Network Management Practices

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (“Hughes”) manages the Hughesnet^® network with one goal: to deliver the best possible high-speed Internet experience to all Subscribers and users of Subscriber accounts (collectively “Users”). High-speed bandwidth and network resources are not unlimited and are shared by all Users. Using reasonable network management practices that are consistent with industry standards, we manage the network to deliver the best possible broadband Internet experience and promote the use and enjoyment of the Internet by all Users. In furtherance of our commitment to achieving this goal, we also try to use tools and technologies that are minimally intrusive. Our network management practices, just like the Internet, will continue to change and evolve to address the challenges and threats on the Internet. Without network management, the negative effects of spam, viruses, security attacks, network congestion, violations of our Acceptable Use and Fair Access Policies, and other risks to, and degradations of, the service would have detrimental impacts on Users. 

How does Hughes manage its network?

Hughes uses various tools and techniques to manage its network, deliver its service, and ensure compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy, Fair Access Policy and the Subscriber Agreement. Most of these tools and techniques will be completely transparent to Users and will have no impact on their Internet experience. These tools and techniques are dynamic and change frequently in order to address new issues and to take advantage of advances in technology. For example, these network management activities may include identifying spam and preventing its delivery to customer email accounts, detecting malicious Internet traffic and preventing the distribution of viruses or other harmful code or content, and using other tools and techniques that Hughes may need in order to deliver the best possible broadband Internet experience to its Users. Hughes only uses these tools and techniques to the extent necessary or appropriate to protect our network and/or Users’ Internet experiences. In addition, Hughes also has a Fair Access Policy to ensure that the highest number of Users experience the best possible Hughesnet Service.

Does Hughes prioritize certain kinds of traffic as part of Network Management Practices?

Hughes prioritizes traffic through the network based on traffic type, especially during high-traffic periods, with the aim of optimizing the performance of latency-sensitive applications such as Web browsing. During such periods, secure Web browsing (which is used during e-commerce transactions) is given the highest priority, followed by non-secure Web browsing. During such periods, other traffic, such as bulk downloads, is given lower priority. Hughes may change these priorities, and the relative weighting between them, based on network utilization and application performance. Hughes does not prioritize based upon the content provider or source of the content.

Does Hughes block P2P traffic or applications like BitTorrent, Gnutella, or others?

No. Hughes does not block Peer-to-Peer (P2P) traffic or applications like BitTorrent, Gnutella, or others as part of its network congestion management techniques. In order to ensure fair access to all types of traffic, however, we limit the network capacity available for P2P applications, which has the effect of reducing the priority of such traffic. P2P applications are detected based on deep packet inspection and the use of industry-standard practices, and are not based on specific port numbers or applications.

Does Hughes discriminate on the basis of the source of online content?

No. Hughes provides Users with full access to all the lawful content, services, and applications that the Internet has to offer. As indicated above, we evaluate the type of content (Web, mail, P2P, file transfer) and assign it a priority. We do not discriminate on the basis of the content provider or source or the content. However, we are committed to protecting Users from spam, phishing, and other unwanted or harmful online content and activities. Hughes uses industry-standard tools and generally accepted best practices and policies to help it meet this customer commitment.

Where do I turn if I have questions or comments for Hughes?

If you have any questions about our Network Management Practices or want to know what steps are taken in an effort to maximize our customers’ satisfaction with the Hughesnet experience, please contact us by visiting my.hughesnet.com or calling Hughesnet Customer Service at 1-866-347-3292.

Last revised: December 19, 2023