Fighting Bufferbloat: Why Every ISP Needs a QoE Middlebox

Slow video calls, laggy gaming, unresponsive apps — users often blame “the internet” when the real problem lies in hidden latency. At BalticNOG 2025, Frantisek Borsik and the LibreQoS team will explain why tackling bufferbloat is critical for ISPs, and how a new generation of open-source tools is changing the game.

The Hidden Problem of Latency

Bufferbloat may not be a household word, but its effects are familiar to anyone who’s suffered a dropped VoIP call or a game that won’t play smoothly. ISPs have traditionally struggled with handling it at scale, often relying on customer routers to do the heavy lifting. LibreQoS argues that this approach is no longer enough.

A Middlebox Approach

Instead of patching the problem at the edges, LibreQoS brings traffic shaping and queue management into the heart of ISP networks. Frank will introduce how the platform leverages algorithms like CAKE and fair queueing to ensure that the right traffic gets through even under load.

Open Source, Global Impact

With hundreds of ISPs already experimenting with LibreQoS, the project proves that open source can drive significant improvements in quality of experience. At BalticNOG, expect stories of how networks have cut latency, reduced support calls, and gained real-time visibility into customer performance.

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