-UK internet providers sign best practice code.

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

14 March 2011 -- Leading UK Internet service providers (ISPs) have signed up to a best practice code, which will see them provide information to their customers about traffic management policies, the Financial Times reports.

The new code, devised by advisor Broadband Stakeholder Group, has been signed by broadband providers like BT (LON:BT.A), Virgin Media (NASDAQ:VMED), TalkTalk (LON:TALK) and British Sky Broadcasting (LON:BSY) and telecommunication companies like Vodafone (LON:VOD), O2 and 3. They hope that the code would guarantee that regulators would not enforce disclosure rules on the sector.

ISPs have argued that traffic management is needed, to avoid the overload of their networks as data demand grows and to secure access to basic Internet. However, as some providers have adopted a controversial practice of limiting broadband speeds for some users at peak hours, concerns have grown among net neutrality supporters. They have insisted that ISPs are paving the way towards a two-tier Internet.

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