How to Stop Internet Throttling — Get Full ISP Speeds in 2025

Some internet service providers throttle your bandwidth or speeds for several reasons. Even though you pay for the full service, ISPs can limit your connection to ease congestion on their network — or deter you from accessing certain sites.

Luckily, you can get around most throttling issues with a VPN. ISPs inspect your internet traffic to check for bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming or downloading. If your ISP detects this kind of activity, it can then throttle your connection. But a VPN lets you hide your traffic, so your ISP can’t see what you do online. Since your ISP can no longer adjust your connection based on your online activity, you get to enjoy the web unthrottled.

Why You Need a VPN to Stop Internet Throttling

Most ISPs throttle speeds to provide a consistent quality of service. If an ISP detects you’re carrying out a high-bandwidth activity like streaming, it can throttle your speeds to maintain fast connections for other users. This is especially the case during peak hours. Public WiFi hotspots can be throttled too, for the same reason.

However, some services reduce speeds on certain sites to prevent you from accessing content that’s forbidden in your location. In other cases, ISPs throttle speeds when you use popular services (like Netflix), hoping you might shift to platforms the ISP has affiliated deals with.

Your ISP might also have a peering conflict that reduces your speeds. Peering is when 2 or more ISPs exchange traffic to provide a consistent level of quality for every customer. However, when one provider exceeds the traffic ratio, it causes congestion on the other end resulting in slow speeds.

The easiest way to bypass content-based internet throttling and peering conflicts is to use a reliable VPN. VPNs encrypt your traffic and send it through a secure tunnel, making it super hard for your ISP to track and restrict your online activities. Your data doesn’t have to go through another provider either and can take the least congested path. As a result, you can browse, stream, and torrent without speed limitations.

As a bonus, VPNs also give you online security and let you bypass geoblocks. Encryption doesn’t just mean that your ISP can’t see what you do online — it means hackers and snoops can’t either. At the same time, your VPN can help you “borrow” IP addresses from other countries, letting you access geo-restricted content from anywhere.

FAQs on Stopping Internet Throttling With a VPN

How does internet throttling work?

Throttling is when your ISP intentionally limits the rate at which data is sent to and received from your device. Typically, this is done to regulate network traffic and clear up congestion caused by too many customers being online at once. To avoid throttling, you need a reliable VPN that masks your online activities.

Since a VPN stops your internet service provider from seeing what you do online, the ISP can’t throttle your speeds based on your activity. So you can stream anything from movies to live NBA playoffs online without hitting restrictions.

Will I know if I'm being throttled?

You can test if you're being throttled by measuring your internet speeds at different times. It’s a good idea to test your speeds while connected to a reliably fast VPN. Use an online tool such as speedtest.net and see if your speeds change when you access certain sites or carry out certain activities, like using BitTorrent.

If you notice that your speed drops on some sites, or is improved with a VPN, then you’re probably being throttled. Other telltale signs of throttling include:

• Devices on your WiFi network regularly disconnecting.
• Websites that don’t work at specific times, are suddenly blocked, or load slower than other sites you access simultaneously.
• Videos buffering for a long time, despite other sites working as normal.
• Torrenting download speeds that are much slower than the max speed you pay for.

It’s important to note that before running any tests, you should first make sure nothing else on your network is using up bandwidth. Turn off any automatic backups or software updates, and run an antivirus program on your devices to ensure no malware is using up data. If you’re a Windows user, you can check the built-in bandwidth monitor in Task Manager.

Is my ISP throttling Netflix?

Use a VPN to test for throttling. Simply activate your VPN and then test your streaming quality while accessing Netflix. If you get better results with the VPN, then your ISP is most likely throttling your speeds when you use the streaming site (just keep your VPN on to avoid throttling in the future).

Are ISP legally allowed to throttle bandwidth?

It varies from country to country. Some countries make it legal for ISPs to restrict your speeds, while others prohibit throttling. However, in most countries, it’s legal to use a VPN to bypass throttling.

Here’s how different countries handle internet throttling:

• United States — During the Trump Administration, the FCC revoked the Open Internet Order which required ISPs in the US to treat all internet traffic equally. This decision allows companies such as AT&T, Comcast, or Verizon to legally throttle your bandwidth if their network is overloaded. It’s also legal for US ISPs to offer “fast lane” packages that companies can pay for to have their content prioritized.
• United Kingdom — Currently, it’s not clear whether the UK government allows ISP throttling. Before Brexit, the country followed the EU’s Digital Single Market law that prohibited ISPs from throttling internet speeds. Today, most ISPs in the UK follow their own traffic management policies.
• Canada — Most ISPs in Canada reduce speeds during peak usage hours. This is done after traffic inspection or if you’re performing bandwidth-heavy activities like torrenting (or any other peer-to-peer tasks).
• Australia — There are currently no laws or regulations that make internet throttling illegal. On the contrary, the Australian ISP market is very competitive and many companies promote zero-rating practices.

If you want to use a VPN to stop internet throttling, just note that some countries — such as Russia, Belarus, and China — do ban or restrict VPN use. Make sure you familiarize yourself with local laws before using a VPN.

Is there a device to stop internet throttling?

It’s not likely. Some routers or WiFi gadgets claim to stop internet throttling but none have been found to work. The best way to easily and reliably prevent internet throttling is with a VPN.

Do VPNs stop internet throttling on iPhone and Android devices?

Yes, you can bypass throttling on your mobile device with a VPN. Throttling on mobile is especially annoying because it leads to higher data usage due to constant network errors that force automatic page refreshing. To get around it, just choose a VPN that has a user-friendly native app for your mobile device. That way, you can browse, stream, or even enjoy PUBG on mobile without slowdowns.

Does a VPN bypass ISP speed or data caps?

No, a VPN can’t bypass data limits or exceed the maximum speed offered by your contract. The only way to bypass an ISP speed limit or get more data is to upgrade your plan or switch ISPs. That said, some VPNs have ad-blocking features that can help you save data.

Can’t I just use a free VPN or proxy to stop internet throttling?

Proxies can’t bypass throttling and free VPNs are not recommended. Most free VPNs have incredibly poor security features, while proxies are very slow and don’t use encryption at all. This means that your ISP can see what you’re doing online and throttle your connection. You’re better off with a reliable premium VPN that’s backed by a trustworthy money-back guarantee.

Even if you find a free VPN with decent encryption, these kinds of services often impose speed restrictions themselves. They can also limit your server access and bandwidth to force you into upgrading to a paid plan. At worst, some free VPNs have been caught stealing and selling user data or injecting malware into their apps.

Stop Internet Throttling With a VPN Now

The most straightforward method to put a stop to internet throttling is by using a VPN. By concealing your online activities, the VPN prevents your ISP from monitoring your traffic and applying throttling measures. The VPNs I suggest not only provide fast speeds but also grant access to extensive server networks, ensuring you always have an option to evade network congestion.