Comcast ISP infringing on content

[riddler 0]

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2217747,00.asp

I just switched back to Comcast, and I can attest that when I use Azureus (Vuze beta), the service does in fact deliberately shut off. I have to go reset the modem. This is the ONLY application that makes my Comcast service shut off, regardless of bandwidth. Comcast seems to feel that it can dictate content, despite what the FCC laws state.

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Vuze, a video distributor using BitTorrent peer-to-peer technology, petitioned the Federal Communications Commission Nov. 14 to establish rules prohibiting Comcast and other broadband providers from "throttling" network traffic. Vuze contends the practice violates the FCC's network neutrality principles.

Throttling involves blocking or slowing the uploading and downloading speeds of lawful applications and content. Vuze, of Palo Alto, Calif., complains that Comcast, the nation's second largest broadband provider with nearly 13 million subscribers, is actively interfering with its users' ability to access legal content by cutting off P2P file-sharing networks like BitTorrent and Gnutella.

Comcast, headquartered in Philadelphia, initially denied the accusations but admitted the week of Oct. 22 that it does delay some Internet traffic in the interests of network management.

"Now is the time to embrace the sea changes in entertainment consumption that are occurring," Vuze CEO Gilles BianRoa said in a statement. "The rapid convergence of the entertainment and Internet industries has enabled the delivery of high-quality video, and these throttling tactics represent growing pains as ISPs resist inevitable change."

The Vuze petition claims throttling is often accomplished with a "man in the middle" technique commonly used by hackers, creating false computer messages that cause Internet connections to shut down. To keep their traffic flowing to users, content providers and distributors are forced to play a high tech game of cat-and-mouse.

"While Comcast has apparently justified its actions as legitimate 'network management' or mere traffic 'shaping,' Vuze believes that such overbroad and clandestine attempts to interfere with traffic—regardless of the legality of the content or the specific impact on the network—cannot amount to 'reasonable network management,'" the Vuze petition states.

Comcast's actions have also prompted a Nov. 1 network neutrality complaint to the FCC from public advocacy groups and legal scholars from Yale, Harvard and Stanford.

"The FCC should act immediately to enjoin Comcast's secret discrimination and, even before deciding the merits, issue a temporary injunction requiring Comcast to stop degrading any applications," the complaint states. "Upon deciding the merits, the Commission should issue a permanent injunction ending Comcast's discrimination."

Like the Vuze petition, the complaint asks the FCC to establish that blocking P2P communications like BitTorrent violates the agency's Internet Policy Statement, four principles issued in 2005 that are supposed to "guarantee consumers competition among providers and access to all content, applications and services."

Although the principles do not carry the force of law, the FCC said that when issuing them, "should we see evidence that providers of telecommunications for Internet access or IP-enabled services are violating these principles, we will not hesitate to take action to address that conduct."

Free Press and Public Knowledge also filed a separate complaint against Comcast, seeking a fine against the company of $195,000 per customer.

Comcast was unavailable for comment, and the FCC does not comment on active complaints.

PointerCheck out eWEEK.com's Infrastructure Center for the latest news, views and analysis on servers, switches and networking protocols for the enterprise and small businesses.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[riddler 0]

*bump*

The lawsuit is still ongoing. Comcast says they are only reducing speed of Vuze at peak times. I can still attest that Vuze is the only application that shuts down my service, it does it at all times, 24 hours a day, and within about 60 seconds of a download from Vuze. Here's the latest story.

Vuze to Comcast: It's not a fair race when you own the track


Basically, it's not worth my time to get up and restart my modem manually after every minute of use, so I'm no longer using Vuze. I guess Comcast wins this time Too bad, Vuze (Azureus) is a really nice P2P client.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[ryoder 1,400]

Help is on the way:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/19/bittorrent_developers_hit_back_at_comcast/

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Zipp0 1]

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http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2217747,00.asp

I just switched back to Comcast, and I can attest that when I use Azureus (Vuze beta), the service does in fact deliberately shut off.

Can't you forward the service connection to a different port? Try it. Look up "port forwarding".

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[riddler 0]

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Try it. Look up "port forwarding".

I've been port forwarding for a while now, with ranges as high as 52000+. Doesn't help. Comcast isn't blocking any ports - they have some way of detecting the swarm that I don't know about. It could be as simple as measuring the rate of transmission.

I am paying extra for the faster "8-meg" download, but I still get cutoff when I do this.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[kelpdiver 2]

time to pay someone else. Comcast won't be changing anytime soon. If there are any contractual requirements, this is a valid reason to cancel.

[Zipp0 1]

Try Verizon fiber optic if it is in your area. Screw Comcast. I hate them for so many reasons - this is jus tanother good reason.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[riddler 0]

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Verizon fiber optic

Nice idea, but not available in my area (and I live right in the middle of the city).

Yeah, I originally said screw Comcast, went BACK to Qwest DSL. The Comcast guy said "you'll be back", and he was right Qwest service sucks worse than Comcast. So I went back to Comcast - much faster, much more reliable service for slightly less money.

Rats! I would like to have fast, reliable, wired broadband. I guess that's just too much to ask for.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[ryoder 1,400]

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Qwest service sucks worse than Comcast. So I went back to Comcast - much faster, much more reliable service for slightly less money.

I've been using Qworst DSL for ~10 years. It works fine. The only problem is on the rare occasions I want to change anything about my service. I'd rather go have a tooth filled than deal with some of the obnoxious jackasses that take calls. I did figure out that hanging up on an idiot and calling back in can be a good idea because you will get a different person who may actually be interested in helping instead of be a roadblock.

I used to work for TCI before it was acquired by AT&T. It was a pretty good place to work at that time. Then AT&T took over, and after a year I fled screaming. Later on Comcast bought it, and the people I knew who still worked there told me things only got worse. Just haven't had any interest in being their customer.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[ryoder 1,400]

This should make Riddler's day:

http://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-throttling-sandvine-loses-half-its-value-080307/

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.