Posted on 06/04/2008 4:34:45 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Some Comcast customers who actively download software and video files may soon find one set of unexplained delays replaced with a different sort of equally cryptic slowdowns.
Comcast is starting to test new approaches to protecting its network from what it describes as congestion caused by a handful of customers who use far far more bandwidth than everyone else. Until now, Comcast has been using devices that interfered with the BitTorrent protocol—the most common method for downloading large files from computers of other users. BitTorrent is often used by people exchanging pornography and illegal copies of movies, but creators of video and software also choose to use BitTorrent as an inexpensive way to distribute their creations.
It will test new devices that will keep track of Comcast users and assemble a blacklist of heavy users. Those on the blacklist will find that all of their online activities may slow down at peak times: from downloading movies to checking e-mail.
For now, these restrictions are just as mysterious as the secret blocking of BitTorrent. Charlie Douglas, a Comcast spokesman, said the company would not disclose what sort of usage it takes to get on the black list, how long someone stays on it and if there is any way to get off. Most significantly, Comcast won’t even tell users if they are on the black list.
(Excerpt) Read more at bits.blogs.nytimes.com ...
This sort of practice is common with every company out there selling any unlimited product or service. They always have some fine print and wind up ratcheting back service or canceling accounts.
I would think this would be some sort of false advertising issue.
bingo.... a sentiment held by many others
I’d dump their ass too. This angers me on general principles.
I’ll bet they have lots of customers who don’t use nearly as much as they are alloted. You don’t hear them handing back cash to those folks do ya.
They should just charge more, and keep the customers.
Otherwise, they can go to a commercial line with guaranteed throughput. Fractional T1 is getting very cheap.
Excellent point.
I have Comcast internet, only because I was forced to give up RoadRunner when Comcast took over here.
For now, they are the only game in town for cable internet service here. Their service has been fine so far, but I don't download torrents or huge video files very much.
I don’t have a choice if I want cable internet, it’s Comcast or nothing. I don’t pay as much as you do though. I pay $96 per month for internet and cable tv. The internet is unlimited and it costs about $40 of the total.
I had DSL at one time - hated it. Besides, I can’t get it any more since I don’t have a land line phone. Well, I still could but it would cost a bundle.
I’m thinking of Direct tv. Can I get high speed internet with that?
If you’re like me, it’s mostly text. I download programs from time to time, but that’s exactly why I have a cable modem. What would be the point if I didn’t have a heavy load from time to time?
Sounds like some real braintrusts over at Comcast. Makes you wonder if the execs even know what the internet is all about.
“Well sure we gave you the high-speed line, but we expected you to keep your traffic down to the 1970s level Compuserve. What’s the deal?”
Easy. Charge for usage. Why should a small user subsidize a big user?
I pay less than $70 a month to Comcast for internet and cable. It’s my work location (self-employed) so I only get low-tier basic cable which doesn’t include such things as Fox News. The internet speed is quite fast, about 5 Mbps.
Sat Internet is considerably slower than DSL or cable. Considerability more expensive also.
Full T1 is what, 1.5Mbit? That’s not even close to the downstream speed on your average cable modem.
A commercial line with comparable throughput is unaffordable for personal use.
For my $96 I do get Fox news and internet but not any of the premium channels such as HBO. I get dozens of channels that are of no interest to me at all.
All I ever watch is Fox, Discovery, History and sometimes a movie on one of the network channels.
Verizon will be available to me within the next month or two.Some of the wiring is already done and the rest,I’m told,will be done soon.As soon as it’s available,Comcast can kiss my hindquarters goodbye.
“Fractional T1 is getting very cheap.”
uhhhh ok, I have Verizon FIOS (fiber) business class. 20MB dedicated. At least thats what they tell me. The servers you use to test speed generally aren’t fast enough to really show you how fast it is.
And gloves are often used by criminals, as are cars and, for that matter, lawn mowers and can openers. Once again, the NYT editorializes in what is supposed to be a news item.
Do You Like it?
