Firewall Wizards mailing list archives
Re: The home user problem returns
From: Mason Schmitt <mason () schmitt ca>
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 14:26:32 -0700
Brian Loe wrote:
I'm not sure I follow the purpose. The customer is being sold a certain amount of bandwidth and you are providing it. The customer isn't entitled to more than the contracted bandwidth and you're not entitled to restrict the customer's bandwidth below the contracted rate - right? I mean, here at home the local cable provider throttles down your connection if they notice you using something like Shareaza. Their excuses start with the bandwidth argument, but that doesn't hold if I'm paying for 3mb, I should get it or they shouldn't sell it. Their next excuse is security, and being the security minded guy that I am, I can almost relate. BUT... no, they're a utility company. I'm BUYING my bandwidth from them and therefore MY safety is MY problem - I expect them to provide me with bandwidth (and that's all) and to protect themselves on their own time and dime. Am I wrong here? If so, let me know.
I think you're wrong. When you have irate customers on the phone saying that the fact their computer is infected is your fault, or that they are getting all this spam and we should be doing something about it, or that their connection is horribly slow and we explain that it's because their computer is filled to the gills with spyware and the customer has accidentally left a p2p app running that allows un-restricted uploads, then I do think that the ISP should be doing something about it. If enough customers demand something of a business, it's generally within that business's best interest to listen to their customers. If you happen to be in the minority that doesn't want or need this sort of service, then perhaps the ISP can find a way to give you access to your crap, but if it's going to affect the other users that have expressed that they don't want that crap, then you're probably going to find yourself hunting for another ISP. I expect and hope that this is exactly what more and more ISPs will begin to do, now that the problems are getting so bad. -- Mason _______________________________________________ firewall-wizards mailing list firewall-wizards () honor icsalabs com http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards
Current thread:
- The home user problem returns mason (Sep 07)
- Message not available
- Re: The home user problem returns Mason Schmitt (Sep 08)
- Message not available
- Re: The home user problem returns Antonomasia (Sep 12)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: The home user problem returns Mason Schmitt (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns Brian Loe (Sep 13)
- Re: The home user problem returns Mason Schmitt (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns Brian Loe (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns Marcus J. Ranum (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns Brian Loe (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns Brian Loe (Sep 13)
- Re: The home user problem returns Jim Seymour (Sep 13)
- RE: The home user problem returns R. DuFresne (Sep 13)
- Re: The home user problem returns Mason Schmitt (Sep 13)
- Re: The home user problem returns David Lang (Sep 14)
- Re: The home user problem returns mason (Sep 14)