Comcast Disconnect Dastardly Die-Hard Downloaders

Some ISPs are going to worry that people with lost of internet activity are going to tie up the lines for other users – understandably they want to do something about it. Many ISPs solve the problem by alienating P2P filesharers specifically; some go slightly further and alienate particular users of particular filesharing software; others just want to set arbitrary limits, not tell their users what these limits are, then issue warning notices when the unknown limits have been crossed, Zero Paid reports.

Comcast, bless their souls, fall into the latter category. The ISP recently announced a crack-down on BitTorrent traffic (while other P2P filesharing applications like Ares appear to be safe); even more recently it has started sending its customers warning letters reprimanding them about their internet use. But what are the limits? What is an acceptable level? Who knows? No-one. And Comcast isn’t going to tell us. Further, customers are not being given the option of monitoring their internet use so that they can control the level of usage. It’s an absolute stumble in the dark.

Comcast spokesman Charlie Dougals said that it is just “ addressing the problem of abusive activity that adversely impacts on everybody else’s experience.”. He isn’t able to give the number of customers who have been disconnected, either. It’s all very mysterious.

We understand that ISPs are finding bandwidth increasingly in demand and, as a result, increasingly expensive. But to take it out on one sector of its userbase seems a little unfair. Online gamers? Those streaming radio all day? Is it for the ISPs to arbitrate on what is a legitimate use of its resources?

Posted on 12 September 2007 by mike in News