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Comcast bumps its trial data caps to 1TB
The frustration with Comcast's trial data caps doesn't just center around their existence -- it's that they're too low for many users. A 300GB monthly limit isn't much in an era where even software updates can chew up a few gigabytes, let alone 4K videos or downloadable games. However, Comcast is tackling some of those complaints. It's increasing the cap in all its trial regions to 1TB by June 1st, regardless of what tier you're using. That's still not ideal, but it reduces the chances that you'll have to choose between watching Netflix and backing up your photos.
AT&T offers unlimited data on U-verse, with a catch
AT&T's U-verse internet service has had data transfer caps for years, but they're about to come off... if you're fiercely loyal to the company, anyway. The telecom is re-introducing unlimited data on May 23rd that will be free of charge, but only as long as you're also subscribing to either DirecTV or U-verse TV on the same bill. Determined to cut the cord? Unfortunately, it'll cost you $30 extra to get that same privilege.
FCC Chair proposes new data privacy rules for consumers
Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler made his case for an ambitious plan to better defend consumer data privacy on Wednesday. His proposal would effectively govern how ISPs can leverage user data for marketing and advertising purposes in the same way that that the FCC already regulates data collected by your phone company.
Google Fiber comes to Alabama through a city-run network
Until now, Google has had to build Fiber's gigabit networks the hard way, either from scratch or by making deals to use some existing lines. It's about to try something new, though: the search firm is bringing Fiber to Huntsville, Alabama by using a not-yet-finished municipal network. Huntsville Utilities will "design and construct" the fiber optics, while Google and other providers will simply ride on top. There's no timetable for when Google Fiber will be ready (that's contingent on Huntsville), so you shouldn't expect to sign up any time soon.
Comcast outage hits cable and internet service across the U.S.
Comcast customers woke up to a major service outage across the country this morning, with some users reporting issues tuning into service channels, as well as internet troubles. In a statement, Comcast acknowledged the problems, and later noted in that its engineers have fixed most of them. We're still waiting on more details about what happened, but it looks like most of the Twitter complaints using the #ComcastOutage hashtag have died down.
Comcast customer's Raspberry Pi bot tweets when speeds are lousy
No one likes complaining to an internet service provider, but it's especially frustrating when you're not getting the performance you're paying for. Many ISPs refuse to do anything unless your speeds are truly glacial, even if the slowdowns create serious problems. Well, Comcast customer AlekseyP has devised a clever way to make his voice heard: he created a Raspberry Pi-powered Twitter bot. The machine automatically tweets his speeds to Comcast whenever the downstream rate falls below 50Mbps, or a third of the 150Mbps he's supposed to be getting. The approach saves him the trouble of calling out Comcast himself, and catches those speed drops even when the house is empty.
Comcast switches on the first public gigabit cable modem
Comcast's gigabit internet access doesn't officially go live until sometime in 2016, but that isn't stopping the company from flicking the switch a little early. The cable giant recently activated what it says is the first public-facing DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem in the world -- a fortunate customer in Philadelphia now has the kinds of speeds that previously required either a partial fiber optic link or jumping through lots of hoops. There are additional tests running in parts of Atlanta, northern California and Pennsylvania, too.
NY Attorney General wants public to report broadband speeds
If you're a New York resident, here's your chance to tell the state government how bad your internet service really is. The state's Attorney General wants the public to test their broadband speeds and report the findings as part of an investigation into ISP speed and service claims. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman asked citizens to pitch in on Sunday as his office continues to examine whether or not the likes of Verizon, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision provide lower broadband speeds than what customers are paying for.
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ISPs warn UK snooping law will cost time and lots of money
The Investigatory Powers Bill, aka the new Snoopers' Charter, aims to clarify and extend the UK government's surveillance capabilities. Of the proposed changes to existing legislation, one of the biggest is the requirement that all British ISPs store the last 12 months of browsing data so that it may be accessible to government agencies. The draft bill still needs the approval of the House of Commons and House of Lords to become law, so the finer details aren't yet set in stone, but the UK's major internet providers are already advising it'll be a big ask. Speaking to the bill's joint committee yesterday, execs from BT, Sky and Virgin Media warned the capture and storage of Internet Connection Records (ICRs) would be both costly, and could take several years to implement.
The Pirate Bay won't be blocked on its home turf
Numerous countries order their internet service providers block The Pirate Bay, but its home country of Sweden won't be one of them... at least, for now. A Stockholm court has ruled that Sweden can't make ISPs block the piracy site, since those companies aren't responsible for what their customers do. The networks aren't participating in any crimes, according to the ruling -- they're just the delivery medium.
Comcast leak shows that data caps aren't about congestion
Many internet providers with data caps (especially in mobile) will tell you that those limits exist to prevent network congestion -- that's not necessarily true, but it's the official line. However, Comcast isn't even trying to make that claim. Leaked support documents show that the cable giant's customer service reps will deny that the expanding internet caps are about congestion in any form. Instead, the ceilings are about "fairness" and offering a "more flexible policy" to subscribers. Also, Comcast is telling agents to avoid describing cap-free areas as having unlimited usage. Instead, staffers are supposed to tell you that unfettered areas are still subject to Comcast's longstanding 250GB soft cap -- the company just isn't "currently enforcing" the limit. In other words... it's unlimited.
