Vuze Troubled By Cox Net Management
FCC is asked to look over Cox's peer-to-peer traffic management efforts
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/4/2009 12:22:34 PM
Vuze is joining Free Press and others in asking the FCC to scrutinize Cox's recently announced efforts to manage peer-to-peer traffic over its network.
Cox recently announced that it would begin testing this month a new method of managing high-speed Internet traffic in Kansas and Arkansas systems. At times of congestion, Cox said, "time sensitive" traffic, which it identified as Web pages, voice calls, streaming video and games, would continue "without delay," while "less time sensitive traffic" which it said included file uploads and peer-to-peer traffic, "may be delayed momentarily," but only during times of congestion.
Cox spelled out the new procedure in detail on its Web site. The FCC has told network operators that they need to clearly explain how they are managing their networks, and why.
But Vuze, which uses peer-to-peer protocols to deliver HD programming, said it took the announcement "personally," and felt like it was being made a "second class" citizen. In a blog posting, Vuze General Counsel Jay Monahan said: "We join Free Press and others in calling for close scrutiny by the FCC of Cox's activities affecting peer-to-peer traffic."
He also said that since Cox was treating streaming as time-sensitive and peer-to-peer program delivery as less so, "it would appear that under the new Cox regime YouTube and Hulu (and of course Cox services) are high priority, while Vuze's similar services are relegated to the back of the bus.
He also said Vuze would be monitoring for any interference to its programming using some Google-backed tools for measuring interference with bit torrent traffic.
Vuze was involved in the network management debate over Comcast's management of bit torrent traffic, which the FCC ruled violated its nondiscrimination principles.
Vuz at the time petitioned the FCC for a clear set of rules on reasonable network management, rather than its case-by-case enforcement of principles.
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