Really Comcast?

Alright, I think its safe to say that I at least attempt to keep a fair and open mind on things.  I try to hear people out, take in both sides of an argument even when I’m a part of it, and I attempt but don’t always succeed at understanding the other person’s point of view.  So, this bit of information from Gizmodo and Engadget really strikes me as a moment of what where they thinking.
 
Comcast has already taken flack for their rumored throttling of people who view Netflix, and there is ongoing conflicts about access and fees as noted on this Wiki page.  I have heard about ISPs having legal issues lately and Comcast is one of the largest ones in the country (when you include its subsidiaries).  ISP neutrality is becoming a hotter and hotter topic in the media and with the U.S. Government.

So then why would you do something that in my mind’s eye is so blatantly an open invitation to an anti competitive business practice?  Additionally it would seem to be that restricting the free data usage to XBox360 and still charging the PS3 and Computer users would be some form of discrimination against people who don’t own or can’t afford a XBox360, but would still like to use Comcast’s new streaming service… but I digress, let me start with the first point.

Keep in mind that I’m not a lawyer or any type of legal advisor, however this seems to me that there is a very fine line that Comcast is walking here.  Let me make some points to consider:

1. This directly affects how many consumers who are already pinched by number of internet connected/ready devices, are attempting to work with a tight connection limit.  I know several houses with 4 people (Not a large family mind you) that have to restrict things like Netflix to 2 hours a week per person to meet Comcast’s 250 GB data limit.
2. I’ll grant, however that service is already extended past the set top box Comcast provides to PCs.  This new deal works exclusively with XBox360s, leaving PC, iPad, Android, and others users to still have to use their data to get the same service.
3. While not explicitly stated this seems like it has the power to circumvent and interrupt normal cable internet service for other users in the household and neighborhoods. 

Let me explain the first point here.  I have talked with many people who have 4 or more people in their homes.  They all have net connected cell phones, they all have computers, and they all watch TV.  This is a fairly typical family I’m talking about here, everyone has their own life, as well as that of the one they share with their family.

The data cap created by Comcast hurts these families abilities to connect to the internet and use it fully.  Do a search on Google such as this one you’ll find complaints galore about the data cap and how it hurts people.  Considering the fact that we are increasingly connected… 10 years ago we had PCs and … that was about it, now we connect our Cell Phones, PCs, Game Consoles, Set-Top Boxes, Tablets, E-Readers, and move to the internet.  This policy went into effect officially Oct. 2008 according to Wikipedia and I personally have never seen the studies or grounds that Comcast used to create this arbitrary number.

By the way, take a look at the solution Comcast has offered people sometime…

Number two I think is fairly self explanatory… so I won’t go into more detail other then consider that the data connection a Comcast Internet subscriber is the same connection that the data will flow though for a Xbox360.  Number three is more complex and requires an understanding of how a cable internet connection works.  This image is a simplification of how the internet works with one thing excluded.  Between your house and the ISP are a series of connectors, and your entire neighborhood connects to one of these connectors unless you have fiber optic cable connecting directly to the ISP.

This means that as more people get online that 3.0 Download speed you have begins to drop.  More people, with more connections the lower it goes.  Because Comcast can control what packets of data get sent first, I can see their video data (i.e. your cable to your TV) being first then the data for the streaming, and then internet.  That means that your internet connection may suddenly be4come MUCH slower.

All of this is speculation and something to think about.  I’d love to hear some feed back on this so drop me a line.