Internet Traffic Management Practices (ITMP)
Bell is continually investing in our wireless networks and spectrum to provide our customers with the best experience and meet their growing demands and evolving communications needs. To enhance the overall performance of our networks for all customers, in certain circumstances we may optimize the use of network resources through network slicing, prioritization, and defining and managing attributes such as speeds and latency. Some of these Internet traffic management practices (ITMP) are described below.
Video Optimization
What is Video Optimization?
Video Optimization is a technology used by wireless carriers in Canada and around the world to manage the amount of bandwidth consumed by streaming video.
What traffic and customers does Video Optimization apply to?
Our Video Optimization technology may apply to any adaptive streaming video that is accessed on your Bell Mobility smartphone over a wireless network. Video Optimization does not apply to video on your device, videos you download, or video you stream when connected to a Wi-Fi network.
What is the impact of Video Optimization?
Video Optimization adjusts your connection to adaptive streaming video in order to limit the maximum resolution at which it is delivered. Due to the screen size of smartphones, the difference in resolution will be imperceptible or immaterial to you. When Video Optimization is applied, you use less data, which can allow you to use more of the data allotment in your plan for other activities. Video Optimization can also reduce congestion on our network, which benefits all customers.
Mobile Broadband for First Responders
What is Mobile Broadband for First Responders?
Mobile Broadband for First Responders (MBFR) addresses the needs of emergency first responders, public safety officials and critical infrastructure personnel using our LTE network. MBFR provides these customers with priority access to the LTE network during rare periods where demand for LTE network resources exceeds expected peak capacity (MBFR Events).
When might MBFR Events occur?
MBFR Events are rare. Some examples include natural disasters, threats to public safety or widespread power outages. They occur when demand for LTE network resources exceeds expected peak capacity. This could be a result of demand exceeding engineered thresholds for (i) the actual physical network resources of the cell site and/or (ii) the processing capacity at one or more cell sites.
What are the MBFR impacts?
During a MBFR Event, non-MBFR users may experience negligibly slower speeds and slightly delayed response times when using certain data services, such as browsing and watching videos. In rare cases, data services and/or voice calls may need to be re-initiated. 9-1-1 service is never affected.
Mobile Internet plans
Will Internet traffic from Turbo Hubs, Turbo Sticks and MiFi be managed during COVID-19?
Yes. From time to time, we may need to manage network traffic to maximize equitable access for all our customers, including those who subscribe to one of our Mobile Internet services. One way this may be done is to reduce the speed available to individual customers once their data usage exceeds the amount they have subscribed for, as well as any additional data usage Bell has provided free of charge during this situation. Speeds will be reduced to a maximum of 2 megabits per second (Mbps) for the duration of their current billing cycle. Additional usage charges continue to apply.
To what type of traffic does this ITMP apply?
This applies only to Mobile Internet plan traffic. If implemented, it will impact any and all usage by the affected Mobile Internet customers that exceeds the specified amount of data in their Mobile Internet plans until their next billing cycle.
Which customers are impacted?
All Bell customers who subscribe to a Mobile Internet plan may have their data speeds reduced once they have exceeded the monthly data allotted in their Mobile Internet plan.
What is the impact on data speeds?
Data speeds are reduced from the maximum speed available on the network to speeds of up to 2 Mbps, suitable for light web browsing, email, messaging apps and some video. Applications that require higher speeds (such as higher quality videos) will be affected by the data speed reduction.
Unlimited Data plans
How do Bell Unlimited Data plans work?
Our Unlimited Data plans allow customers to use a specified amount of data (with plans starting at 10 GB) at the maximum data speeds available on our network. Once the allotted maximum amount of data is used within a billing cycle, customers can continue to use data at speeds reduced to a maximum of 512 kilobits per second (Kbps) without incurring data overage charges. The reduced speed will last until the end of the billing cycle, following which the customer will once again have access to maximum data speeds.
Which customers are impacted?All Bell customers who subscribe to Bell Unlimited Data plans will have their data speeds reduced once they have used the monthly data allotted for access at maximum speeds.
What is the impact on data speeds?
Data speeds are reduced from the maximum speed available on our network to speeds of up to 512 Kbps, suitable for light web browsing, email and messaging. Applications that require higher speeds (such as video streaming) will be affected by the data speed reduction.
