

Cable giant defends Data Discrimination policy with 80 pages of chaff
















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Comcast is a Monopoly
By eyebeeemmpawn on 2/19/2008 1:10:46 PM , Rating: 3
First of all, Comcast has a monopoly. Just because Comcast and the other major cable providers have split up their areas, doesn't mean there is any competition.

I live in northern vermont. Since adelphia handed the reins over to Comcast the cost of basic cable internet has increased from ~$50 to ~$65 after taxes and fees.

If there was an actual free market here in the US, then this wouldn't be an issue. Customers who cared about this sort of "helpful" "traffic-shaping" would just leave for a provider who wouldn't impose this BS on them. Comcast might then say: "oh man, after people found out, XX% of our customers left. Maybe that was a stupid idea, maybe we should give our customers what they want instead of what makes us more money." And that my friends is healthy, market-driven competition.

If the government would just do the job that it was intended to do, we might actually a free market, not just a distributed monopoly. I believe a free market might help clear up a lot of issues that people have had. Comcast wouldn't be dragging there heels on admitting to this, they'd be scrambling to save their market share by doing away with it, and maybe dropping prices for a change.

Cable Internet vs. DSL != Competition.

RE: Comcast is a Monopoly
By lexluthermiester on 2/19/2008 3:31:39 PM , Rating: 2
I live in Salt Lake, UT and here we have Comcast, Utopia, Three different DSL providers[That all run through Qwset lines], Bi-directional Satellite and of course dial-up. I can sign up for 6mbps DSL for $45 after taxes. You live in a more developed area than I, so perhaps you should do some home work... I did a check and in Vermont there is Verizon Fiber & DSL @ 6 to 10 mbps, Speakeasy DSL @ upto 15 mbps and a few different satellite providers... eyebeeemmpawn; you have plenty of choices, pick one if you don't like Comcast. Granted, I have no love for them, but we both have choices.

As for the Comcast filtering[false disconnect pockets] of BitTorrent, I use the Azureus client and have the encrypted connections setting on. I also use a non standard port, which gets rotated once a week. I've had no issues with any level of bandwidth. And honestly if they ever did manage to "filter" my BT traffic, I'd simply go to a different carrier. Boohoo, I'll get over it. Qwest doesn't allow traffic shaping and neither does Utopia...

RE: Comcast is a Monopoly
By TomCorelis on 2/19/2008 3:43:14 PM , Rating: 2
Most Americans don't have your luxury.

RE: Comcast is a Monopoly
By eyebeeemmpawn on 2/20/2008 9:14:04 AM , Rating: 2
yeah, there are DSL options, but why don't you go ahead and try to get service somewhere here in Vermont? Fast DSL would be an option for me, but its not available at my house. Maybe you should do your homework. Not to mention that DSL charge would require a home phone line as well. I haven't had a home phone line is 7 years.

But again, I'll repeat my original statement:

Cable Internet vs. DSL != competition

I'm glad to hear that in other parts of the country you have options. But you're only kidding yourself if you think that having a cable internet option, and a dsl option is competition. The bills have increased ~20% in 2 years, with no increase in service level. Not to mention the customer service is absolutely terrible.

What will happen here is, they will charge "what the market will bear". But the market is set by Comcast, so the price will continue to creep up as they see fit. People will cancel when they just can't justify the expense. But with the increased profit margin on the remaining customers, what is their motivation to stay competitive? They're the only choice.

RE: Comcast is a Monopoly
By lexluthermiester on 2/20/2008 6:14:54 PM , Rating: 1
The point of my post was to point out that you DO have other choices, as with most people. And the $47 6mbps DSL connection included a basic phone line[dial tone] connection. Based on your challenge I did a little more research on the matter. I don't have your exact address[and don't want it], but DSL coverage seems to be an option for about 90% of Vermont's populace. Satellite is 100% of the USA and starts at 10mbps, full duplex. So really if you don't like Comcast, go with something else.

