Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

COE 475 – Computer Networking

Department Electrical & Electronic Engineering

College of Engineering

Introduction to Computer network architecture & Net Neutrality

Today’s agenda
Course syllabus and schedule

What’s the Internet network?

Design philosophy of internet protocols

Internetworking in the internet

Net Neutrality
Team
▷ Course Lecturer
○ Charles M. Adrah, Ph.D.
■ Email: [email protected]
■ Phone: 0507179533
■ www.linkedin.com/in/charlesadrah
▷ Teaching Assistants
○ Perpetual Boahemaa, BSc.
■ Email: [email protected]
■ Phone: 0500677593

○ Emmanuel Adzitay, BSc.

■ Email: [email protected]
■ Phone: 0554157626
ORGANIZATION
Time slots & Credit hours – T(3) P(2) C(4)
▪ Lectures hours (T)
Tuesday: 8:00am – 10:00am, Room: NEB-SF
Tuesday: 18:00pm -19:00pm, Room: NEB-GF

▪ Exercises / Labs (P)

Thursday (15:00 – 17:00)
Room: VLSA

Issues:
▪ Propose Tuesdays: 7:30am – 10:30am
▪ Additional lab slots?
Teaching activities
• Presentation of lecture notes
• Physical (70%),
• Online synchronous (20%) and online asynchronous (10%)
• Exercises
• Team-based exercises
• Quizzes
• Individual readiness assurance tests (iRATs)

7
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND
HOW TO ACHIEVE THEM
Overview of Learning Outcomes
A. Knowledge:
• To get a profound understanding of the ideas and philosophy behind the
Internet architecture and addressing in the Internet.
• To get a profound understanding of the motivation, requirements,
functionalities, and limitations for important protocols and architectures for
intra-domain and inter-domain routing
• High level overview of established and future technologies,
▪ local area networks,
▪ error detection,
▪ Tunneling protocols, MPLS
▪ Content Delivery Networks, Information-centric networking
▪ Network programmability
• High level understanding of the required configuration parameters for end
systems to communicate across the internet
Overview of Learning Outcomes
B. Skills:
• To be able to communicate, reason, and think creatively about
the various mechanisms used in the Internet protocols.
• To be able to communicate, reason, and think creatively about
the architectures for intra-domain and inter-domain routing.
• To be able to communicate, reason, and think creatively about
various networking technologies used in the Internet.
• To be able to engineer small networks with hands-on
configuration through practical exercises
Course outline
Unit Topics
1 Introduction to Computer network architecture & Net Neutrality

2 Link layer
3 Network Layer
4 Interior Gateway Protocols
5 Exterior Gateway Protocols
6 Multiprotocol Label Switching
7 Content Delivery Networks
8 Software Defined Networks
9 Transport protocols
Date Module Topic
Intro to Course 0) Intro of the staff and the students --> Expectations and thoughts
14.01.25 1 Overview of Computer Networks and Internet Architecture 1) Organization of the course
2) Overview of Computer Networks and Internet Architecture

Understand principles behind link layer service

• Link layer addressing
21.01.25 2Link layer
• Local area networks: Ethernet, VLANs

3) About Forwarding Tables

Network Layer : Network device internals
28.01.25 3 4) Network device internals
Planning and Addressing (IPV4 and IPV6))
1) Exercise on addressing
04.02.25 4IGP (OSPF details + ISIS) 2) Intro to lab: GNS3, Cisco CLI, wireshark, ... (1115-1130)

1) topic exercises
11.02.25 5EGP part 1 2) Details on OSPF
3) Intro to RAT reading material (1145-1200)
1) Topic Exercises (1015-1100)
18.02.25 6EGP part 2 2) Advanced Topic on EGP
3) Intro to RAT reading material (1145-1200)
25.02.25 MIDSEM ()
1) tRAT + discussions on topic (1015- 1045)
04.03.25 7MPLS Basics and VPN/ Where to put VLANs? Where to put Tunnel? 2)Topic exercises(1115-1200)
3) Presentation on tunneling
11.03.25 8Content Delivery (Multicast/ CDNs and ICN)
18.03.25 9SDN/ Control plane / Data plane programmability
25.03.25 10Classification of transport protocols
01.04.25 11 Review of course content
08.04.25 12EXAMS STARTS
Sources and Syllabus
• J. F. Kurose and K. W. Ross. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 7th Edition
(2017)
• R. Malhotra. IP Routing: Help for Network Administrators, 2002.
• I. Beijnum. BGP: Building Reliable Networks with the Boarder Gateway Protocol, 2002
• Webpages, blog articles
• Chapters from textbooks
• Selected papers and articles from publications
• RFCs
Feedback and Assessment
• Readiness Assurance Tests (RATs) (5%)
• Provide incentives to study readings
• Provide fast feedback about level of preparedness
• Covers details of the concepts and technologies discussed
• Labs (15%)
• Practical experiences with the concepts discussed
• Team-based joint work
• Covers implementation details and design questions

