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Comcast
Posted by Adam Pash at 9:00 PM on October 23, 2007
US-centric: According to Comcast, they're not blocking BitTorrent traffic—they're just delaying it (one might say the difference is negligible)—not that there aren't several ways to circumvent BitTorrent throttling.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
EdGriebel
Posted 10:46 PM 23/10/07
@shibathedog:
How can they get away with it? Same reason a dog licks himself -- because he can.
EdGriebel
shibathedog
Posted 11:50 AM 23/10/07
Thats the biggest cop out BS statement I've ever heard. "We are just delaying it" How can they even get away with saying something so stupid?
shibathedog
dlab
Posted 9:58 AM 23/10/07
@massysett:
I've got news for you, somebody seeded YOUR Ubuntu download. In fact, somebody needs to seed EVERY file that you download via BitTorrent, otherwise, you'd never be able to get the whole thing. It's usually considered "good manners" to upload at least as much as you've downloaded (i.e., until you ratio for that file is above 1.0). If you download and you disconnect as soon as you have the file, you're what people in the BitTorrent community call a leecher.
I'm sure you don't care now, but BT is rapidly growing as an efficient delivery method for large files which will become much more prominent as more people embrace TV over IP and on-demand delivery of rich content.
Also, I have no problems seeding using my Comcast account in Atlanta, but it has been happening more slowly than in the past.
dlab
UnStatusTheQuo
Posted 9:56 AM 23/10/07
Chicago (and everyone else caught under the Comcast packet curtain) needs FiOS! A choice other than DSL and satellite would be nice.
UnStatusTheQuo
massysett
Posted 9:37 AM 23/10/07
Just downloaded the new Ubuntu via Bittorrent; came in fast, no problems.
From what I've seen, Comcast is blocking seeding, which seems reasonable to me.
Big tempest in a teapot here. A small minority of users use Bittorrent, yet they are the ones who will whine the loudest. Let them switch to DSL. I've got no problem with Comcast taking steps to curb the enormous bandwidth usage of a small minority of users. They should, however, be honest about what they are doing.
massysett
sumocat
Posted 9:34 AM 23/10/07
@heavylee-again: Comcast has competition -- Verizon (their FiOS package offers everything Comcast does). Unfortunately, they seem to be competing to see who can screw the most customers.
sumocat
BitWrangler
Posted 9:30 AM 23/10/07
Write your congressmen! Congresswomen! (Congresspeople...? Congresspeoplez? Congresspersons?) Consumers would benefit from true competition amongst the cable companies.
BitWrangler
heavylee-again
Posted 8:28 AM 23/10/07
Please God, oh please, send us competition against Comcast.
heavylee-again
serpicolugnut
Posted 8:07 AM 23/10/07
OK, Comcast, I'm not blocking your payment, I'm just delaying it. You know, until my financial network is in order.
Maybe their new slogan can be "Comcast - The Internet - Delayed."
serpicolugnut
GrinnDaddy
Posted 9:02 AM 24/10/07
For a more lighthearted (and slightly retarded) look at the issue: [www.grinn.net]
GrinnDaddy
SeanG
Posted 1:52 PM 24/10/07
@sumocat: I'd love to dump Comcast and go with Verizon FiOS (which may in the future start crapping on their customers, but for now seem to be upholding net neutrality). However, in the Portland area where I live, FiOS is only available in the western and southwestern suburbs (Beaverton, Hillsboro, etc.) These are the old ITT phone service areas that now get their POTS from Verizon. Unfortunately, Portland proper is Qwest country, and Verizon has made it clear that they aren't going to tread on Qwest's turf... which means no FiOS in one of the supposedly "most-wired" cities in the country :-(
SeanG