Information about traffic management not enough, warns Consumer Panel chair
28 September 2010
Speaking today at the Westminster eForum debate on net neutrality and traffic management, Communications Consumer Panel Chair Anna Bradley will warn that providing information about net neutrality and traffic management is not enough to protect consumers.
“Providing consumers with information is often presented as the solution, but it is not enough” says Anna. “Information about traffic management is very complicated, even for the most tech savvy consumers.”
“Reliance on information also presumes that consumers can influence the market by making a decision to switch broadband package or provider on the basis of traffic management policies. However, there are barriers to switching that need to be overcome, including the lack of a joined-up process for switching bundles of services.”
Anna will call for information to be presented in a way that is meaningful and comparable. She will also urge industry to say what their traffic management policies will deliver, rather than just saying what their traffic management policies are.
“Promises about the types of services or applications that consumers will be able to use are much more empowering than overly-technical information about traffic management.”
Information about traffic management not enough (PDF 115KB, opens in a new window)