A Modest Proposal for Preventing Internet Congestion

A simple approach, called PMP (Paris Metro Pricing), is suggested for dealing with congestion in packet networks such as the Internet. It is to partition a network into several logical networks, each of which would treat all packets equally on a best effort basis, just as the current Internet does. There would be no formal guarantees of quality of service. The separate networks would differ only in the prices paid for using them. Networks with higher prices would attract less traffic, and thereby provide better service. Price would be the primary tool of traffic management.

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