Comcast's Congestion Catch-22

An anonymous reader sends us to Telephony Online for a story about Comcast's second attempt at traffic management (free registration may be required). After the heavy criticism they received from customers and the FCC about their first system, they've adopted a more even-handed "protocol agnostic" approach. Nevertheless, they're once again under scrutiny from the FCC, this time for the way their system interacts with VOIP traffic. By ignoring specific protocols, the occasional bandwidth limits on high-usage customers interferes with those customers' VOIP, yet Comcast's own Digital Voice is unaffected. Quoting: "The shocking thing is just how big a Pandora's box the FCC has appeared to open — and it just keeps getting bigger. When the FCC first started addressing bandwidth usage and DPI issues, it quickly found itself up to its knees in network management minutia. Not long after that, it followed another logical path of the DPI question and asked service providers and Web companies about their use of DPI for behavioral targeting. Now it seemingly has opened up huge questions about what it means to be a voice carrier in the age of IP. It's not hard to imagine the next step: What about video? Telco IPTV services are delivered in roughly the same way as carrier VoIP services — via packets running on the same physical network but a prioritized logical signaling stream. Is that fair to over-the-top video service providers?"

Second Post...

[paintballer1087]

It would have been first, but someone was on the phone.

Re:Congestion?

[stim]

Step 1) double every users available bandwidth Step 2) charge by the meg Step 3) PROFIT!

911

[WindowlessView]

If you have VOIP, don't set your kitchen on fire during high congestion periods. Please people, a little take a little personal responsibility.

Re:I-N-V-E-S-T!!!!

[quonsar]

Why do you hate America so?

Re:To pipe or not to pipe.

[Kugrian]

That's just great. ColdWetDog (752185) replying to Frosty Piss (770223). Mod me offtopic, but at least smile as you do it.

Re:Congestion?

[HangingChad]

I doubt the problem is up at that level anyways.

It's probably the NSA's traffic cloning and storage system that can't keep up with trying to record all of America's VOIP calls. We're sorry, but this mailbox...United States of America...is full.

Re:I think this could speed things up

[jimpop]

That is just way too much effort for pleasure. It's much simpler to twist a belt around your neck until you pass out. The rush is amazing! Every AC should try it a few dozen times a day. :-)