• Mid-semester exams (10%)

▪ Provide feedback on semester half-way preparedness
▪ Cover details of the concepts studied in the first half of semester

▪ End of semester exams (70%)

▪ Cover details of all the concepts studied in the semester (LAB inclusive)
Groups
• Two kinds of Groups:
• Team-based exercises: Groups of 8-10 Students (Group A, B, C….)
• Labs: Groups of 5 Students (Group A1, A2, B1,…)
•
Survey to identify your preferences for group composing

•
Please do the survey now!
• Groups will be assigned by Wednesday 20 th January 2025!
Exercises
▪ Exercises are less guided that RATs/tRATs
▪ Get engaged in the exercise discussions
▪ Form an opinion of a possible solution (right or wrong doesn’t matter)
▪ Solution will be presented at the end of the discussion
▪ Use the discussions to prepare for exams

NB:
▪ Students should sit in teams during this session.
Labs
• Lab to develop practical experience with the concepts presented during the
lecture
• Network planning, addressing, routing (intra/inter domain)
• Lab will consist of 3 to 4 subtasks
• Additional supervision will be provided during lab sessions
• (Tentative) Schedule:
• Lab to be made available by 3rd February, group report delivered until March
15th
Communication and Grading
• Communication
• Lectures / Exercises / Labs (Physically)
• Email
• Phone
• Reference Group (!!)
Reference Group
• The course needs a student reference group
• >3 students to represent the other students in the course
• Bring questions, requests, problems from students to course admin
• Meet course management for 3 short online meetings during term
• Write a short (half page) report

• Please think about it and volunteer at end of lecture.

Ask me any question
menti.com :

https://www.menti.com/alh1w67ge344
Today’s agenda
Course syllabus and schedule

What’s the Internet network?

Design philosophy of internet protocols

Internetworking in the internet

Net Neutrality
 What is the Internet? A Service View ...

● A communication infrastructure which enables distributed applications

● Web, VoIP, email, games, e-commerce, file sharing, multi-media streaming

● How? … Through communication services

● Reliable data delivery from source to destination

● “Best effort” (unreliable) data delivery

22
Multimedia Streaming over the Internet is big

https://www.statista.com/chart/15692/distribution-of-global-downstream-traffic/

23
A Taxonomy for Internet Stakeholders

http://www.seserv.org/fise-
conversation/ataxonomyforfutur
einternetstakeholders

24
 Success of the Internet Design
● Worldwide infrastructure
● “Everything over IP”
● Adapted to a myriad of applications,
● From telnet, smtp (mail) and ftp,

to web, P2P, streaming and VoIP

● “IP everywhere”
● On a wide variety of underlying network technologies:
● Mobile, wireless, broadband, satellite, dial-up

● Erosion of trust
● Spam/viruses/worms/DoS (denial of service) attacks/...

25
 What’s the Internet? - a component view
PC
▪ Computing devices
Mobile network
▪ Hosts are end systems running Server
network applications Global ISP Laptop
▪ Communication links Smart
▪ fiber, copper, radio, satellite, subnet Home network
phone
▪ No IP-layer forwarding between two nodes
Regional ISP
▪ Subnet
▪ Addresses from same subnet prefix
assigned to interfaces Institutional network
wired
links
▪ Transmission rate = bandwidth
▪ Routers forward packets
▪ Packets are chunks of data router

26
 Fundamental structure of the Internet
▪ The goal is connectivity,
the tool is the Internet Protocol,
and the intelligence is end-to-end
rather than hidden in the network
[RFC1958]

