Broadband supplier puts limits on peer-to-peer services

READERS USING CABLEVISION'S "Optimum" broadband connections have received a message in a bottle from the firm warning them that using a list of peer-to-peer file services could mean the firm might restrict access to its services.

It sent a message to some of its customers yesterday headed "potential security brief" and listed which peer-to-peer file services could cause their bandwidth to be throttled, if the file sharing option is not disabled.

The services Cablevision specifies are Aimster, KaZaA, iMesh, Audiogalaxy, eDonkey2000, NeoModus, BearShare, Gnotella, Gnucleus, GTK-Gnutella, LimeWire, Mactella, Morpheus, Phex, Qtella, Shareaza, SwapNut, and XoLoX.

Cablevision's justification is that these peer-to-peer file services mean "the entire Internet can access the files on your hard drive".

It also claims that using these services can lead to network problems. "That may result in your upstream speed being temporarily reduced to control this abuse of service," the message continued.

Cablevision has a restriction against "running servers" in its terms and conditions, it said.

"We want you to stay online and stay protected while enjoying the best performance of Optimum Online high-speed Internet access," the email added.

But one reader described the email as "obnoxious and weird". He said: "What I don't get is, unless I reconfigure or am some how stealing my Internet access, or opening up my network to neighbours or something, I'm entitled to use all the available bandwidth I like. That's the point. The commercials don't say, 'hey, we want you to spend 30/40bux a month on 'faster' access, but won't really let you use all of it'."

One of the major selling points for broadband, he said, is the use of peer-to-peer networks.

He wrote to Cablevision, saying: "The obnoxious notice telling users to not use specific applications and/or features, beyond being chillingly Orwellian and communist like, is counter to the ads you used initially to sell broadband services. Peer-to-peer networks are wonderful tools that enable many kinds of legitimate activities."