DailyTech - Comcast Nailed with P2P Traffic Shaping and Throttling Class Action

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Internet Comcast Nailed with P2P Traffic Shaping and Throttling Class Action
Purav Sanghani - November 15, 2007 2:36 PM

120 comment(s) - last by FoSTeX.. on Nov 18 at 3:24 AM

Comcast's recent practices of throttling P2P traffic has finally attracted a class action lawsuit from a frustrated customer

Comcast's bandwidth limitting and peer-to-peer traffic sabatoging traffic finally caught up with the company. A class-action lawsuit has been filed (PDF) by residents in the state of California against Comcast.

Jon Hart, the plaintiff, claims Comcast Corporation committed a breach of contract by violating Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, the Business and Professions Code section 17200 and 17500 and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act by practicing the management of P2P-based traffic including throttling bandwidth and "transmitting unauthorized hidden messages to the computers of customers who utilize such applications."

The class-action includes "all persons in California who purchased the Service [Comcast broadband Internet] between November 13, 2003 and the present and used or attempted to use peer-to-peer or online file sharing applications and/or Lotus Notes."

The plaintiff represents all persons who have used P2P and file sharing applications, but there is no mention of exceptions where copyright infringement/piracy is involved.

Hart's submission seeks contract damages for compensation of the impeded service, but does not specify an amount.

Recently, many other ISPs such as Canadian-based Bell Sympatico confessed to using traffic management to restrict access to accounts based on the type of application or protocols they are using. However, Comcast is still the first company to get hit with a lawsuit for such practices.

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RE: I can't wait...

By mindless1 on 11/15/2007 9:44:46 PM , Rating: 2

People using P2P or Lotus Notes are throttled regardless of whether their bandwidth was excessive. Bandwidth is a non-applicable factor and not what this discussion, news, suit is about.

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RE: I can't wait...

By clovell on 11/16/2007 11:02:38 AM , Rating: 1

That seems to be rather arbitrary, then. I'm sure the courts will work it out. I'm not familar with all the particulars as the link to the lawsuit wasn't working when I first posted.

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RE: I can't wait...

By Grast on 11/16/2007 12:01:58 PM , Rating: 2

mindless,

That is an assumption which you can not back-up. Please post your proof or it is just hearsay.

Everyone is missing the point. A consumer is signing a service contract with Comcast. The specifics of the service contact are layed out in the terms and agreements. These items are available to the cusomer prior to requesting service. The consumer is NOT being misled by the provider (Comcast). The level of service being provided by Comcast is as such:

1. X bandwidth for X dollars.
2. Service Expectations - bandwidth is not guaranteed.
3. Service Reliability - provider has the right to manupulate your traffic as they see fit.

It is cut and dry. I just do not see everyone's point. You are paying 40-60 dollars per month for a 6/8 meg pipe to the Internet. At this price level, service restrictions exist.

If you do not like those restrictions, upgrade to business class service type. Of course, you will pay 500 - 1000 dollars a month for 1.5 megs of bandwidth. You will probably be required to buy 2500 - 5000 dollars worth of equipment. However, you will have a service contract which states the provider is REQUIERED to deliver your traffic to the Internet with NO restrictions. You will even probably get a static IP address. Bonus.

I believe this issue boils down to on issue. Consumers believe the 40-60 per month SHOULD guarantee them unstricted access to the Internet. I am sorry but that is just not the level of service being offered.

Later..

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RE: I can't wait...

By mindless1 on 11/16/2007 10:49:02 PM , Rating: 1

You're kidding right? That's what prompted all these news articles, independent tests that show it. Do the readings already instead of trying to place the burden on others.

I should clarify that I am using the term throttling to also mean traffic shaping because to me "traffic shaping" is a bullshit term, a sugar coating on reality, it's still throttling when you are being prevented from having full bandwidth paid for regardless of how they try to excuse it.

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