Observing traffic prioritization in Comcast’s network

http://ber.gd/post/23025893856/comcast-traffic-prioritization

by dalton • 14 years ago

104 27 14 years ago

zbowling• 14 years ago

Sooo.... if comcast prioritizes Xfinity traffic at a DOCSIS level and not an IP level, it's not violating net neutrality?

bdb7• 14 years ago

hey Zac. I'm the author of the post.

That, or something like it, is Comcast's argument. Which makes no sense. This is a video streaming service, it's prioritized, and it's delivered just like other video streaming services are. Hopefully the data reflects this.

dillera• 14 years ago

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Cable_Communications_Policy_A...

Cable transmissions are not 'internet video' transmissions. They are different. Your cable tv is a 'video streaming service' too. Xfinity tv is probably a cable communications ie. cable tv, not an internet communication (i.e. streaming tv). It's how you define it to the FCC.

recoiledsnake• 14 years ago

The key is that Comcast does not stream its conent to nomn Cable TV subscribers. If it did, it would bea violation, but this just seems like an alternative way of accessing Cable TV, which still needs to compete with Netflix/etc on price and content.

ars4• 14 years ago

> This is a video streaming service, it's prioritized, and it's delivered just like other video streaming services are.

So is pay per view. Rephrase your argument in such a way that pay per view is allowed and this isn't. You can't, because your argument is incorrect.

Pay per view is allowed, and so is this.

awolf• 14 years ago

When I load this on my iPad a white div appears and covers up the text after the page finishes loading. Anyone else?

thirdsun• 14 years ago

Yes, same for me.

kordless• 14 years ago

Hit the stop (x) after the content loads. Worked for me.

ghshephard• 14 years ago

Yes - completely unreadable on an iPad for me, alas!

bdb7• 14 years ago

Fixed. Sorry!

ars4• 14 years ago

"Because the Xfinity traffic is mapped to a different DOCSIS service flow when prioritized, it is exempted from the downstream rate limit, so my total bandwidth usage stays consistently higher than my service tier would normally allow."

And? So what's the problem? That's sounds exactly right to me: The xfinity traffic runs over and above any bandwidth limits you have for your regular internet.

i.e. using xfinity has zero negative effect on your regular bandwidth.

Was that the point you were trying to make? That comcast is doing this right? Because if you were trying to accuse comcast of "prioritization of traffic in violation of the terms of the Comcast/NBCU Consent Decree." then your post proves exactly the opposite of that.

bdb7• 14 years ago

If you read the decree:

  If Comcast offers consumers Internet Access Service under a
  package that includes caps, tiers, metering, or other
  usage-based pricing, it shall not measure, count, or 
  otherwise treat Defendants’ affiliated network traffic 
  differently from unaffiliated network traffic.  Comcast
  shall not prioritize Defendants’ Video Programming or
  other content over other Persons’ Video Programming or
  other content.

It's not about Comcast using your bandwidth, it's about them offering services which third party providers "can't," because their traffic is not treated equally.

[edit: formatting]

ars4• 14 years ago

Did you know that when you watch pay per view on your TV using comcast it runs on the exact same lines as your internet?

So are you saying comcast can not provide pay per view?

They can not prioritize the internet part of their service "network traffic", but as you yourself proved this service doesn't use your internet bandwidth, even if it uses TCP/IP. It runs using its own section of the cable line. It doesn't matter that it uses DOCSIS, or TCP/IP. Comcast is well within their rights to use their cable lines for TV service.

> it's about them offering services which third party providers "can't,"

Yes, that's true - comcast offers cable TV, and other providers can't. Shouldn't you be complaining about that too?

The difference is this: I pay for internet bandwidth - comcast can not then use that bandwidth in a way that prioritizes their own services. But if comcast wants to provide me extra bandwidth to my house, and then run a service over it, that's perfectly OK.

BTW you should get kudos for including all the data in your post. I'm arguing with you using the data that you yourself gave me, which isn't a great way to argue (I should really go and get my own data). So you get credit for that, but I'm sorry, your conclusion is just incorrect.

jostmey• 14 years ago

My advice is to stay away, far away, from Comcast. I wish I never had the misfortune of having to work with such an incompetent, corrupt organization. But alas, I am stuck in a year long contract that auto-renews without my re-authorization.

WireSpeed2• 14 years ago

So, hypothetically speaking, modifying traffic as it flows through a linux firewall in order to change the DSCP field to the values used by Comcast would be useful in avoiding the caps on traffic levels.

cllunsford• 14 years ago

This article only looked at downstream traffic, so all the bandwidth management is done before you can touch the packets. On the upstream, Comcast is certainly re-marking (overwriting) the QoS values based on their own priorities.

WireSpeed2• 14 years ago

Ohh netflix!! Think we have the solution for your problems....

Didn't mention what side of the traffic you do this on :)

Cyndre• 14 years ago

The important part to this article isn't that they are doing this. Its that they are back tracking on their own statements of why the caps were needed in the first place.

If you remember when they were arguing for the caps the main reason was the cost to deliver to the last mile. This clearly shows that is not the case as they have given all of their customers additional bandwidth above and beyond their stated plans.

Kind of makes the reason for caps in the first place null and void.

Observing traffic prioritization in Comcast’s network

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