▪ Non-integrated, layered architecture

▪ Horizontal layering
▪ Clear separation between data transport
and applications
▪ End-to-end transparency: “What goes in comes out”
▪ Packets could essentially flow unaltered throughout the network
▪ Source and destination addresses unique labels for the end systems
 Network of networks - IP service model
Application Application

Upper layer Upper layer

protocol protocol

IP IP IP

Link layer Link layer Link layer

▪ Connectionless: no signaling before ▪ Best effort: no guarantee on

send packets to destination ordering, delivery, duplication
address
▪ Variable sized packets
 Internet structure: network of networks
❖ End systems connect to Internet via access
ISPs (Internet Service Providers)
▪ Residential, company and university
ISPs
❖ Access ISPs in turn must be
interconnected.
❖ So that any two hosts can send packets
to each other
❖ Resulting network of networks is very
complex
❖ Evolution was driven by economics and
national policies

www.knust.edu.gh
www.knust.edu.gh
 Internet Structure - Network of Networks
▪ “Tier-1” ISPs
▪ International coverage
▪ Treat each other as
equals (“default free zone”)

▪ “Tier-2” ISPs
▪ Smaller (often regional) ISPs

▪ “Tier-3” ISPs and local ISPs,

▪ Last hop “access” network

ISPs connect in Points of Presence (PoP) at Internet eXchange Points (IXP) or

peer-to-peer

30
Today’s agenda
Course syllabus and schedule

What’s the Internet network?

Design philosophy of internet protocols

Internetworking in the internet

Net Neutrality
Top level goal was effective interconnection
▪ An effective technique for
multiplexed utilization of
existing interconnected networks
▪ using packet switching
as a fundamental component for
multiplexing
▪ interconnected by a layer of
Internet packet switches called
gateways (= routers)
▪ store-and-forward forwarding of http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/internet_history_70s.shtml

variable length packets

This network of networks developed into the
information highway cyberspace; The Internet
Internet architecture – second level goals

The original requirements – in order of importance

1. Survivability - communication continues despite loss of networks or
routers
2. Types of service - must support multiple types of communications
service
3. Varieties of networks - architecture must accommodate a wide variety
of network technologies
4. Distributed management – of resources in the architecture
5. Cost effective architecture
6. Must permit host attachment with a low level of effort
7. Resources used in the Internet must be accountable
 Internet architecture – second level goals

1. Survivability - communication continues despite loss of

networks or gateways
▪ The entities communicating should be able to continue without having to
reestablish or reset the high level state of their conversation
▪ Fate-sharing
▪ State stored in the host at the communication endpoints
▪ Acceptable to loose the state information associated with the entity if,
at the same time, the entity itself is lost
Internet architecture – second level goals

2. Types of service - must support multiple types of communications

service
▪ Different services have different requirements regarding
speed (bandwidth), latency, and reliability ”Everything
over IP”
▪ Traditional service type: bi-directional reliable
delivery of data (TCP)
▪ TCP did not cover any needed type of service
▪ Mechanism to support reliable delivery source,

▪ UDP for a basic datagram service

▪ May be given priority in the network
Internet architecture – second level goals

3. Varieties of networks - architecture must

accommodate a wide variety of network technologies
”IP
▪ No expectations on underlying networks regarding everywhere”
sequence delivery, broadcast/multicast, priority ranking,
multiple types of service, and internal knowledge of
failures,
bandwidth or delay

▪ The internet architecture created an efficient technology

for interconnection of existing networks

TinCanPhone
3. Varieties of networks
Protocols in the internet

Source: Teleware
 Internet vs OSI architecture
End system End system
FTP SMTP HTTP NV RTP
P
Application Application Application
Presentation Presentation
TCP
Session Session Transport UDP
Intermediate system
Transport Transport
Network Network
Nettve Network
Nettve Network Internet IP
Link Link rkLink Link rkLink Link
Physical Physical Network
interface NET1 NET2 NETn

• Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) • Internet architecture bodies

reference model • ISOC (Internet Society)
• International Standards Organization • IAB (Internet Architecture Board)
• International Telecommunications Union • IRTF (Internet Research Task Force)
• “X dot” series: X.25, X.400, X.500 • Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Internet architecture – second level goals

The original requirements – in order of importance

4. Distributed management – of resources in the architecture: The networks of the internet are managed
by different organizations and ISPs

5. Cost effective architecture : Protocol header overhead may be an issue, Retransmission of lost packets,
Protocols do not run as separate processes but as part of OS kernel

6. Must permit host attachment with a low level of effort: Attaching a host requires both a network
interface and a software driver, Built-in high-speed network card today default, Plug-and-play
installation reduces effort

7. Resources used in the Internet must be accountable: tools for accounting packet flows, Business models
(Flat fee and as much you can eat – bulk pricing model based on bandwidth, Volume, Minutes)
Today’s agenda
Course syllabus and schedule

What’s the Internet network?

