Frequently Asked Questions about Network Management

Boost Mobile provides wireless broadband Internet to its customers using the Sprint Wireless Data Networks.

Boost Mobile and Sprint are committed to providing the best wireless broadband Internet access service experience possible for all of its customers. To ensure that all users enjoy the best possible network experience, Sprint uses reasonable network management practices that are consistent with industry standards. Sprint also prohibits certain wireless data customers from engaging in certain data uses. Information concerning these prohibited uses can be found in Boost Mobile point-of-sale materials and online in our plan specific terms at www.boostmobile.com.

The following Frequently Asked Questions are intended to help clarify for Boost Mobile customers what we mean by network management and explain Sprint's network management techniques and approaches.

Why does Sprint manage its network?

Sprint manages its network with the goal of delivering the best possible wireless broadband Internet access experience to all of its retail customers. Wireless network resources are not infinite. Managing the network is essential to promote the use and enjoyment of wireless data by all network users. Sprint uses reasonable network management practices that are consistent with industry standards. Sprint also strives to use tools and technologies that are intended to be minimally intrusive. Just as the Internet continues to change and evolve, so too, will Sprint's network management practices to address the challenges and threats on the Internet.

If Sprint didn't manage its network, network users would be subject to the negative effects of spam, viruses, security attacks, network congestion, and other risks and degradations of the service. By engaging in reasonable and responsible network management, Sprint can deliver the best possible broadband Internet access experience to all users of the network.

How does Sprint manage its network?

Sprint uses various tools and techniques to manage its network, allow Boost Mobile to deliver our service and ensure compliance with our prohibited network use and related requirements, which are available in Boost Mobile point-of-sale materials and online at www.boostmobile.com. These tools and techniques are dynamic, like the Sprint network and its usage, and Sprint may update the tools and techniques it uses. Sprint's network management activities may include identifying spam and preventing its delivery to customers, detecting malicious Internet traffic and preventing the distribution of viruses or other harmful code or content, and using other tools and techniques that Sprint may be required to implement in order to meet its goal of allowing Boost Mobile to deliver the best possible broadband Internet experience to all of its customers.

Does network management change over time?

Yes. The wireless industry is highly dynamic. As the Internet and related technologies continue to evolve and advance, Sprint's network management tools will evolve and keep pace so that we can deliver an excellent, reliable and safer online experience to all of our customers. We will provide updates here and in other appropriate locations if we make important or significant changes to our network management techniques.

How does congestion management work?

Network bandwidth isn't infinite. In times of network congestion, the network segment or sector impacted doesn't have enough bandwidth to fully serve all customers requesting it.The network must essentially decide how to allocate the available bandwidth to the customers using it in a way that is fair to all users.The fairness algorithms below describe the approach.The resulting impact to end user experience is that the user may temporarily experience slower-than-normal data speeds until the congestion has passed.

•  On the Sprint 3G network (a third generation network that follows the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) standard), Sprint uses a proportional fairness scheduler algorithm that allocates network resources based on radio frequency signal quality and other metrics. During times of congestion, the proportional fairness scheduler algorithm ensures no one user is deprived of network resources.

Sprint is constantly upgrading networks. These network upgrades may include revised or improved tools and techniques to manage network congestion and ensure that all users have appropriate access to the network in times of congestion.

Does congestion management target peer-to-peer ("P2P") or other applications or make decisions about the content of my traffic?

No. However Boost Mobile's terms and conditions prohibit some uses of Internet a

ccess. Boost Mobile reserves the right to take action when customers violate these terms and conditions including blocking the traffic, slowing the customer's effective data speeds, or discontinuing a customer's service. Below is the prohibit data use portion of the plan specific terms of service:

If your plan includes data services, such services are provided solely for purposes of web browsing, messaging, & similar activities. 

Examples of Prohibited Use of our data services

include but are not limited to use thereof (1) with server devices or host computer applications, or other systems that drive continuous heavy traffic or data sessions, including, but not limited to, disproportionate Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections, peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications broadcast to multiple servers or recipients such that they could enable "bots" or similar routines; (2) as a substitute or backup for private lines or frame relay connections; (3) to send or receive unusually high numbers of messages (4) to engage in atypical web usage behaviors;  (5) for tethering your device to a personal computer or other hardware; & (6) for any other reason that, in our sole discretion harms our network..

How does congestion management impact me and my use data services?

Most customers will notice no change in their wireless data experience due to Sprint's congestion management. If a user notices it at all, congestion management will be experienced as a slowness of data speeds compared to their normal experience. The goal of congestion management is to enable all users to have access to a fair share of the network at peak times, when congestion occasionally occurs.

How often does Sprint expect to use congestion management?

Because of the peaked nature of wireless data traffic, congestion management software is actively looking for network congestion at all times.When it detects congestion, the fairness algorithms described above allocate available bandwidth to the users requesting services in an attempt to provide the best possible service to all users and to ensure that no user is starved of bandwidth.

Sprint monitors how user traffic is affected by congestion management and makes adjustments as reasonably necessary to ensure that our wireless data users have a high-quality wireless broadband Internet access experience. Sprint also evaluates its overall network performance and enhances its network by adding capacity or making other network adjustments to address congestion and performance issues.

How much bandwidth would I have to consume to trigger Sprint's network management? For example, how many movies would I have to download to be affected by congestion management?

Since congestion management is dynamic and works in real time, the answer really depends on a number of factors including overall usage, time of day, and the number of customers trying to use wireless data on a given tower. First, the local tower must be approaching a congested state before congestion management algorithms activate. On Sprint's 3G CDMA network, the proportional fairness scheduler algorithm ensures no one user is deprived of network resources.

The point of the technique is to deliver the best overall online experience possible. The technique should help ensure that all customers get their fair share of bandwidth resources to enjoy all that the Internet has to offer and that includes surfing the web, reading email, downloading movies, watching streaming video, gaming or listening to music.

How will customers know they are being managed?

Wireless networks are shared resource networks meaning that customers on a specific cell site share the available bandwidth at the site. Congestion management algorithms are active in the network 100 percent of the time to allocate available bandwidth to users in a way that benefits all users on the network. Users won't know when congestion management algorithms are being used.

How does congestion management relate to the various monthly data usage thresholds?

They are two separate issues.  Congestion management works to optimize the experience of all users in the congested area.  It works independent of any caps or overage charges that may apply based on the user's price plan and monthly usage.   

Do Boost Mobile labeled products have precedent over other applications?

No. They are treated just like any other data application on the network and traffic from these applications is subject to the same congestion management controls as any other Internet traffic.

Does Sprint discriminate against particular types of online content?

No. Sprint and Boost Mobile strive to deliver to our retail customers access to all the lawful content that the Internet has to offer. However, we are committed to protecting customers from spam, phishing, and other unwanted or harmful online content and activities. Sprint uses industry standard tools and generally accepted best practices and policies to help it meet this customer commitment. In cases where these tools and policies identify certain online content as harmful and unwanted, such as spam or phishing Web sites, this content is usually prevented from reaching customers. In other cases, these tools and policies may permit customers to identify certain content that is not clearly harmful or unwanted, such as bulk email or Web sites with questionable security ratings, and enable those customers to inspect the content further if they want to do so.

Does Sprint employ network security practices in addition to the congestion management technique?

Yes.  Sprint uses normal industry security practices to protect the Sprint network elements from unauthorized access and attack.

Does Sprint have rules regarding the attachment of devices to its network by customers?

Yes. Only Sprint-approved devices may be used on the Sprint network.