throughput, evaluated based on the most performant measurement per client per day, we find two significant and extended periods of potential throttling within our dataset, occuring *November 30 2011 - August 15 2012* (a 77% decrease in download throughput) and *October 4 - November 22 2012* (a 69% decrease). We identify an additional eight to nine short-term instances where the throughput or variance between providers underwent a precipituous change, triggering the attention of detection mechanisms. These events are correlated with a reduction of service quality across all networks, often more significantly impacting home consumers than commercial institutions. In most cases, these changes mirror more overt increases of interference of communications channnels. Lastly, within available indicators or traffic routes, we do not find evidence that these fluctuations are the result of externalities, such as changes to international connectivity or domestic network use.

Periods of Significant Interest {#sec:throttling_events}
-------------------------------

Figures \[findings:throughput\] and \[findings:variance\] outline the periods of time where fluctuations in values and variance of throughput exceeded thresholds, respectively. The performance measurements and indicators outlined in the prior section during these two extended periods of interest are documented in the graphs of Figures \[findings:throttling\_events:oct\_2012\] and \[findings:throttling\_events:nov\_2011\].

Although our methodology has not taken 