Does encrypting protocols like HTTPS and TLS blindsides ISPs and mobile operators by preventing them from seeing traffic and doing QoS and Quality of Experience?
Encrypting protocols like HTTPS and TLS can indeed make it more difficult for ISPs and mobile operators to see the contents of traffic that passes through their networks. This is because encryption scrambles the data being transmitted, making it unreadable to anyone who does not have the decryption key.
However, this does not necessarily mean that ISPs and mobile operators are completely blind to what is happening on their networks. They can still see the source and destination of the traffic, as well as the volume and timing of the packets being transmitted. Additionally, they can use statistical analysis and other techniques to make educated guesses about the type of traffic that is being transmitted, based on factors like packet size, frequency, and timing.
While encryption can make it more challenging for ISPs and mobile operators to do traditional QoS (Quality of Service) and QoE (Quality of Experience) optimizations, it’s worth noting that there are ways to implement QoS and QoE in an encrypted environment. For example, it is possible to use traffic classification techniques to prioritize certain types of traffic over others, even when that traffic is encrypted. Some ISPs and mobile operators have also started to offer performance-boosting services, such as content delivery networks (CDNs), that are designed to work with encrypted traffic.
Overall, while encrypting protocols like HTTPS and TLS does present some challenges for ISPs and mobile operators, it does not completely blindside them or prevent them from optimizing the performance of their networks.