FCC looses some regulatory authority over ISP's

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040601797.html

Normally, an agency having it's ability to regulate limited would be a cause to rejoice - in this case it is not. The court case was over COMCAST's ability to limit bandwidth or completely block some services. Yes, it's over torrents but it's more than that.

Some of you subscribe to COMCAST and are locked into 2 year contracts, in some areas they are the only broadband service available. Consider:

You use VoIP, but they want you to subscribe to their telephone service, so block VoIP.

You subscribe to NetFlix and watch video's over the Internet, but they want you to subscribe to their cable TV service, so block NetFlix.

You watch Russian TV on the web, but they offer this channel on a subscription basis for $10 a month, so expect access to Russia Today, Al Jazear, etc to be blocked.

I know for a fact that COMCAST will block all Internet connectivity if you use more bandwidth in a given month than they think you should and will switch it back on at the beginning of the next month.

Now what do you think will happen if the board of directors decides to block sites they think are bad or don't agree with, like forums that have "hate speech" or anything associated with certain political candidates...

I'm sure you can think of others...

How other ISP's respond to this ruling will be interesting, but censorship just came to the Internet in America.

-t

[evilfunnystuff]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040601797.html

I know for a fact that COMCAST will block all Internet connectivity if you use more bandwidth in a given month than they think you should and will switch it back on at the beginning of the next month.



I got Comcast's lowest grade business class to get around the cap, it is like 5 bucks a month more expensive and is 12 meg a second instead of 18. Though they still reserve the right to cap you for "unreasonable" usage and ask you to upgrade your plan if your use becomes "unreasonable", I have read of people using huge amounts over 1 TB/month a month without issue whereas the residential cap is 250 GB/month.

From what I've researched on the residential cap they don't shut you off immediately, but they send you as note the first time that if you do it again they will shut your service off and you wont be able to get it turned on for a year. Also people who have been shut off due to the residential cap have been able to immediately sign up for Comcast business class.

I hope they don't start censoring shit and blocking my Skype, Utorrent, etc. If they do I will have to do what I have to do.

[Dreamofunity]

I'm moving up to Tallahassee in a few months for school, and all that is available in the area is Comcast and CenturyLink.

Anyone know if I should avoid Comcast like the plague since I use torrents, or is it just slightly slower and very limited chance they're tell the copyright people on me?

For 12mbps download, 2mbps upload it's only $43 dollars with Comcast (16:2 for $53)

Where as for only 5mbps download, no stated upload with CenturyLink it's $50 (10mb for $55)

And I think Comcast offers a slightly better TV package for cheaper.

Does anyone know if it's worth going with a company that I've never heard of and is a bit worse and a bit more expensive to keep away from Comcast?

[Liberty Rebellion]

Forcing ISP's to treat all Internet traffic equally would be a nightmare.

First, you would have to define what kind of traffic they are actually talking about. Does Internet traffic mean traffic destined from one AS to a different AS under a different company? Or does it cover all traffic within the ISP's AS? Since "Internet" traffic can be from one ISP customer to another customer from the same ISP, I'm sure they'd deem all traffic on the ISP's network as "Internet"

I can't imagine having bureaucrats coming into my employer's network and telling us how we can and can't manage traffic. We provide services for our customers that require that their traffic get precedence over other traffic because they pay more for it and because it would work like crap if it didn't. Multicast video and VoIP being an example. If we were forced to treat this traffic equally to other traffic on our network the services would be rendered useless during times of congestion.

The problem I have with ISP marketing is they say up to 10Mbps as if you get that 24x7. They need to be more forthcoming on what it is and isn't that you actually get from their service and not bury it in their Terms of Acceptable Usage documentation.

[ivflight]

What is "AS"?

[UtahApocalypse]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040601797.html

Normally, an agency having it's ability to regulate limited would be a cause to rejoice - in this case it is not.


Anyone that is FOR Net Neutrality is not truly for free markets, liberty, or freedom. Yes, Comcast has a 'monopoly' in some area. Internet though is not a right. If you want service from another company start your own, or work with others to get one in your area.

This has happened in several towns and cities already where a board has been set-up and the ISP becomes a defacto city agency. There also is the chance of brining in other business rather then any Government involvement at all.


In your example you complain that Comcast may decide to block this or that. I would fear any Government regulation to do that more then a company. Comcast is in it to make money, they more services they take away, or charge more for the less customers they will have.

I may not find Comcast to be the best by limiting my 'unlimited' plan but overall I am satisfied to the point I rather have them then no internet at all. Should things change I will gladly check-in online at the library and wait out another service.

[Liberty Rebellion]

What is "AS"?

Autonmous System. its actually ASN where N = Number

It's a number used with BGP which is the routing protocol the Internet uses. Each private network that makes up the Internet is assigned a different ASN.

[evilfunnystuff]

I'm moving up to Tallahassee in a few months for school, and all that is available in the area is Comcast and CenturyLink.

Anyone know if I should avoid Comcast like the plague since I use torrents, or is it just slightly slower and very limited chance they're tell the copyright people on me?