Internet providers invest in networks despite net neutrality jitters
If you ask most big US internet providers, they'll swear up and down that the newer, tougher net neutrality rules will kill investment in their networks. Surely the only way to promote growth is to loosen regulation, right? Well, not quite. After digging through carriers' earnings, Ars Technica has determined that most big ISPs have been spending more on upgrading their networks in recent months. Comcast's capital expenses increased 11 percent year-over-year, largely due to newer-generation home equipment; it's also launching pushing hard on multi-gigabit service. Time Warner Cable also spent 10 percent more upgrading its network in the first nine months of the year. Telcos like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have seen mixed spending, but they're still pushing harder than ever on services like gigabit internet and upgraded cellular data.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership could spell the end of filesharing sites
According to documents leaked by Wikileaks -- specifically, the TPP's finalized chapter on Intellectual Property -- the days of filesharing sites could quickly be coming to a close. Per the agreement, which would be enforced across all 12 member states, ISPs would be required to "remove or disable access" as soon as they "become aware" of a court decision that deems a piece of content infringes upon an existing copyright. This is a more extreme version of America's DMCA takedown notices and would effectively tie domestic ISP actions to another nation's legal decisions. So if, say, a court in Malaysia says a piece of content infringes on a Malaysian copyright, ISPs in America (really ISPs in all 12 member nations) would be required to remove it -- regardless of whether or not it infringes upon any local copyrights.
Cablevision buyout makes Altice the fourth-largest US cable operator
Cablevision, an iconic US cable TV company founded in 1973, has been purchased by France's Altice for $17.7 billion. The sale has been approved by shareholders and is expected to go through in the first half of 2016. "Nearly half a century later, the time is right for new ownership of Cablevision and its considerable assets," said CEO James L. Dolan. Not included in those assets, however, is Cablevision's Madison Square Garden company -- the Dolan family will keep the downtown New York arena, along with Radio City Music Hall and the Rangers and Knicks pro sports franchises. It's also holding onto AMC Networks, the home of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead.
India will partly reverse its online porn ban
It looks like the Indian government's broad attempt to block internet porn didn't last long. Officials say they'll lift a ban on many of the 857 sites just recently cut off for being "immoral and indecent." They should be fine as long as they don't promote child porn, the country's communications minister says. It's not certain what prompted the change of heart, but a public backlash didn't help -- critics argued that the censorship violated personal liberty and wouldn't be very effective given the ease of finding alternatives. As it stands, Indian researchers argue that it's more important to tackle sexual violence than keep images of consenting adults off of people's screens. [Image credits: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh]
India blocks hundreds of sex sites in the name of 'decency'
India's government has been threatening to crack down on porn in the country, and it looks like the administration has made good on its word. The Department of Telecommunications has blocked 857 sex sites (including everything from Fleshbot's blog through to hookup site Adult Friend Finder) in the name of "decency." While the restrictions may not affect everyone -- some mobile users report unfettered access, for example -- they're definitely noticeable on at least some landline internet providers. Officials claim that India's IT Act grants them the authority to block content if it preserves "public order" and prevents sites from inciting crimes.
Comcast's 2Gbps internet costs you up to $299 per month
Are you determined to trump your Google Fiber-toting friends by signing up for Comcast's 2Gbps Gigabit Pro service? You'd better have deep pockets. The telecom has revealed pricing for its multi-gigabit data tier, and it'll cost you up to an eye-watering $299 per month. Comcast is testing a more reasonable $159 per month (on a 2-year contract) in Chattanooga and other cities, but it's still patently obvious that Pro is aimed at the speed-at-all-costs crowd. The rate also doesn't factor in gotchas like the activation and installation fees, which can cost up to $500 each.
FCC appoints an ombudsperson to hear your complaints
As it promised when it made broadband a "Title II" utility, the FCC now has an ombudsperson in charge of "open internet questions and complaints." The regulator appointed Parul P. Desai to the job, who previously worked as communications policy counsel for the non-profit society behind Consumer Reports. If you've got a beef, you'll be able to contact her office by phone, email or the "file a complaint" section of the FCC's consumer complaints website. Chairman Tom Wheeler first dropped the idea of an ombudsperson last year when he decided to forge ahead with new net neutrality rules.
Slow broadband? Ofcom says you can ditch your contract
While the UK's broadband coverage is expanding, its infrastructure is only maintained by a few providers. With little overlap, some areas suffer from a lack of investment, which often means that speeds are lower than advertised. Those affected have previously had little choice but to put up with it, but a new ruling from communications regulator Ofcom could change that. The watchdog has announced that it will let consumers escape broadband contracts if speeds "fall below expected levels."
Tennessee sues the FCC to stop city-run internet
By re-classifying broadband internet as a utility, the FCC has effectively declared that it's a right, nay a necessity, for every American. That's why it also dismantled laws in states like Tennessee that restrict municipalities from supplying broadband and competing against private companies like AT&T and Comcast -- often with much better services. But on the same day that the broadband industry sued the FCC to stop net neutrality rules, the state of Tennessee also sued the regulator to overturn its city-friendly decision. It claims that the FCC "has unlawfully inserted itself between the State of Tennessee and the State's own political subdivisions," calling it "arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion."
