symmetric vs. asymmetric [was: Verizon Policy Statement on Net Neutrality]

Tue Mar 3 05:14:38 UTC 2015

In message <[email protected]>, "Chuck Church" writes:
> 	Since this has turned into a discussion on upload vs download
> speed, figured I'd throw in a point I haven't really brought up.  For the
> most part, uploading isn't really a time-sensitive activity to the
> general (as in 99% of the ) public.  Uploading a bunch of facebook
> photos, you hit upload, and then expect it to take x amount of time.
> Could be 30 seconds, could be 30 minutes.  Everyone expects that wait.
> Sending a large email attachment, you hit send, and then get back to
> doing something else.  There just aren't that many apps out there that
> have a dependence on time-sensitive upload performance.

Just tell that to your child that has to submit a assignment before
midnight or get zero on 20% of the year's marks.  There are plenty
of cases where uploads are time critical there are also time where
it really doesn't matter.

> 	 On download, of course no wants to see buffering on their cat
> videos or watching Netflix.  Thus the high speed download.  Honesty, I'm
> willing to bet that even a random sampling of NANOG people would show
> their download data quantity to be 10x what their upload quantity is in a
> day.  For average users, probably much more than 10x.  Why some folks are
> insisting upload is vital just can't be true for normal home users.

Once you get over a certain threshold more download speed doesn't
buy as much as more upload speed.  For movies you want the data
there before you need to display it.  It really doesn't matter if
it is 30 seconds before or 20 minutes before, you only consume the
data so fast.

> 	Those households trying to do 5 simultaneous Skype sessions
> aren't typical.

If the network supported it this would be typical of a household
with teenagers.  People adapt their usage to the constraints
presented.  That doesn't mean they are necessarially happy with the
constraints.  Don't take lack of complaints as indicating people
don't want things improved.

As speed increases the importance of more speed decreases.  We get
to the point where thing happen fast enough.  We also start to be
limited by things other than link speed.

Mark
-- 
Mark Andrews, ISC
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org