I think the best way to describe all the network shaping crap is that it is EXACTLY like an airline overbooking seats. They sell more seats than they have in hopes that not everyone will show up. And when they do, they try and blame it on the passengers for not volunteering to take a later flight or change their plans.

It should be noted that this practice is so offensive that it is illegal in many places, and that a great many airlines avoid it like the plague.

This refusal to overbook doesn’t seem to hurt their ability to make money ( WestJet, Southwest ring a bell? )

The thing that is saving the ISP’s is that people don’t understand all the techno babble. They do understand showing up at the airport with a paid ticket and being told they can’t fly.

So when explaining traffic shaping, filtering and all the rest to the uninitiated, and particularly to politicians and lawmakers, just tell them it is all about overbooking – just like an airline.