their data transfer rate. This limit is predetermined and can vary depending on the specific requirements of the ISP or network administrator.
3. Implementation of the Throttle: With the limit set, the throttling mechanism is activated, effectively slowing down the internet speed for the targeted user, application, or protocol. This is achieved by controlling the flow of data packets to and from the user or application in question.
4. Monitoring Throttling: ISPs and network administrators continuously monitor the throttled connections to ensure the desired level of control is maintained. Adjustments can be made to the throttling limits as needed to maintain optimal network performance and resource allocation.

Methods of Bandwidth Throttling

There are several methods of bandwidth throttling employed by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and network administrators to control the data transfer rate.

Protocol-Based Throttling

This method involves identifying specific network protocols and limiting their data transfer rates. Examples of protocols used for throttling:

• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): DPI lets ISPs examine data packets to identify the protocol or application used. They can then throttle specific apps or protocols as needed.
• Quality of Service (QoS): QoS prioritizes different types of internet traffic, ensuring important services get enough bandwidth. ISPs assign priority levels to control bandwidth allocation.
• Traffic Shaping: Delays or prioritizes data packets to manage network traffic flow. It helps ISPs regulate bandwidth usage for specific apps or protocols, providing a smoother internet experience.
• Bandwidth Caps: ISPs set limits on how much data a user can transfer within a specific time. If users reach their cap, ISPs may throttle their speeds to manage network resources.
• Protocol Throttling: Limits the data transfer rates of specific network protocols to manage bandwidth usage. The protocols that are targeted for throttling vary based on the needs and policies of the ISP or network administrator, such as TCP/IP or FTP traffic.
• Port Throttling: Involves limiting the data transfer rate for specific network ports linked to bandwidth-intensive apps or protocols.
• Time-Based Throttling: ISPs enforce throttling during specific times, such as peak hours, to reduce network congestion and ensure fair bandwidth distribution.
• Content-Based Throttling: ISPs analyze data packets' content to identify specific data types, like video or audio streams, and throttle the bandwidth allocated to those types, effectively managing bandwidth usage.

Application-Based Throttling

ISPs or network administrators target specific applications, limiting their bandwidth usage. Examples of applications that can be throttled:

• P2P File Sharing: Apps like BitTorrent let users share files directly without a central server. They use a lot of bandwidth, which means ISPs may throttle their speeds to manage resources.
• Video Streaming: Services like Netflix and YouTube consume considerable bandwidth. ISPs might throttle their speeds to avoid network congestion.
• Online Gaming: Games like Fortnite need stable connections. ISPs may throttle bandwidth during peak hours to prioritize other services and maintain network performance.
• VoIP: Services like Skype allow internet calls. Though they use less bandwidth than video streaming or P2P, ISPs may still throttle them during high-traffic periods to allocate bandwidth elsewhere.
• VPNs: VPNs create secure connections to remote networks. ISPs throttle VPN traffic to discourage using them for bandwidth-intensive activities like P2P file sharing or video streaming.
• Large File Downloads: Downloading large files consumes a lot of bandwidth. ISPs may throttle download speeds to manage resources and prevent congestion.

User-Based Throttling

This method involves limiting the bandwidth of specific users based on their internet usage. Throttling by user includes:

• Data usage limits: ISPs set monthly data limits. When users reach their cap, their speed is throttled until the next billing cycle. This helps manage network resources and encourages users to monitor consumption.
• Plan restrictions: ISPs offer plans with different speeds and data allowances. Lower-tier plan users may face throttling sooner or more often, encouraging plan upgrades for better bandwidth allocation.
• Multiple connections: ISPs may throttle users with multiple devices or connections using significant bandwidth, ensuring fair network access for others.
• Suspicious activity: Users violating ISP terms, like illegal file sharing or hacking, may face throttling. This maintains network integrity and protects other users.
• Repeat offenders: ISPs monitor users who frequently exceed data caps or engage in bandwidth-intensive activities. These users may face increased throttling to deter excessive usage and encourage compliance with policies.

Reasons for Bandwidth Throttling

By limiting bandwidth for specific applications or users, ISPs and organizations can ensure fair distribution of resources and prevent instances of abuse or excessive consumption by a few users. Throttling is used for several reasons, including:

• Network Congestion: Throttling is used to address network congestion, guaranteeing a stable internet experience for all users. By limiting bandwidth for specific applications or users, ISPs can balance the load and prevent bottlenecks that slow down the network for everyone.
• Network Management: ISPs and network administrators employ throttling as a tool to manage network resources effectively. By monitoring usage patterns and allocating bandwidth accordingly, they can ensure fair distribution of resources and prevent instances of abuse or excessive consumption by a few users, which could negatively impact the overall network performance.
• Cost Control: Throttling serves as a cost-control measure for ISPs and organizations. By managing bandwidth consumption, they can avoid unnecessary infrastructure upgrades or additional expenses associated with providing higher bandwidth. This helps keep operating costs in check, while still providing a satisfactory level of service to users, prioritizing critical applications, and ensuring the network functions efficiently.