Design philosophy of internet protocols

Internetworking in the internet

Net Neutrality
Network of networks

Network characteristics depend on where in the network

topology Traffic properties
- High bandwidth
◆

- Many flows
Access - Low inter-packet dependency

Core/
Backbone
Region/
Distribution
Access

◆ Heterogeneous network technologies

Access
◆ Fewer flows

◆ Any ”intelligence” put as middle boxes

at the network edge

- Firewalls
- Network address translation
- Proxies
- Quality of service
The Domain Name System translates an Internet name to an
IP address
▪ Naming by DNS (Domain Name System) is hierarchical
▪ Top Level Domains (TLD) .com, .org, .net, .edu, .mil, .name, .pro, .info,
.aero, .coop, .museum,
.asia, .cat, .jobs, .mobi, .tel and .travel
▪ Country code (cc) TLD
▪ http://ftp.isc.org/www/survey/reports/current/bynum.txt Name Application
resolution
Socket
▪ DNS translates internet Transport

IP
(local)

names to IP addresses Address

IP address

▪ www.knust.edu.gh = 129.122.16.228 resolution

MAC
address

(from what to where)

URL’s are part of HTTP, and not part of

Internet addressing architecture
Internet address architecture

IP address names the current topological location

▪ From the network point of view the IP address has a locator role
▪ From an application point of view, an IP address identifies a host, the identifier role
▪ One address per interface
▪ Address hierarchy: (network, host), net = location, host=identity
▪ To extend the life time of the IP address space
internal addresses for private nets:
▪ 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 7 24

▪ 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 Class A 0 Network Host machine \8 1. – 126.

14 16
▪ 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 Class B 1 0 Network Host \16 128.-191.
▪ Point notation 21 8
Class C 1 1 0 Network Host \24 192.-223.
▪ 127.xx.yy.zz is
“loopback”-address Class D 1 1 1 0 Multikast group address 224.-239.
▪ Only “1”-s in the host
part indicates broadcast address Class E experimental use
▪ Only “0”-s in the host part
indicates a network

Class based addresses had a scaling problem

IP addressing

CIDR (Classless Inter Domain Routing) - Subnet portion of

address of arbitrary length
▪ Two scaling problems - address space and forwarding/routing table size
▪ Address format: a.b.c.d/x, where x is # bits in subnet portion of address

Organization 0 11001000 00010111 00010000 00000000 200.23.16.0/24

Organization 1 11001000 00010111 00010010 00000000 200.23.18.0/24
Organization 2 11001000 00010111 00010100 00000000 200.23.20.0/24
... ….. …. ….
Organization 15 11001000 00010111 00011111 00000000 200.23.30.0/24

11001000 00010111 00010000 00000000 200.23.16.0/20

subnet part host part

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) converts logical IP
addresses to physical MAC addresses
▪ ARP -
Address Resolution Protocol 137.196.7.78

▪ ARP table binds the IP address and 1A-2F-BB-76-09-AD

physical address 137.196.7.23
137.196.7.14
▪ Table content are “cached” for better A
efficiency LAN
▪ Questions are broadcasted if the IP 71-65-F7-2B-08-53
58-23-D7-FA-20-B0
address is not in the table
0C-C4-11-6F-E3-98
▪ The destination answers with its 137.196.7.88
physical address B

▪ Table contents are deleted

if not refreshed
Routers build the routing tables and forward packets
▪ Routing: building and
maintaining the routing table
▪ Connectionless services - per
packet
▪ Routing protocols build the
routing tables: Router control
plane
▪ <dst, hop count, next hop>

▪ Forwarding is in the data path

▪ Packet processing
▪ In-out on physical line cards
Organization of the Internet – autonomous systems and
hierarchical routing
▪ An autonomous system (AS): a domain
(collection of IP networks and routers) under
the control of one entity (or sometimes
more) that presents a common routing policy
to the Internet
▪ Hierarchical routing
▪ Intra-domain (interior) routing: within an AS
▪ Inter-domain (exterior) routing: between AS
▪ Reduces the routing information to be kept within
an AS
▪ Uses ”standard router” (default router) towards
other AS’s
▪ Simple for all to know which route to be applied
towards the external

