"KOREA: Leading broadband provider throttles 'data-hungry' Samsung Smart TVs"

In the name of protecting internet users (from an apparent future "bandwidth crisis") and to maintain control of the current telecom industry, Korea Telecom is making the aggressive move of throttling Samsung's Smart TVs, removing their ability to download and run apps, and curtail streaming; Smart TVs they claim, are consuming vast amounts of bandwidth (approx. 15x the amount of IPTVs). This move comes as meetings between the manufacturer and the telecom provider failed to come to any mutually beneficial agreements.

But in doing this, KT seems to be venturing towards a potential future dispute around net neutrality, the challenge to be made by Samsung, as they claim that KT is unfairly discriminating and limiting use of broadband connections running through the Smart TVs. "There's also the small matter of KT having its own IPTV service: called Olleh, it provides TV and movies to subscribers over broadband networks – services which would be impacted by the predicted huge growth in Smart TV sales."

"This move by KT is likely to give some cause for concern in other countries, where smart TV uptake is growing: after all, Korea is known to have one of the world's most advanced broadband infrastructures.

It has more ADSL internet connections per head of population than any other country, and also leads in the penetration of VDSL connections, capable of speeds of up to 100Mbps – the kind of speeds only now becoming available in the UK. Some providers are already experimenting with speeds of up to 1Gbps."

I just don't see how the country that was labeled "fastest internet in the world", could make any claims of future bandwidth crises, and I'm curious how they are able to determine Smart TVs are bandwidth hogs...Samsung doesn't believe it either, and they're ready to request that info.

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