Comcast Plays PR Patty Cake – While ISPs try to manage p2p video bandwidth

In: broadbandreports.com|Site Feeds|VoIP

31 Aug 2007

Wired News takes a look at the growing complaints from ISPs about how p2p video is overwhelming their networks and the steps they’re taking to manage it. They also touch on the creation of the P4P Working Group, an organization that’s working with ISPs to make sure both p2p developers and ISPs are happy.

The report mentions our website, and touches on Comcast’s recent traffic shaping efforts. In a follow-up piece, Wired reprints the stock talking point Comcast’s PR department is giving all press outlets when asked about their treatment of BitTorrent traffic:

“Comcast uses the latest technologies to manage our network to provide a fast, reliable broadband experience for all of our customers. We do not block access to any applications, including BitTorrent and do not alter Internet speed. Comcast currently works with a number of industry groups to share knowledge and information that will help us provide the best service, and will continue to do so.”

Except, as we mentioned the other day, the evidence is now clear that Comcast is disrupting BitTorrent seeding. It is also clear that the company has been booting a few “excessive” bandwidth users off of their network for the better part of the decade.

Whether this is good or not is a matter of opinion, but that it’s happening is a matter of fact. It’s in your best interests that these practices are transparent, so you fully understand what kind of a broadband connection you’re buying.
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