I’ve switched from cable internet to hi-speed DSL (ATT) for only $19.99 unlimited downloads. Unlike TW, who obviously “tinker” with my downloads (I download “more than others’), I switched to ATT at a very low price and never looked back.
Comcast NOT telling you that you’re not on their “black list”?
That’s why we live in a free market economy, you don’t like someone’s business? Go to someone else?
I feel for those who don;t have options in areas where there’s not any competition for your $$.
Don’t know who was your provider for DSL but it might be worth a shot to try again or try another provider. I got AT&T and I love it. Way better than cable was. That was a nightmare. But if I was to move I would try cable again since my sister across town has it and it is really good.
I dumped Comcast internet when it performed worse than 1200 baud dial up. Very happy with Verizon FIOS.
Hughesnet already does this. They have a cap on bandwidth usage per plan. You breech your bandwidth, you get internet at a break neck snail pace for 24 hours.
As much as I hate to give Verizon kudos they have a good product with this. Very stable, very fast, dependable. Expect problems on installation though as the techs are more redlight/greenlight kinda guys instead of techs.
This is almost the exact wording that hughesnet used.
CR rated your service #1, I really want to see it!
sue for false advertisement?
if they sell something, they must deliver on it. they say $50/month for 4-10Mbps, then i should be able to get 4Mbps without a problem. if you can’t even get 1Mbps, that’s just lying on the sales end.
and adjusting an agreement after you accepted it, is the same as never having an agreement in the first place and should be outlawed as a practice (after all... how does the user get to change the agreement in their favor, after the fact?)
of course, another possibility would be to create a subnet within the comcast network. basically, people could load a piece of software that would relay for others. and since we’re talking about cable, you could monitor all bandwidth in your local segment.. and receive anything... even if it was ‘intended’ for your neighbor... all it would require is for all users to install the client, and you’d have a secure, segment based, subnet. comcast would have to slow down the entire segment in order to defeat it... and all other segments.
just something to chew on...
meanwhile, japan and korea have 100Mbps up and down... country wide
Just what did they think people were going to do with greater bandwidth anyway?
And no, I don't use their VoIP service. POTS is a simple redundancy on communications. I was out of power for four days since last Friday, and I would have had no (landline) phone service if I had been with Comcast VoIP.
LOL yea, we can all play "MegaWars" like I did on a TRS-80 CoCo and 300 Baud modem. That was a hoot!
Wait a minute! Did that article say you can get pornography on the internet?
pehaps they should charge form posters more because they are using the internet more often.
They USED to screw people with hourly rates and now had to go to flat fees. So they are trying to make up for the loss of hourly billing for volume usage.
I even remember when online legal research had an exorbitant hourly rate.
I think it is unconscionable that they don’t simply tell someone they are on a “black list”.
Regardless, this just communicates the “stay away like the plague” regarding ANY comcast product.
I don't get "banned" or blacklisted.
If I use less water, I don't want to be forced to subsidize my neighbor's excess.
It's the same with computers - we're past the "early years" of computers... it's time to get real.
Yep. I hear ya.
bandwidth is not the same as water.
We don’t charge smart people more for watching movies they understand better than stupid people who just like the pretty colors.
It seems that whoever is in charge of this is thinking 20th century rather than 21st.
It is all moot in a few years anyways as we increase in speed.
You're right on this...
You are going to have to explain to me what the “average” rate of usage should be and justify that when what is “average” increases every day.
This is the same.
I have no idea what "average" is in this situation - but I do know that companies are in this to make a profit - and if they overcharge big users, or tip the scale too much one way or the other, they'll lose money.
So, being the capitalist that I am, I'll leave it up to the market.
But if it were up to me, I'd offer a very low rate for small time users to get them on board ( the 2% of people who turn their computers on once or twice a week for 30 minutes). Then a rate similar to what exist now for the 93% of us in the "middle" and a higher - graduated rate - for the 5% who are heavy users.
I left Comcast. Their service was horrible, their customer service nonexistent, and their prices tripled over a few years. I went with Qwest and got a great deal for half the price of Comcast.
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