Clearwire To VoIP Providers: Get Certified Or, Oops, You Might Get Blocked
from the our-network,-our-rules dept
Clearwire execs adamantly deny the wireless ISP has purposely blocked any outside VoIP services, though some stories make that claim look dubious. The company pleads ignorance, literally -- saying it has a hard time telling the difference between VoIP traffic and a port scanner. So now it says that unless third-party VoIP providers get "certified" by the company, their service might get "inadvertently" cut off on Clearwire's network. The WISP says that it wants to better learn what VoIP services might look like on its network and be better prepared to deal with customer problems. But as it did when Vonage said it was being blocked, something smells fishy. First, Clearwire says it has to restrict VoIP, media streaming and other bandwidth-intensive applications to ensure performance on its network, then it says it can't tell what VoIP looks like on its network, so services might accidentally get blocked -- while it's already signed a deal with Bell Canada to sell VoIP to its customers. It's unclear exactly what is going on here, although two possibilities seem to stand out: maybe Clearwire's network isn't as robust as it would like people to think, or perhaps it's trying to hamper competing VoIP providers. It's a confused take on network neutrality, essentially saying that any service is okay, as long as it's one we've certified.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Clearwire blocking VoIP
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Re: Clearwire blocking VoIP
I have signed up for a year contract with Clearwire a week ago (Ireland). Buisness packet was installed as to increase the monthly bandwidth limit allowed. When I tried to use P2P applications as planed to do I have noticed that they struggle to connect to required server if connecting at all.
I have rang up tech support guys as the applications which I have signed up business packet for were blocked and was informed the following:
Though Terms & License agreement does not state that P2P applications will be blocked such traffic is monitored and blocked as it is considered a high bandwidth usage. I had a detailed discussion on what is "abusive" and what is just a bandwidth usage. As I am technical analyst myself and deal with such policies myself the clear explanation of my problem was passed on to Clearwire technicians as a high priority case.
The cust. service rep. informed that no PORTS are blocked on router as such, just a P2P action is disabled. As a workaround for my case would be to be assighned an external static IP address.
My point of this post is: CAN be P2P action considered as abusive traffic usage? If the constant http download would take place, I would consider that to be abusive action as well.
As P2P constant usage can effect the other users so the cust. supp. rep. pointed that such thing is stated in License agreement.
But I find a conflict between a License agreement and end-user policy. If the 50GB (in my packet) bandwidth limit is supplied does that not mean that I can use anything Until I reach it?
So mates what do you think, should this be escalated further. If interested I will paste a tech email reply.
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Re: Re: Clearwire blocking VoIP
I play counter-strike competively and since they started throttling bandwidth my ping to basically any game is just horrible and inconsistant due to their horrible upload limitations :o or just aim me at pstol0wnzj00 on aim :D
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Re: Re: Clearwire blocking VoIP
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P2P Connections
i recently sent an email to clearwire expressing my dissappointment with the fact that P2P cannot be used and the fact that they block ports and P2P.i will attach my email for you to look and let me know what you think.
i think we need a large amount of people to up against clearwire with this P2P carry on.i totally agree with anthony - they also told me it was to much internet usage but i fully agree with your comments outlined above
anyway here is my attached email - let me know what you think!
Dear Sir / Madam
I am a current subscriber of the clearwire service.However I must express my
utmost disappointment as to why clearwire who apparently offer a "Full
Broadband Service" to customers at 50 euros per month when other ISP's are
offering the internet at a reduced price, clearwire continues to block
certain ports and also P2P.
For 50 Euros per month i can access sites and thats about it!
So the product is offered as Broadband like any other broadband service and
as such the facilty to access P2P should not be blocked nor anything else
blocked for that matter.
I wish for somebody to investigate this for me and please report back to me
the reason why clearwire continues in this manner and what intentions, if
any are going to be done about it.
For people paying this kind of money a full service with no restrictions
should be supplied, you are an ISP at the end of the day!
Thank You
J
thanks all
John
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vonage vs clearwire
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clearwire
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ClearWire
Are they necessarily allowed to change their service like that?
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Re: ClearWire
I totally have the same experience! It was great for all of a month and a bit, then bam, less than 10K/s on anything. I can understand limiting p2p, but everything??? Second, I was assured, in print, of my upload and download, and now I find that it's really the pipe for all carriers in that cell? How can this be legal? That's like saying "you can buy a buspass, but mostly other people will be using it." without actually telling the purchaser the second half of that sentence. It can't be legal.
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CLEARWIRE ARE CRIMINALS!
End of story? No.
It is now a year later, and it appears they have given my "debt" (???) to a debt collecting agency.
CLEARWIRE ARE CRIMINALS! NEVER *EVER* DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE!
I have spoken to a number of people who tried cancelling their accounts with them, the same story except they weren't as determined so never got their STOLEN money back from them.
DO NOT HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THESE PEOPLE!
You have been warned!
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Clearwire blocking ports
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