NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Re: Comcast Will Slow Heavy Web Users' Traffic for Up to 20 Minutes
This should actually be taken as a VERY good sign for network-neutrality types.
Firstly, this is behavior under congestion. Thus it does NOT kick in
unless there is congestion. So all the "Use of off hour bandwidth"
models still work. (They may get clobbered by USPS, but they still
work)
Secondly, this applies to upload as well as download. Comcast's big
problem is uplink bandwidth, not downlink. The rollout of DOCSIS 3
will initially only help the downlink (its changes on the CMTS side)
and will only help the uplink if/when users have their cable modems
replaced.
Thirdly, this is VERY transient. 10-20 minutes means that, reasonably
quickly, normal (best effort) behavior is restored, yet long enough
that apps would not benefit from "shrew" style pulsing, so it resists
gaming.
Fourthly, it is VERY good for the rest of the customers. Why should
my short transfers be slowed because someone is doing a big bulk
transfer? Under TCP, the time averaging is instentanious. But over a
longer time-average, a large group of bursty users is getting far
worse service than a few heavy users. Especially when a couple of
heavy torrent users (which clog uplink first, thanks to symmetry) can
ruin your day.
Fifth: It doesn't prevent widespread Video on Demand. In fact, if
that occurs, they find out about it quickly as the fairness mechanisms
only work with a strong distribution of users. IF you have a lot of
heavy users, it fails.
Finally, which would you rather have? Fairness enforcement under
load, application policing, or bandwidth caps?
Yes, comcast is evil monolistic cable company. Every ISP is an evil
monolithic cable company or wants to become one.
But if they were interested in "protecting their video on demand"
services, bandwidth caps/bandwidth based billing would do a far better
job and pass FCC muster far easier.
[ Uh, but Nick ... It looks like we're going to be getting
exactly that *too*: bandwidth caps/bandwidth based billing!
-- Lauren Weinstein
NNSquad Moderator ]