RE: Network Information API: Mozilla's proposal

Mounir wrote:
> To stay correct, the API can say that the returned value should be specific to
> the subdomain.

That would be a necessary adjustment, yes.

> Might be hard/annoying to implement though.

*shrug*, since I've more or less claimed that for bandwidth calculations a web page can figure it out using [3]....

> Too bad, that would have been very interesting.

Yes, I'd love to get one, but I'm not holding my breath. If I do find it, I will definitely post a link to it here....

> > For bandwidth, I believe the right API is one which provides feedback
> > on actual network requests. I think that Progress Events [3] enable this
> already. There's also the WebPerf WG [4] which has a number of documents,
> which may address this, such as resource timing [5].
> >
>  > [3] http://www.w3.org/TR/progress-events/

>  > [4] http://www.w3.org/2010/webperf/

>  > [5] http://www.w3.org/TR/2011/WD-resource-timing-20110524/

> 
> I'm not sure I got what you meant. Do you think websites should use [3] or [5]
> to know about the bandwidth?

The former is simpler and I believe one can construct what one needs based on it. I haven't investigated the latter, but it should provide similar information. I suspect for a UA that implements both, a site probably could use either to determine functional bandwidth for its server.

> > For metering, without information from the user's ISP in the form of an API
> > that is specific to the destination and the intended time window [6], any
> > answer we could provide is misleading and even harmful, just as you noted the
> > current API.
> 
> [6] isn't about metering but about bandwidth limitation (or I missed
> something). 

(I'll cover this below at "But what...")

> If some ISP do metering for ADSL/cable/fiber connections, it's
> very likely high enough to not bother informing websites.

Actually, most ADSL/cable connections around here do metering, including Rogers [2] of Canada, and AT&T [4].

> By metering, I mean a monthly bandwidth limit or a pay-per-use bandwidth, not
> a bandwidth speed limitation. That should be reflected by the bandwidth
> attribute.

Note that my first link [1] indicated an instance of a site whose bandwidth isn't counted against the meter even though there is a running meter.

But what I was referencing from [6] was:
>> Bell Canada: Yes, with a vengeance, but only P2P between 4:30pm and 2am

Which harkens back to the days of "weekends and minutes free" [5] for Long Distance plans (and later Cellular plans [7]).

FWIW, in Toronto (Canada) [8], we have variable (by time of day) rate power billing too:
>>    10.8 ¢/kWh Highest Price (On-peak)
>>    9.2 ¢/kWh Mid Price (Mid-peak)
>>    6.2 ¢/kWh Lowest Price (Off-peak)

TelstraClear in New Zealand actually had a free weekend [9], as did Snap [10].
 
A stranger one is Vodacom (Zaire) which allowed free data using Opera Mini for a couple of weekends [11] -- I believe this is actually a case of a specific destination being unmetered during a specific time window as I believe Opera Mini has an intermediary through which all data is funneled.

Then, there's MTS (India) which has a data add-on package which is only good on weekends [12]. I'm not sure what happens if you try to use data outside of the weekend, my guess is that you won't be happy when you check your prepaid balance.

FWIW, Add-on packages for PAYG (of which the MTS item is an example) are rather common outside the USA, I've used them in UK, IE, FR, and CA. As an example, you can read a little about O2 UK's "Bolt-ons" [13].

[1] http://www.facebook.com/blog.php?post=391295167130

[2] http://www.digitalhome.ca/2010/01/rogers-cable-to-hike-internet-overage-fees-by-100/

[3] http://www.w3.org/TR/progress-events/

[4] http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/13/atandt-will-cap-dsl-u-verse-internet-and-impose-overage-fees/

[5] http://oag.ca.gov/news/press_release?id=700

[6] http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/01/how-canadian-isps-throttle-the-internet.ars

[7] http://www.myrateplan.com/wireless/knowledge/nightsandweekends.php

[8] http://www.torontohydro.com/sites/electricsystem/residential/yourbilloverview/Pages/ElectricityRates.aspx

[9] http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=9478

[10] http://www.telecompaper.com/news/snaps-performance-almost-unchanged-over-free-data-weekend

[11] http://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/12028-Free-weekend-data-from-Vodacom-when-using-Opera-Mini.html

[12] http://www.emobilecharge.com/2011/04/mts-offering-50-extra-usage-10gb-data.html

[13] http://www.o2.co.uk/tariffs/payandgo#dataBoltOns



---------------------------------------------------------------------
This transmission (including any attachments) may contain confidential information, privileged material (including material protected by the solicitor-client or other applicable privileges), or constitute non-public information. Any use of this information by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately reply to the sender and delete this information from your system. Use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this transmission by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful.

Received on Tuesday, 3 January 2012 16:46:02 UTC