DPI: It's Going to Be About More Than Ads

[Comentary] The practice of deep packet inspection has raised privacy concerns among several organizations, including The Free Press and Center for Democracy and Technology. Congress recently heard testimony about ISPs using the technology to target advertising at web surfers. But DPI vendors reveal that advertising is a blunt instrument when it comes to generating revenue. It's likely most carriers will use DPI, which can determine the details of packets traveling over the web, to boost sales in far more subtle ways. Instead of a flat-out metering program, such consumption-based broadband might offer subscribers an emphasis on voice or gaming services and prioritize packets accordingly. Operators could let consumers subscribe to a broad video package that would include prioritization for a service such as online video.