Comcast Changes Approach

After being publicly battered for messing with BitTorrent traffic, Comcast adopts another strategy. The cable giant is trying out a new way of managing network traffic; this time the ones to be targeted would be heavy users, a change from the programs favored by bandwidth hogs. As stated by Comcast it only takes a rather small number of users to create the serious clog on its broadband network and make things much slower for the rest of the users.

Testing is planned to start today and Comcast intends to put together a blacklist of its heaviest users who may soon have the surprise of a “special” treatment - their Internet speeds being slowed down during highest point network hours, no matter what application would be used in downloading. The company ensures that the method will not have a cutback effect on most users.

"When we roll this out nationally by the end of the year, all those types of questions will be answered," Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas told The New York Times. "We are trying to figure out what do customers want, what techniques need to be in place to create the best user experience."