Comcast Blocking BitTorrent Unfair

File Under: News, Telecommunications

Feb 28, 2008

Washington, D.C. _ Comcast’s solution to so called “excessive use” by BitTorrent customers is not reasonable traffic management and is not justified, argues the Computer & Communications Industry Association in reply comments filed before the Federal Communications Commission Thursday.

Comcast told the FCC Feb. 13 it did disrupt BitTorrent traffic because customers were using too much bandwidth. “This ‘network management’ tool is really an excuse for discriminatory traffic blocking,” said CCIA President & CEO Ed Black. “Other broadband providers also use network management, but they don’t single out a particular application to limit or decrease its customers’ bandwidth, and then offer competitors different treatment.”

“An open Internet is important for innovation and growth,” Black said. “The Internet has prospered because access historically has been offered in a non-discriminatory way.”

CCIA-BBPracs-ReplyCmts_1.pdf