Cox to test new way to handle Internet congestion

Cox to test new way to handle Internet congestion

m.apnews.com

By PETER SVENSSON
Published: Today

NEW YORK (AP) - Cox Communications, the third-largest U.S. cable company, stepped on to the battleground of the "Net Neutrality" issue Tuesday, saying it will be trying out a new way to keep its subscribers' Internet traffic from jamming up.

Starting on Feb. 9 in parts of Kansas and Arkansas, Cox will give priority to Internet traffic it judges to be time-sensitive, like Web pages, streaming video and online games. File downloads, software updates and other non-time sensitive data may be slowed if there is congestion on the local network, Cox said.

The news is sure to revive the debate about Net Neutrality, or the question of how much Internet service providers like Cox can interfere with subscriber traffic. Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable company, was sanctioned by the Federal Communications Commission last year for its method of traffic management, which involved secretly stifling file sharing, a certain type of Internet traffic. It was the first time regulators waded into the issue.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Here we have Cox Communication(Which has a regional monopoly on the southern part of Nevada, and in other states) trying to essentially regulate network traffic by priority. They have been accused of using similar measures to target file-sharing computers on a network for the MPAA and the RIAA, essentially hacking a network and spying on it's users.

These new rules and tools would allow Cox Communications to set priorities on internet traffic depending on the type of data being sent. They are essentially picking packets out of the networks of private users and controlling how their network prioritizes the data. This takes all the control out of the Users hands and puts it squarely in the hands of corporations who are likely to have government influences. It's just another NSA spy tool as far as I'm concerned.

Cox Communications is not the only player in the bunch. Comcast and a few other telecommunications providers are also jumping in on the regulation of internet traffic, essentially violating internet neutrality. I don't think I need to tell you what the consequences of this could be. Should the NSA decide the want to spy on whole networks without warrants, they could and likely will, as this new technology makes it alot easier to sort out certain information, including but not limited to, private information about users.

Start using those high-encryption rate messengers, and start using programs like TOR. Visit sites like Scroogle. And encrypt your emails. If you don't know how you can find tutorials online.

m.apnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

please read the following article from cox:

www.cox.com...

Now take the tin-foil hat off your head!!!
What they will be doing is called "Traffic Shaping"". I work in the Catv industry and this is going to be one way to combat congestion problems in their CATV systems. They are doing this so that priority users (voip/911 calls) are going to get first priority on their systems. This will probably be used in areas that already are suffering from upstream congestion problems and can't be rebuilt or have the nodes split to try to ease the congestion issue. This will be a cheap way to try to solve their problem. Just to let you know, this will be the norm in a few years so get used to it!! They are not going to look at what you are saying or doing, and they don't care what you are downloading either. The purpose of this is prioritize what is on the system. So, If it gets busy your bit torrent download or your limewire service is going to be a little slower than usual....WAAAHHHH!!! They are going to be implementing other tools as well, such as DOCSIS 3 upgrades in certain areas. This should also help with speed and congestion issues as well. Like I said previously, this will probably only be used in areas where congestion traffic is heavy and they need to make sure VOIP phone works.

reply to post by projectvxn


Give them an inch they will take a mile. Give them a fingernail and they will take the whole arm.

This is just the beginning and they will always have a plausible and rational excuse.

We have known for a long time that this was coming. They are not going to make it easy for us to compare notes. Their survival and success depends on keeping us ignorant, sedated and distracted. They have to be able to control all of what we see and hear.

It is time to unplug from these vipers. We have to develop another way. Fast.

ARNOMANNN

Obviously you haven't been reading any news reports on the NSA's wiretapping and domestic spying program. This program is far reaching and pervasive. And it is also obvious that you don't understand the implications of marrying Cox's new program with EXISTING domestic spying programs. This isn't a tin foil issue, it is real.

I have read the articles about the domestic spying program and I know about the potential that it implies, especially like you said. I also know the industry and believe I know the people in it. We"cableguys" aren't like that and the industry isn't going to take a chance of losing customers to FIOS services over this. It's all about money right now. You the customer have the power and they know that. If you feel you can't trust your ISP, you can always change. As far as I know, FIOS doesnt employ any traffic software since the bandwidth is both 100 meg up and down-That's fast!!!

With all due respect, some of your cable guys might not be cable guys. The NSA wiretapping program was unknown to most people at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and a whole host of other telecoms. There were people assigned to those rooms that no one had seen before, yet they thought nothing of it because they had the credentials. Believe me, there are likely a host of government personnel that are in your office that you know nothing of. This is, of course, nothing new. Cox has many government contracts. It is something one should expect to see from time to time. But ask yourself if you really, really know what they are doing there.

reply to post by ARNOMANNN


Or they could use some of their profits and petition for money from the government to upgrade the entire american internet/communications infrastructure like they should have done ten years ago.

High speed Internet is essential for economic growth and global competitiveness. The United States – the country that invented the Internet – has fallen from 1st to 15th in high-speed Internet penetration.

High-tech innovation, job growth, telemedicine, distance learning, rural development, public safety, and e-government require truly high-speed, universal networks.

speed matters