The interconnection of autonomous routing domains allow for

packets to be sent anywhere
 “Traditional Networking”

Access Core Access

User Service
Network Network Network

49
 Evolution of Networking

SDN SDN Cloud

Control Control Hypervisor
Orchestration
vSwitc
h SDN
Control

Hypervisor
Hypervisor vSwi
tch
vSwitc
h

Access Core Access

User Service
Network Network Network

50
Internet architecture – in short
▪ Connectionless packet-forwarding infrastructure
▪ Best effort, no guarantees
▪ IP features
▪ (Global unique) addresses
FTP SMTP HTTP NV RTP
▪ Interconnection of heterogeneous networks
▪ Fragmentation and reassembly TCP UDP
▪ Multiplexing
▪ Source and destination address IP, IP
unique labels for the end system
▪ Used in checksums, cryptographic signatures, license servers NET1 NET2 NETn
▪ Always configured with ICMP (Internet control message protocol ) and
ARP (address resolution protocol) on broadcast networks
▪ Hierarchical routing
▪ Interdomain vs. intradomain
▪ Dumb network with intelligence at the edge
▪ End-to-end service in the transport layer
and above
 … but the hour glass is putting on weight
▪ and violates the original end-to-end architecture
▪ Private addresses and dynamic address allocation
▪ Network address translation (NAT)
▪ Firewalls and IP security (IPSEC)
▪ Application level gateways, relays, proxies, caches
▪ Virtual private networks
▪ Quality of service
▪ Mobile IP
▪ Label switching
▪ Load sharing
Today’s agenda
Course syllabus and schedule

What’s the Internet network?

Design philosophy of internet protocols

Internetworking in the internet

Net Neutrality
 Internet Stakeholders
Quotes from «Tussle in Cyberspace: Defining Tomorrow’s
Internet»
Different stakeholders that are part of the Internet milieu
have interests that may be adverse to each other, and these
parties each vie to favor their particular interests.
The word “tussle” is used to describe the ongoing
contention among parties with conflicting interests.
There is no “final outcome” of these interactions, no stable
point, and no acquiescence to a static architectural model.
Today, the Internet is more and more defined by these
tussles.“
David Clark, MIT, 2002

54
The commercial networks foster the debate about net neutrality
▪ Network neutrality is the principle that all Internet Save the Internet: Senate Recess

traffic should be treated equally

▪ Network neutrality is best defined as a network
design principle. The idea is that a maximally useful
public information network aspires to treat all
content, sites, and platforms equally
▪ Neutral Internet must forward packets on a first-
come, first served basis, without regard for quality-
of-service considerations
▪ Strict: “Net neutrality prohibits Internet service
providers from speeding up, slowing down or
blocking Internet traffic based on its source,
ownership or destination.”
Network Neutrality Stakeholders
• Users
• Regulators
• Governments
• Interest Groups
• ISP’s (Network Operators)
• Content and Application
Providers

Peering and transit markets

Stakeholders case for and against net neutrality
For net neutrality Against net neutrality
• Preserving fair competition and Permitting ISPs to impose fees for premium services
encouraging innovation on the internet could encourage capital expenditures for
– beneficial to startups infrastructure and innovation
Net neutrality is a needless regulation that could
• Protect consumer rights inhibit free competition and result in inefficiency

Due to the rapid growth of internet usage, ISPs

• Net neutrality preserves the idea of free require flexibility to properly manage network
speech traffic
Contend that differentiated pricing can result in a
• Fair competition for customers based on more effective use of resources, which will
quality and innovation rather than their ultimately benefit customers who demand more
financial weight performance
 Network Neutrality - The US Story (short version)
Net neutrality generally falls along political party lines

