Comcast packet-shaping WAN traffic

ThraxThrax 🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
edited October 2007 in Science & Tech
Comcast claims that it is merely delaying the traffic from P2P clients, however Ars draws the following analogy into play:

<blockquote>At the time I am trying to make the call, it's being actively blocked; calling it "delayed" is merely an exercise in semantics. Comcast is, in effect, impersonating the busy signal and preventing the phone at the other end from ringing by issuing TCP reset packets to both ends of a connection.</blockquote>


In response to Comcast's claim:

<blockquote>Another Comcast executive told the New York Times that the company "occasionally" delays P2P traffic, "postponing" it in some cases. His rather clumsy analogy was that of getting a busy signal when making a phone call and eventually getting through after several attempts. "It will get there eventually," is the takeaway message.</blockquote>


Unfortunately that is not the case. As a result of Comcast actively shaping packets on their network, connections are being indefinitely disrupted. Many users on the Comcast ISP are left with no alternatives, as Comcast is the only ISP in many US, particularly rural, areas.

Network neutrality at its finest. Cough.
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