GNG News Guy
03-27-2008, 05:52 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/90/13090.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-Not-So-Impressed-With-Comcast-News-93045)
As we mentioned this morning (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Comcast-Claims-Theyll-Stop-BitTorrent-Throttling-93022), Comcast will be changing their traffic shaping practices. As already noted, it's too early to tell if Comcast's new practices will be any better than the old ones, or if Comcast plans to be any more forthcoming with its customers. One thing's clear: FCC boss Kevin Martin isn't particularly impressed. In a statement (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-281165A1.pdf) (pdf) released this afternoon, Martin had this to say about Comcast's supposed "protocol agnostic" epiphany:I am concerned, though, that Comcast has not made clear when they will stop this discriminatory practice. It appears this practice will continue throughout the country until the end of the year and in some markets, even longer. While it may take time to implement its preferred new traffic management technique, it is not at all obvious why Comcast couldn t stop its current practice of arbitrarily blocking its broadband customers from using certain applications. Comcast should provide its broadband customers as well as the Commission with a commitment of a date certain by when it will stop this practice.
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, who recently told rural America that the FCC's inaccurate data says they don't actually have a broadband problem (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/86061), was far less critical. He was, in fact, "delighted (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-86A6.pdf)" with Comcast and took the opportunity to wax poetic on the luminous brilliance of the free market -- even though it was the threat of regulation that partially forced Comcast's hand. Other Commissioners took a wait and see position.
Perhaps Comcast will expand on their plans at the upcoming April 17 hearing in Stanford (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/92780), but it's pretty clear that a single, vague press release (or Q&A sessions with Comcast lawyers where nothing is actually said (http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9904689-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20)) aren't going to get the FCC boss off the cable giant's back.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-Not-So-Impressed-With-Comcast-News-93045)
As we mentioned this morning (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Comcast-Claims-Theyll-Stop-BitTorrent-Throttling-93022), Comcast will be changing their traffic shaping practices. As already noted, it's too early to tell if Comcast's new practices will be any better than the old ones, or if Comcast plans to be any more forthcoming with its customers. One thing's clear: FCC boss Kevin Martin isn't particularly impressed. In a statement (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-281165A1.pdf) (pdf) released this afternoon, Martin had this to say about Comcast's supposed "protocol agnostic" epiphany:I am concerned, though, that Comcast has not made clear when they will stop this discriminatory practice. It appears this practice will continue throughout the country until the end of the year and in some markets, even longer. While it may take time to implement its preferred new traffic management technique, it is not at all obvious why Comcast couldn t stop its current practice of arbitrarily blocking its broadband customers from using certain applications. Comcast should provide its broadband customers as well as the Commission with a commitment of a date certain by when it will stop this practice.
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, who recently told rural America that the FCC's inaccurate data says they don't actually have a broadband problem (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/86061), was far less critical. He was, in fact, "delighted (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-86A6.pdf)" with Comcast and took the opportunity to wax poetic on the luminous brilliance of the free market -- even though it was the threat of regulation that partially forced Comcast's hand. Other Commissioners took a wait and see position.
Perhaps Comcast will expand on their plans at the upcoming April 17 hearing in Stanford (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/92780), but it's pretty clear that a single, vague press release (or Q&A sessions with Comcast lawyers where nothing is actually said (http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9904689-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20)) aren't going to get the FCC boss off the cable giant's back.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-Not-So-Impressed-With-Comcast-News-93045)