Thursday, 11 March 2010
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| Monday, 21 April 2008 | |
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Comcast tries network throttling smiley face as FCC reiterates network neutrality stance…
In an effort to persuade the industry that it is a good neighbour and actually not hostile to bandwidth-hogging P2P traffic running over its network, US cable major Comcast has agreed with managed P2P content delivery services specialist Pando Networks to lead an industry-wide effort to create a ‘P2P Bill of Rights and Responsibilities’ (BRR) for peer-to-peer (P2P) users and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The two companies say they plan to collaborate and engage with industry experts, other ISPs and P2P companies, content providers and others to set a framework for the BRR that can serve as a best practice. The purpose would be to clarify what choices and controls consumers should have when using P2P applications as well as what processes and practices ISPs should use to manage P2P applications running on their networks. The initiative follows Comcast’s 27 March announcement that it was collaborating with file sharing company BitTorrent Inc and the broader Internet and ISP community to more effectively address issues associated with rich media content and network capacity management. This move was an effort to defuse/influence an FCC investigation into complaints last year that Comcast was degrading BitTorrent and other P2P traffic on its network. The BitTorrent deal appears to have earned Comcast some FCC brownie points. “I am pleased that Comcast has reversed course and agreed that it is not a reasonable network management practice to arbitrarily block certain applications on its network. I also commend the company for admitting publicly that it was engaging in the practice and now engaging in a dialogue with BitTorrent,” stated FCC chairman Kevin J. Martin at the time. “I hope that the negotiations to which Comcast commits today will result in a solution that preserves consumers’ ability to access any lawful Internet content and applications of their choice. That ability is fundamental to preserving the open marketplace and innovation that characterises the Internet.” However, Martin added: “I am concerned, though, that Comcast has not made clear when they will stop this discriminatory practice. It appears this practice will continue throughout the country until the end of the year and in some markets, even longer. While it may take time to implement its preferred new traffic management technique, it is not at all obvious why Comcast couldn’t stop its current practice of arbitrarily blocking its broadband customers from using certain applications. Comcast should provide its broadband customers as well as the Commission with a commitment of a date certain by when it will stop this practice.” Not so good for Comcast’s friendly image (nor that of other large Meantime some of the statements made by the FCC participants at the Stanford event underlined that organisation’s public commitment to transparency and network neutrality. Here’s a sample from Commissioner Michael J Copps: “They (inventors) need to know that their innovation won't be prevented from getting to market by a handful of network operators who have consolidated their control over broadband pipes all across this country. Inventors and creators need to know, up-front, that they have the right to innovate without going on bended knee to seek permission from a few who have amassed too much control in their own hands.” John Williamson |
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