In how many different ways could an Internet Service provider (via cable or mobile phone infrastructure) limit your bandwidth and if this were the case then could it affect picture-quality when streaming?

 Internet service providers (ISPs) have the ability to limit bandwidth in various ways, which can affect picture quality when streaming. Here are some of the ways ISPs can limit bandwidth:

1. Throttling: This is when an ISP intentionally slows down your internet connection to limit your bandwidth usage. This can happen when you exceed your data cap or the ISP detects that you are streaming a lot of data-intensive content. Throttling can significantly affect picture quality when streaming, resulting in buffering, lower resolution, and slower load times.

   
   
   

2. Prioritization: Some ISPs prioritize certain types of internet traffic over others. For example, they may prioritize gaming traffic over video streaming or file sharing. This can affect picture quality when streaming if video streaming is not prioritized, resulting in lower resolution or buffering.

3. Data caps: Some ISPs impose data caps, which limit the amount of data you can use in a given month. If you exceed your data cap, your internet speed may be slowed down, which can affect picture quality when streaming.

4. Network congestion: When many people in a particular area are using the internet at the same time, the network can become congested. This can affect picture quality when streaming if the ISP is unable to provide enough bandwidth to all users.

In summary, ISPs can limit bandwidth in several ways, including throttling, prioritization, data caps, and network congestion. These limitations can affect picture quality when streaming, resulting in buffering, lower resolution, and slower load times. It is important to choose an ISP that provides adequate bandwidth for your needs and to monitor your data usage to avoid exceeding any data caps.