FCC chief plans to recommend sanctions against Comcast

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin will recommend sanctions against cable company Comcast for allegedly blocking access to file-sharing traffic, the Associated Press has reported.

"The commission has adopted a set of principles that protects consumers' access to the Internet," the AP quoted Martin saying. "We found that Comcast's actions in this instance violated our principles."

The AP said Martin would circulate the order to his fellow commissioners on Friday, who will vote on the measure at an open meeting on August 1.

Comcast has been sharply criticized in recent months for slowing down peer-to-peer traffic on its network. The cable company said that traffic was using too much bandwidth, and caused degradation across the rest of its customers.

The FCC held hearings on the topic in February.

Martin's order would require Comcast to cease blocking the traffic, and give the Commission and consumers details about the practice, as well as detailed information on how it planned to manage its network in the future, the AP said.

I'm trying to figure out what this is supposed to mean "Martin's order would require Comcast to blocking the traffic". Should it be "Martin's order would require Comcast to stop blocking the traffic"? You might need to update that part.

[jamalystic]

I think this is a much welcome move by the FCC and one which will definitely boost its image again. Many users have accused the FCC over the years of failing dismally to protect the privacy of users. Some even call for the abolishment of the FCC becaus eof their gross incompetence: Abolish the FCC!(http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=466&doc_id=140252&F_src=flftwo)

[humanssssss]

The Internet, like public roads, is too important to let private companies control access. It is the free unfettered access to the Internet that induce the growth of the 21st century.

Comcast can increase their price but do not block access or filter content. Don't be like China Great Firewall.

[zeroplane]

Comcast it's Craptastic!

[McPlot]

What is up this guys $%&. I mean really, look at what he is doing. He keeps nailing cable companies with everything he can. Not just Comcast. Then letting companies like Dish and Verizon do anything they want. The rules should be the SAME for both. Not favoring one over the other.

As for the bit torrent issue, GO COMCAST! Slow people down from stealing copyrighted material. Claim you use it for legal reasons all you want, but face it, 99% of Bit Torrent users were downloaded copyrighted material. Games, movies, TV shows. As for TV shows from other countried such as Animee, there is no such thing as Grey material. It is still stealing it. If the only people using it were using it for legal reasons, Comcast would not have done anything as it would not of caused problems for the network.

[catbutt5]

Here's a question for the FCC to ask...
What are the legalities of a company that oversells it's capacity to such a degree that, as Comcast puts it, a "few" users can disrupt service for all?
Wouldn't it be illegal for say a concert promoter to sell one million tickets to a stadium they know will only hold 10,000 people?
It's not like people are demanding anything more than what Comcast is supposedly selling them.

[baisa]

CHARGE A FLAT CONNECTION FEE PLUS METERED RATE FOR CONSUMPTION.

Sheesh.... WHY is this so difficult for ISPs to get through their skulls? What other substantive utility (saving perhaps water in some places) is unmetered????