We live in a cyber world where online risks are constantly on the rise, and we must be aware of them so that we can effectively be safe from them. These risks include hacking, phishing, internet throttling and many others. In this article, we will discuss internet throttling in detail and give you guidelines on how to prevent it.

 

Defining ISP Internet Throttling 

ISP Internet Throttling refers to when your Internet Service Provider intentionally restricts your connection’s bandwidth leading to significantly reduced upload or download speed. Your ISP may do this to control or regulate network traffic so that it is less congested and equally distributed for all users to access.

Some ISPs may throttle your connection so that you can be frustrated and upgrade your package. Although this is an unethical business practice, many ISPs still do it to maximize their profits.

 

How to Recognise if Your ISP Is Throttling Your Internet Connection

If you are experiencing a reduced internet connection speed, you may be a victim of ISP throttling. To test if your internet is being throttled, you can use the following guidelines:

1. Do the internet test speed. When uploading or downloading, your calculated speed must match the data plan you have with your ISP.
2. Run a port scanner test. Use certain ports on your device to check if there is any throttling.
3. Compare your internet connection speed with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Because a VPN hides your IP address and gives you the freedom to connect privately, your internet activities will be unknown to your ISP making it impossible for your ISP to throttle your connection based on your activities.

 

How to Make My Internet Faster?

If your internet is being throttled and you are frustrated about the slow internet speed, you can apply the following tips:

1. Try to reduce the number of devices connected and overall data usage and see if this helps your internet to be a bit faster.  
2. Try to find another ISP that will better serve your needs. Ensure that you check data caps in place so that you can get your money’s worth.
3. Get a trusted VPN as a solution to completely prevent throttling from your ISP.