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Google Developing ISP Throttling Detector
Posted by Adam Pash at 4:30 AM on June 17, 2008
Google is developing a tool to detect whether your ISP is throttling your bandwidth, according to web site HotHardware. Can't wait for Google's tool? Check out previously mentioned BitTorrent throttle-detector Glasnost.
Tags: bittorrent | communicate | glasnost | isps
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Bartelby
Posted June 17, 2008 10:54 AM
This story is totally false. They are actually launching a tool to verify that ISPs are not inserting ads over top of ads presented in their search results.
spiderman1369
Posted 4:56 AM 17/6/08
Good let Google do that. Maybe all the ISPs will take notice and stop doing it.
I believe Comcast is doing the PR recovery dance right now by offering faster speeds with no price change???
It's good to keep everyone in check and honest.
Besides, Google has tons of extra cash to keep some programmers busy on misc software.
spiderman1369
Jeffro2pt0
Posted 4:45 AM 17/6/08
Why on earth is Google even stepping foot into this door? Do they really need to be creating tools like this?
Jeffro2pt0
harzack86
Posted 5:41 AM 17/6/08
This tool will be interesting to test up here in Canada, most ISP are throttling...
beside, I was never able to try the Glasnost too, as it always claims the server is too busy, so a test that work will be good :-)
harzack86
Tony Bullard
Posted 6:47 AM 17/6/08
Third with Glasnost. Tried every couple of days for a few weeks and just gave up.
Tony Bullard
ThirstyEar2
Posted 6:33 AM 17/6/08
@harzack86: Same here, the Glasnost site always says the servers are busy. What's up with that?
ThirstyEar2
Deadhacker
Posted 7:04 AM 17/6/08
It makes sense for Google to provide this tool: (1) Google depends on end-user access to provide click-for-pay ad revenue, so slow access means less income for Google; (2) Google's servers are always on; (3) Google's motto has been reported to be "do no evil;" ISPs who are advertising speeds that they then deliberately prevent customers from reaching are certainly doing evil, so it's reasonable for Google to expose the lies.
Deadhacker
Richard Cosgrove
Posted 8:09 AM 17/6/08
Glasnost's tests does work. You just need to keep trying it. Took me three weeks. They don't have much bandwidth and when the Digg or Lifehacker Effect kicks in, it gets eaten up pretty quickly.
Richard Cosgrove
WomanWithManyHats
Posted 12:35 PM 18/6/08
@Deadhacker: Exactly what I was thinking, especially #3.
WomanWithManyHats
daniel.j.doughty
Posted 12:28 PM 18/6/08
@Deadhacker: Actually, throttling wouldn't do anything to Google because they could afford to pay the ISPs to provide faster access to anyone who wanted it.
However, I do think that Google is considering that diversity promotes innovation. Innovations come out of neat little companies that Google can buy out once their idea hits big. Like Grandcentral and the Youtube acquisitions.
But you're on target with number 3. While most people online have been talking about net neutrality for a few years, Google has been developing these tools which will take the argument further. Once people at least know if they're being throttled the problem will become more real for everyone.
daniel.j.doughty