Communications

Internet Access and Network Management Practices: The Public Remains Concerned and Wants Policies to Ensure Access

Problematic Network Management Practices: A national, random sample, public opinion survey conducted for the Consumer Federation of America in February 2011 found that three quarters of the respondents believe that the Internet is important to them. Large majorities of respondents have a negative view of network management practices interfere with their access to the web, applications and content. Respondents are between two and three times as likely to say network management practices, like including tiering, paid prioritization, degrading and blocking, are problematic than say they are not a bother. These findings are based on questions that were originally used in a national random sample poll in 2005 and the results for the 2011 survey are similar to the earlier, 2005 results.