[Bloat] FCC issues notice regarding the "need for speed"

[Dave Taht]

Constructive comment from bufferbloat-ers would be good! There is a May 
26th deadline.

Extracted from:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-661A1.pdf

"This Public Notice seeks input on the particular types of “need for 
speed”3 information that are most useful to consumers assessing which 
broadband service to purchase"

And:

"According to the most recent available data, 66 percent of American 
households subscribe to
broadband Internet access services.5 Many consumers, however, lack 
information about their
connection’s performance and its ability to support different services 
and activities.6 Some broadband
providers advertise that their offerings support certain applications, 
but consumers lack standardized tools to determine which speeds and 
other features they need for a range of services.7 As noted in the 
National Broadband Plan, providing consumers with relevant information 
is a “proven method to promote meaningful competition and spur 
innovation, both of which will generate more and better consumer 
choices.”8 The lack of such information hampers consumers’ ability to 
compare services offered by and among broadband providers."

**AND**

Specifically, we seek information on the following:

1. What are the most important service characteristics that consumers 
need to consider to
determine their broadband performance requirements? Are there specific 
characteristics—
such as latency, jitter, and peak hour performance—that may be 
particularly important to
consumers using certain kinds of applications?