You Get What You Measure: Internet Performance Measurement as a Policy Tool

  • While broadband network speeds have improved substantially over the last decade, the web’s performance has stagnated from the end user point of view. 
  • The disconnect between broadband and web speeds suggests that the “virtuous circle” hypothesis created by the Federal Communication Commission to justify common carrier internet regulation is false.
  • A system for capturing passive measurements and sharing them among internet service providers, web developers, and other responsible parties may be useful for accelerating the web experience.
  • The flexible contract terms between content and communication platforms (forbidden by the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet Order) may mitigate platform inequalities.

You Get What You Measure: Internet Performance Measurement as a Policy Tool Report: Average Web Page Load Times Not Improving As Fast as Broadband Speeds (telecompetitor)