2005 - FCC (Federal Communications Commission) adopted 2017 : FCC reclassifying Internet services as a Title
policies to favor NN stated. I information service and loosing any FCC
FCC announced additional principles to be added regulations on these services
non-discrimination & transparency (2009), Non-blocking October 2019 - The courts ruled that while the
(2011) FCC has the right to reclassify Internet service as
Title I, they cannot prevent states or local
FCC setback in Jan 2014 governments from enforcing stricter regulations.
Verizon challenged FCC authority to enforce NN in US
The court ruled in favour of Verizon May 2024 FCC would reinstate net neutrality
voting 3-2 in favor of reclassifying broadband as a
FCC subsequently issued the 2015 Open Internet Order, public utility
which classified Internet service providers as Title II
common carriers, and thus allowing them to issue net
neutrality principles
Network Neutrality - The European Story - I
Directive 2002/21/EC
Directive requires national regulatory authorities to
EU telecoms rules in 2016 (Digital Single Market
promote the interests of the citizens of the European
Strategy)
Union by promoting the ability of end-users to access
sets the basic framework for ensuring net neutrality
and distribute information or run applications and
services of their choice across the entire EU
The regulation's text has been criticized as offering
Directive 2009/140/EC
loopholes that can undermine the regulation's
Net neutrality as a policy objective and regulatory
effectiveness
principle to be promoted by national regulatory
• Defined the term «specialized services» in NN
authorities, alongside the strengthening of related
context in 2011
transparency requirements, and the creation of
• The term «specialized services» is used EU
safeguard powers for national regulatory authorities to
Regulation 2015/2120.
prevent the degradation of services and the hindering
or slowing down of traffic over public networks.
Network Neutrality
Definition of Specialised Services
▪ BEREC 2011
▪ Specialized services are electronic communications services that are provided
and operated within closed electronic communications networks using the
Internet Protocol. These networks rely on strict admission control and they are
often optimized for specific applications based on extensive use of traffic
management in order to ensure adequate service characteristics.
▪ The recently passed EC regulation proposal states that specialized
services are exempted from net neutrality considerations
▪ Did the ISP’s get their “loophole” ?
▪ What does “strict admission control” imply ?
▪ What does “closed network” mean ?
Network Neutrality
So what about Specialised Services ?
Assume zero Available capacity
congestion and in ISP network parts
loss in these
network parts. Scenario:
All CAP services sharing
the same resources Content and
Application
Providers
ISP
CAP
Partner
CAP
Others
User CAP
Access Core Peering
Network Neutrality
So what about Specialised Services ?
Scenario:
ISP’s own services can
use additional access
bandwith (e.g. IPTV)
Content and
Application
Providers
ISP
CAP
Partner
CAP
Others
User CAP
Access Core Peering
Network Neutrality
So what about Specialised Services ?
Scenario:
Both ISP’s own and partner
services use additional
access bandwith (e.g. VoIP
and IPTV)
Content and
Application
Providers
ISP
CAP
Partner
CAP
Others
User CAP
Access Core Peering
Network Neutrality
So what about Specialised Services ?
Scenario:
ISP’s own and partner
services have priority on
a portion of the access
bandwith.
Content and
Application
Providers
ISP
CAP
Partner
CAP
Others
User CAP
Access Core Peering
Network Neutrality
So what about Specialised Services ?
Scenario:
Other CAP services are
forced through a limited
capacity logical peering
connection
Content and
Application
Partner Providers

CAP
ISP
CAP
Others
User CAP
Access Core Peering
Network Neutrality - The Ghana Story
Ghana does not have any provisions on
net neutrality by law

2012 - NATIONAL BROADBAND POLICY AND • Ability to ensure net-neutrality environment to encourage new
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY investors into the industry.
• Ensure non-discriminatory access for service, application and
content providers in an environment of network neutrality.
• Enforcement of network neutrality so ISPs will treat all traffic
equally, whether content, application or service
• Promote the deployment of ubiquitous broadband networks
on technology neutral platform.
• Ability to synchronize the layers in a technology neutral policy
environment such as Ghana.
• Promote technology neutrality to aid the rapid development
and diffusion of broadband.
Summary – Net Neutrality
▪ The process around Network Neutrality has been very valuable for the
evolution of Internet and associated services.
▪ The success of OTT services may have relied on this

▪ The value of the actual rules and regulations so far is more questionable.
▪ Vague definitions, Authorities questioned

▪ The introduction of the «Specialized Services» term brings hope for

more clarity.
▪ No “final outcome”, but maybe a temporary balance ?
 Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

THE END
All material copyright 1996-2012 J.F Kurose and K.W. Ross, All Rights Reserved