For 12mbps download, 2mbps upload it's only $43 dollars with Comcast (16:2 for $53)

Where as for only 5mbps download, no stated upload with CenturyLink it's $50 (10mb for $55)

And I think Comcast offers a slightly better TV package for cheaper.

Does anyone know if it's worth going with a company that I've never heard of and is a bit worse and a bit more expensive to keep away from Comcast?

I have never had any issue with torrent throttling.

If you think you may go over 250Gb/month go with the business class to avoid issue with the monthly cap.

I believe the site says the lowest grade business class is 8 meg a sec but it has been upgraded to 12 and they will tell you that if you call and ask (real numbers from speed tests I've run show it closer to 18 and sometimes over 20.

[RM918]

We've been using Comcast for about 12 years, and I've never noticed a problem even though they've been reportedly doing this for quite some time. Their service has tended to be rock-solid reliable and, in fact, exceptional. I don't see why we'd change unless we ran into trouble.

[Dreamofunity]

I have never had any issue with torrent throttling.

If you think you may go over 250Gb/month go with the business class to avoid issue with the monthly cap. I believe the site says the lowest grade business class is 8 meg a sec but it has been upgraded to 12 and they will tell you that if you call and ask (real numbers from speed tests I've run show it closer to 18 and sometimes over 20.

What about privacy issues with copyright material and such?

Thanks for the input btw.

[ChaosControl]

Wow comcast sounds like a piece of crap.

My ISP doesn't restrict what site or kind of bandwidth I use, nor does it limit the amount. No way in hell I'd put up with it if they did. I like my torrents.

[Liberty Rebellion]

What about privacy issues with copyright material and such?

Thanks for the input btw.

I believe the ISPs are required by law to send a DCM letter to any IP address that belongs to them that was identified as downloading or sharing copyright material. It's typically the RIAA and MPAA that contact the ISPs and the ISPs send you a letter to cease and desist.

That's why you get peer guardian

Edit: it's called a DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice
http://www.chillingeffects.org/piracy/notice.cgi?NoticeID=973

[evilfunnystuff]

What about privacy issues with copyright material and such?

Thanks for the input btw.

I've never had any issues with this, but what liberty rebellion said above me is true and will hold true for any ISP

No problem, I'm glad I can help save you the time I spent researching this stuff. ;)

[Vessol]

Meh I have really mixed feelings on this.

[Dreamofunity]

I believe the ISPs are required by law to send a DCM letter to any IP address that belongs to them that was identified as downloading or sharing copyright material. It's typically the RIAA and MPAA that contact the ISPs and the ISPs send you a letter to cease and desist.

That's why you get peer guardian

Edit: it's called a DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice
http://www.chillingeffects.org/piracy/notice.cgi?NoticeID=973

I have peer guardian, and haven't had any issues with Verizon, but given that Comcast is known for looking at what you do (limiting torrents, I'd assume they know you torrent - I'm sure verizon does too but never heard of anything) I wasn't sure if it would be enough of an issue to not go with them. At least with Verizon that I have now, I feel as though they generally don't care what I do.


I'm guessing I'll end up going with Comcast since I just read some bad reviews of CenturyLink, it's faster, it's cheaper, and better TV for cheaper, and I'll definitely be on a budget when I move out. (Fast) Internet is also an essential for me.

[evilfunnystuff]

I'm guessing I'll end up going with Comcast since I just read some bad reviews of CenturyLink, it's faster, it's cheaper, and better TV for cheaper, and I'll definitely be on a budget when I move out. (Fast) Internet is also an essential for me.

You should consider not getting cable.

I can hook you up with sites to stream just about anything that is on tv.

This is one of my favorites they get most shows up within an hour of airing, and lots of shows in 720p HD. It can be a tiny bit annoying clicking the skip this ad button every once in a while(not during shows just when navigating the site every once in a while), but way less irritating than commercials.
http://beta.ninjavideo.net/tvshows

[Dreamofunity]

You should consider not getting cable if cash is an issue.

I can hook you up with sites to stream just about anything that is on tv.

This is one of my favorites they get most shows up within an hour of airing. It can be a tiny bit annoying clicking the skip this ad button every once in a while, but way less irritating than commercials.
http://beta.ninjavideo.net/tvshows

I already considered that. Most of my TV viewing is online at the moment anyways so I could easily do without it, but my girlfriend wants cable, I guess so we can sit together and watch cheesy cooking shows or something. I could probably get away with it if I had one of those chords that connects the computer to the TV, but we don't have a nice/new enough TV to do that either.

Thanks for the site, looks useful.

[evilfunnystuff]

I already considered that. Most of my TV viewing is online at the moment anyways so I could easily do without it, but my girlfriend wants cable, I guess so we can sit together and watch cheesy cooking shows or something. I could probably get away with it if I had one of those chords that connects the computer to the TV, but we don't have a nice/new enough TV to do that either.

Thanks for the site, looks useful.

If it was me I'd show her how to use it and get a new TV you can get a nice 30 inch LCD you can hook your comp to for about 300 bux these days maybe better if you shop around.

Not having to pay a cable bill would off-set that in just a few months then on top of saving the money on the bill you'd have a kick ass new screen.