Roaming – data speeds
How are roaming customers impacted by reduced speeds?For Bell Mobility customers who are travelling outside of Canada and roaming on another carrier’s network, data speeds and signal strength may vary due to factors including: the roaming partner’s network technology, traffic, topography, environmental conditions, network management and other factors. Bell may also manage data speeds from time to time on a temporary basis in order to reduce the volume of Bell’s data traffic on the roaming partner’s network. Customers can check our Travel page to see whether Bell is temporarily managing data speeds for their travel destination.
How are Roam Better - with home data customers impacted by reduced data speeds above 5 GB?In addition to the above-mentioned measures that may be taken on a temporary basis, Bell Mobility customers who subscribe to the Roam Better - with home data feature will have their data speeds reduced once they have reached 5 GB of data usage per day when roaming in a Roam Better destination. Data speeds reset at 12:00 a.m. (ET) daily.
What is the impact on data speeds when roaming?
When speed management is in effect, data speeds are reduced to speeds of up to 512 kilobits per second (Kbps). Roaming users should still be able to access email, light web browsing and messaging. Applications that require higher speeds (such as video streaming) may be affected by the data speed reduction.
What if I have a Bell Mobility plan with unlimited data?
Your data usage while roaming will not count towards your maximum speed allotment within Canada, or within the U.S./Mexico for customers with plans that include unlimited data in those countries. Roaming pay-per-use rates and Roam Better - with home data fees (and its reduced speeds after 5 GB per day) will not apply to customers with Canada/U.S. or Canada/U.S./Mexico plans when in those countries.
What is the Internet Traffic Management Practice (ITMP) for Wireless Home Internet and when will it occur?
Wireless Home Internet customers who subscribe to an unlimited usage package will not be impacted by the ITMP until they exhaust the maximum-speed usage in their plan. Once customers use up their maximum-speed usage allotment for the month, download and upload speeds will be reduced by 60% until the start of the next billing period. No additional usage fees apply.
For example:
- Customers on Wireless Home Internet 25 who use up the 350 GB maximum-speed usage in their plan will see speeds reduce from 25 Mbps download/5 Mbps upload to 10 Mbps download/2 Mbps upload for the rest of the billing period.
Why are we implementing this ITMP?
Traffic management is necessary to deliver a consistent and reliable online experience for all users, and to preserve network integrity.
Who is impacted by the Wireless Home Internet ITMP?
Wireless Home Internet customers who subscribe to a plan that includes a limited amount of usage are not subject to this ITMP. This ITMP only applies to customers who subscribe to a Wireless Home Internet unlimited package with no extra usage fees.
What type of traffic is subject to the ITMP?
For customers subscribed to a Wireless Home Internet unlimited package with no extra usage fees, all Internet traffic is subject to this ITMP. Upload and download activity both contribute to the total amount of usage.
How will this ITMP impact my experience?
When Wireless Home Internet unlimited customers are impacted by this ITMP and their Internet speed is reduced, it will take longer to download files, and they may experience reduced video quality while streaming with multiple active users on the home network.
Will I be charged for any usage above the maximum-speed usage threshold?
No, customers subscribed to a Wireless Home Internet unlimited package who exceed their maximum-speed usage during a billing period will not incur overage fees.
ITMP for wireline Internet
There are currently no active Internet Traffic Management Practices (ITMP) that slow down Internet traffic on Bell retail wireline Internet services. Bell has a long history of building state-of-the-art networks where investment in network capacity, tools and engineering resources help to manage network capacity and congestion.
Most of the network facilities that make up the Internet are shared by many users at the same time. This is also true for the network facilities we use for our Internet Services. While we are constantly investing in our network in order to ensure a high-quality Internet service, significant increases in traffic demand may occasionally result in congestion on our shared networks.
We have designed our Internet quality management system to minimize the impact for most users during congestion periods. This system identifies types of Internet traffic that are more sensitive to congestion and delays and prioritizes that traffic when necessary. Internet traffic is identified and, if necessary, prioritized based on four groups:
- The highest priority is given to applications that are very time-sensitive, such as gaming and VoIP;
- The second and third priority groups consist of traffic that is also sensitive to congestion, such as web browsing, social networking and video streaming.
- The fourth group includes applications that are traditionally less popular with our customer base as a whole.
Normally no prioritization of traffic occurs as network capacity is more than sufficient to handle the traffic volume. However, if we experience periods of congestion, delivery of more time-sensitive traffic will be prioritized to ensure an overall high-quality internet experience for the most users possible. During congestion periods, you should see no change in the quality of your Internet experience when using time-sensitive Internet applications. You may notice a decrease in download/upload speeds if you are using non-time-sensitive applications until the temporary network congestion has passed.
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