Comcast to modify network practices

By Peter Kaplan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cable operator Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) promised on Thursday to change how it manages its network in response to accusations it blocks some Internet file-sharing services because they require large amounts of bandwidth.

But Comcast's move did not go far enough to satisfy the top U.S. communications regulator. Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, vowed to continue investigating the management practices of broadband providers and whether they discriminate against certain applications.

Comcast, which has more than 13 million broadband subscribers, said it would adopt a new technique for managing capacity on its network by the end of 2008. The new practice will not discriminate among different applications.

The cable giant has been accused by consumer groups of blocking some file-sharing services, such as BitTorrent, that distribute TV shows and movies on the Internet.

"This means that we will have to rapidly reconfigure our network management systems, but the outcome will be a traffic management technique that is more appropriate for today's emerging Internet trends," Comcast Chief Technology Officer Tony Werner said in a statement.

Comcast said it planned a "collaborative effort" with BitTorrent and the broader Internet and ISP community to work out a growing dispute over how far Internet service providers should go in managing traffic moving over their networks.

The dispute over so-called "net neutrality" pits open- Internet advocates against some service providers such as Comcast, which say they need to take reasonable steps to manage growing traffic on their networks.

The FCC has been investigating complaints from consumer groups that Comcast blocked some file-sharing services. The issue also has attracted scrutiny from lawmakers in Congress.