The AP has confirmed what we already knew: Comcast uses traffic shaping to slow down your Internet connection. Thanks, Comcast!
Yup, the AP ran a bunch of tests nationwide to determine if user complaints (like mine, but directed at Time Warner) were valid, or just a bunch of nerds complaining for the sake of it. Like I and many others have pointed out, the AP discovered that downloading files isn’t a problem, but uploading is, rendering things like BitTorrent all but useless. I really hope Comcast et al. don’t try to hind behind the ol’ “but BT is used for piracy” song and dance. There’s plenty of legitimate uses for BY, like downloading WoW patches.
Does Comcast have a right to manage its network? Sure, absolutely. But who’s to say what other programs and/or protocols Comcast will have a problem with next? Maybe one day it’ll turn around and decide that Skype isn’t “appropriate” for its network, or that AIM propogates too many viruses for it to be considered “safe”?
Thankfully the story is on Drudge right now in bold red text. Maybe now his bombastic headline will get non techies talking.
Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic [Breitbart via Drudge]
Booo Comcast!
They are in a tough position, by allowing access to these type of sites, they are aiding and abiding in a crime (stealing music, software etc). No matter the politics behind this… ISPs are increasingly doing things counter to the “law of the land” internet motto simply to protect themselves from suits by the like of various industries (music, movies etc) by showing that yes, they HAD done something to prevent a crime from occurring. Either way, it’s a tough nut to crack.
Jon
For several months, my Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone service worked almost flawlessly, and then I suddenly started have constant problems with the quality of my service. Comcast is my Internet Service Provider.
After months of trying to improve the call quality on my VOIP phone including: replacing my modem, at least 25 or more calls and e-mails to my VOIP providers and Comcast tech support, replacing VOIP voice terminals, switching VOIP providers, and 4 visits from Comcast technicians, my VOIP phone is still barely usable due to frequent packet loss and voice dropout.
With 2 of my calls to Comcast tech support, I was offered the option of switching to Comcast VOIP service (Digital Voice), or paying more to increase my internet bandwith. Of course whenever they check my modem and line, they tell me there are no problems with my internet service. But the technicans to my residence told me there were some problems with my service — nevertheless my VOIP phone remains unusable.
Without net neutrality laws Comcast can legally limit or filter my VOIP service, making it unusable and thus pressing me to sign on to their VOIP service because it uses ‘a dedicated private network’ – as per their customer service rep.
Unfortunately Comcast has a monopoly on my local high speed cable internet service. So when I choose to use a cheaper competing VOIP service, Comcast can decide to negatively affect the performance of that service. Comcast’s VOIP service is more expensive than most independent VOIP providers, but they control the network and they have the technology, the capability, and the incentive to selectively slow 3rd party VOIP traffic.
That just isn’t right.
I feel your pain with Comcast VoIP thing. At the office I use wide ideas as my VoIp provider. I pay Comcast’s grossly over inflated price of $100.00 per month for their crappy work place account and my VoIP sucks! If I try to make calls from home on Net Venture’s network VoIP performs flawlessly and I pay $29.00 per month for that service. Seems to me that Comcast is indeed the problem. I too have spent countless hours trying to improve VoIP performance at the office and have spent way to much time hearing that there is nothing wrong with my internet connection from Comcast’s support stoolies as well. COMCAST SUX!!!!!!I HATE ‘EM
Are they not sending out fraudulent packets? identity theft?
if the reset packets are falsely identified as originating from another source, would it not be possible to sue comcast for using our identity for their own gain(less packets) ?
is that not fraud ? identity theft ? what are the laws about this ? if comcast doesn’t get punished does that mean other identity theft violators will have a weapon in court?
This is what comcast speeds really look like. I have comacast and every night it drops. See for your self.
:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Download Connection is:: 2746 Kbps about 2.7 Mbps (tested with 4096 kB)
Download Speed is:: 335 kB/s
Tested From:: http://testmy.net/ (Main)
Test Time:: 2008/08/12 – 9:02pm
Bottom Line:: 48X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 3.06 sec
Tested from a 4096 kB file and took 12.218 seconds to complete
Download Diagnosis:: May need help : running at only 44.1 % of your hosts average (comcast.net)
D-Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/stats/id-NQI7AW4D1
User Agent:: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727) [!]
COMCAST is the BEST, most reliable network available today. Do he research, those who hate on it dont have the brains to do research, if your having trouble with your servic CALL IN! its pretty simple, i have also found that comcast has the best customer service. thank you comcast fro providing me with great service at an amazingly low price.