Comcast Sued Over P2P

[Frank]

You can almost smell the fail in this lawsuit. The legal action is predicated on a report in the Newspaper, and is filed by nimrods who know absolutely nothing about how ISP’s work, nor do they understand the terms of service they agree to when going with a broadband provider.



The best analysis on the Comcast P2P issue is here. From the AP, via Drudge here:
A San Francisco Bay area subscriber to Comcast Corp.’s high-speed Internet service has sued the company, alleging it engages in unfair business practices by interfering with subscribers’ file sharing.



Read more here

[bkerensa]

Yeah I read about this and I am joining the class since I had Comcast Cable Internet and SBC Yahoo DSL at my place in SF.

You can almost smell the fail in this lawsuit. The legal action is predicated on a report in the Newspaper, and is filed by nimrods who know absolutely nothing about how ISP’s work, nor do they understand the terms of service they agree to when going with a broadband provider.






The best analysis on the Comcast P2P issue is here. From the AP, via Drudge here:
A San Francisco Bay area subscriber to Comcast Corp.’s high-speed Internet service has sued the company, alleging it engages in unfair business practices by interfering with subscribers’ file sharing.



Read more here

[MadDawg]

Though I doubt they'll win, I'd like to see it happen. Fair use should be enforced on ISPs. Throttling my P2P download so some iTunes nut can get his bandwidth isn't fair use. We both pay for the same speed, but because Comcast deems his use as legal or whatever, I lose. Businesses use P2P for legal purposes as are many other private entities...Throttling these type of connections is unfair business practice.

[Luvkittys7]

I'm not sure I understand. What exactly is Comcast doing? Lowering bandwidth if their customers have P2P software installed? Can someone please explain? So if I have Ares installed, would they have lowered my speed? Sorry for sounding so stupid, but I am, I guess...

[MadDawg]

I'm not sure I understand. What exactly is Comcast doing? Lowering bandwidth if their customers have P2P software installed?

In a long round about way, yes. Not exactly if you have the software installed, but if you use it. Say you're downloading a movie, Comcast will send packets to both ends of the session (you and the pc you're downloading from) telling them the other machine has closed the session. So, you can't upload or download through P2P. This happens randomly and is intermittent, but will slow your P2P connection and sometimes halt it.

They call it 'managing their network' by their TOS. I (among others) call it unfair business practice, and going against nearly everything Net Neutrality would stand for.

[Emeraldinlays]

I think it just lowers your bandwidth while files are being download or uploaded with a p2p program. I don't think they would lower it just if you have the program installed... would they? Hell, who knows anymore.

Here's another question for anyone who knows. Say you're downloading something with a p2p program and you pull up a browser and download a Windows update at the same time. Would the Windows update download be impacted, too, or just the file being downloaded on the p2p program?

"Otherwise, the RIAA and MPAA are going to read this lawsuit like its a menu..." That's some good shit from that article. Funny.

[Luvkittys7]

Well, all I am thinking at this point is LOL! Let 'em get me if they can!

Oh, and screw Comcast. I had them when I lived in Olathe and they suck. Lol.

[Dies Irae]

...filed by nimrods who know absolutely nothing about how ISP’s work, nor do they understand the terms of service they agree to when going with a broadband provider....

Make no mistake about it, Comcast is committing fraud by performing a MITM on connections. I can't see that being agreed upon in any AUP.

I've written up a bit of a long document detailing what Comcast is doing and why it happens to be somewhat illegal.

Recommended reading if you happen to be somewhat interested in what is happening with the whole fiasco.

Dies

[Alan]

Great stuff man...but why the grumpiness?

[Luvkittys7]

What I don't understand is how they can tell what your downloading. Or they can't? They just mess with you if you're downloading anything at all? And who the hell are THEY to police what we do with our (often expensive) cable service?