Is Rogers Blocking Podcast Downloads?
from the more-info-please dept
We've talked in the past about how various ISPs want the right to control their pipes to block out things they don't like. Sometimes it's competitive applications, but many of these companies like to defend their actions by saying they need to block certain applications to protect their network. This is often the argument given for blocking things like BitTorrent, from providers who say it eats up too much bandwidth. Of course, many of these providers are selling "unlimited" bandwidth -- so it really looks like they're just unable to live up to what they're selling. Still, even in cases where they claim they're just protecting their network, things are going to get very confusing very fast, as plenty of perfectly legitimate applications make use of the full power of that network. Boing Boing is pointing to a discussion forum claiming that some Canadian ISPs are blocking the download of Podcasts via iTunes, because it downloads the file from multiple sources. There's almost no evidence to support this, so it might not even be true (if anyone does have evidence one way or the other, please post it here), but either way it does show how such restrictions become problematic. An ISP might put in place such restrictions early on assuming that any traffic like that must be for illegal purposes -- but then they're caught off guard when others use the same technology for perfectly legitimate reasons. Update: Plenty of people are suggesting the story isn't true -- which is a good thing. However, it doesn't take away from the questions about how this issue will be handled in the future. Traffic shaping or trying to block one kind of traffic just opens up a lot of troublesome questions.
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.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not True
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
P.S. I can download without problems on mine. They are traffic shaping a lot of stuff however.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Can download ITunes podcasts fine, but BitTorent i
(see http://news.fudo.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=15 )
I have verified that it is being packet shaped because BitTorrent works OK on Shaw when you use a client that encrypts the header so that it's not recognized as BitTorrent.
All those denials from them earlier this year ring just a little false now that I've spent literally days trying to figure out what was wrong, and even purchased a new router/firewall to see if that had anything to do with it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not True
Let me tell you something. I was told one thing by 1st level tech support and something rather different by 2nd level support. Nobody there is offering a believable explanation of what's going on. At least at the 2nd level of support they don't bother with the worn out "it must be your router" routine. It's certainly not just an iTunes Music store issue. I can't even get streaming audio from various sources anymore.
I don't know what you do at Rogers but although there doesn't seem to be any hard evidence to confirm what they are doing, what they're not doing is looking like they are taking this situation very seriously.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
downloads just fine.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rogers server blocking
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
The irony is that Rogers sells their ultra high speed service for which we pay a mint under the banner "Now YOU control YOUR internet". Riiiiiiight!!
I wonder how long it will be until our Vonage telephone service falls under the packet shaping hammer. We’re talking Lord of the flies if that happens. ;-)
The sad part is that Rogers is completely clueless about what they are doing this type of filtering kills off innovative services such as Podcasting Not to mention that some of us (many) are willing to buy songs from iTMS and as a result we get shafted because of an uninformed service provider like Rogers. Shameful, truly Shameful...the sad part is that Bell is no better.
Take the time to complain to Rogers. Also please go Digg this story at www.Digg.com. Its great that Corey BoingBoing'ed this but we need to make sure that the message is heard.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
personal emails are blocked by ROGERS
I am not on her blocked senders list.
Any ideas ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]