To ensure you know what kind of wireless Internet package you get and what you pay for, it is necessary to know a providers’ shaping and throttling policies before signing a quote or contract. Ask about it and make sure to read the fine print. Sometimes when a quote looks to good to be true, it probably is. Here follows a brief explanation of how it works.
What is Shaping ?
Shaping is selectively reducing speed on what you do on the internet. This means the speed at which data is transferred from your devices to and from the internet is lowered. It is usually done by Internet service providers in the case of torrent (peer-to-peer) and illegal downloads. The reason for this is to lower the load on the providers’ network and act as a deterrent for illegal use. How to know if it is illegal – if it is paid for, no problem, but acquiring e.g. music, programs or movies for free that is otherwise paid for on the internet is illegal and shaping is applied.
What is Throttling ?
This is when an Internet service provider reduces the line-speed when a data limit is reached. This is usually done until the end of the current month or a period as set out in the terms and conditions. The specific data limit will be set out in the contract or quote provided by the service provider.
In conclusion, both shaping and throttling is the reduction of the line-speed, but shaping is in the case of the type of internet use and throttling is in the case of a data limit reached.
