[Infowarrior] - Comcast (Sorta) Puts Its Speed Limits in Writing

[Richard Forno]

.....this looks like a cheezy lawerly way of trying to appease the FCC to
drop its bandwidth-blocking investigation, I bet.........rf


Comcast Puts Its Speed Limits in Writing

Recent terms of service change codifies what BitTorrent users have known for
a while.

http://www.internetnews.com/webcontent/article.php/3726811

February 7, 2008
By Andy Patrizio: More stories by this author:

Comcast, the largest cable provider in the country and second-largest
Internet Service Provider behind AOL, quietly updated its Terms of Service
late last month to reflect what it has been saying and users have been
kvetching about for some time ­ it engages in network traffic control.

The acknowledgement comes in section III of the ToS, updated January 25,
stating that it "uses reasonable network management practices that are
consistent with industry standards."

This is the same wording as found in the FCC's Internet Policy Statement
from 2005, which allows ISPs to engage in "reasonable network management"
and at the same time allows subscribers to run lawful applications and
services as long as it doesn't harm the network.

The ToS goes on to say that "Comcast tries to use tools and technologies
that are minimally intrusiveŠ" and defends itself by stating all large
Internet service providers manage their networks and use the same or similar
tools that Comcast does.

Cox Communications, also a cable modem provider, limits traffic up and down.
Time Warner, which has several million subscribers to its Roadrunner
service, doesn't throttle usage but it has begun experimenting with metered
use, which charges customers based on their usage.

Accusations against Comcast begin to simmer on the Internet last summer
before finally boiling over thanks to an in-depth Associated Press report in
October. Company officials denied it was throttling BitTorrent uploads, but
one month later did admit to slowing down the transmissions for the sake of
network management.

The company continues to be hounded by media advocacy group Free Press,
which reacted to the updated ToS by stating "Comcast Puts Discrimination in
the Fine Print." Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas said the change isn't
that big of a deal. "The terms of service were updated as part of the normal
course of business. No practices have changed," he told InternetNews.com.

After the AP expose on Comcast, numerous complaints were filed with the FCC
demanding an investigation. At the recent CES show in Las Vegas, FCC
Chairman Kevin Martin said there would be an investigation.

TAGS: FCC, policy, ISP, Comcast, traffic