Broadband Fools

Broadband, everything is dependent upon broadband to move to the next level of services, content, etc via the Internet. The single use most driving the expansion of broadband right now is P2P trading. So what do European ISPs want to do now? Limit usage – could they be more retarded?

Fast net providers find themselves with a tricky dilemma as file-swapping becomes one of the most popular broadband activities.
The ability to get hold of music, video and software at the touch of a button for free is proving a major draw for people making the switch to fast net services.

But sharing material that is copyrighted is illegal and file-swapping is causing a huge drain on the bandwidth, and consequently the pockets of service providers.

File-sharing – known as peer-to-peer (P2P) networking – has all the elements of being the perfect online activity.

….According to analysts Jupiter Research, file-sharing in Europe is growing at a phenomenal rate, with over 75% of broadband subscribers using P2P networks at least once a month.

This means that networks are being swamped with file-sharing traffic and the amount of bandwidth they use is causing serious headaches for providers.

“Although not the only factor in driving internet users to broadband, file-sharing has proven to be broadband’s first killer application,” said Jupiter analyst Dan Stevenson.

….Monthly data limits will increasingly become the rule rather than the exception, expects Jupiter Research.

This will force users to either adapt their newly-learned broadband behaviour or pay a heavy price for being bandwidth hogs.

….ISPs appear to be in a no-win situation, either continuing to bear the brunt and cost of heavy network traffic or face the wrath of users by introducing punitive charging for using bandwidth-heavy services.

Some of the UK’s smaller ISPs have already grabbed the bull by the horns.

Andrews & Arnold is offering a tiered service, charging £60 a month for totally unlimited access and a more reasonable £29.95 for a service with bandwidth restrictions.

UK ISP Sniff Out, true to its name, sniffs out those people using P2P services for more than six hours a day and moves them to a different part of their network. [BBC]

Work around it, solve the problem, help resolve the copyright mess, have a clue.