In response to the news that Comcast and BitTorrent will work together to resolve issues regarding peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing (story here), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin is asking Comcast to provide its broadband subscribers, as well as the Commission, with a commitment date for when it will stop arbitrarily blocking its Internet customers from using certain applications.
"I am pleased that Comcast has reversed course and agreed that it is not a reasonable network management practice to arbitrarily block certain applications on its network," Martin said . "I also commend the company for admitting publicly that it was engaging in the practice and now engaging in a dialog with BitTorrent.
"I am concerned, though, that Comcast has not made clear when they will stop this discriminatory practice. It appears this practice will continue throughout the country until the end of the year, and in some markets, even longer."
A Commission hearing, set for April 17, offers the opportunity for the FCC to fully explore what constitutes reasonable network management practices, including the ability for network managers to block the distribution of illegal content, Martin said.
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein had the following to say regarding the Comcast-BitTorrent news: "The hallmark of the Internet has always been its openness, which is why it has transformed the way we communicate. We will need to learn more details about the recent agreement between BitTorrent and Comcast, but it is encouraging that broadband providers are listening to the chorus of consumer calls for open and neutral broadband Internet access. These discussions should continue with other applications providers and the broader Internet community."
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