On Wed, 10 Jun 2009, Dan Rue wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 01:24:28PM -0500, Chris Barber wrote:
>>    I just did a bandwidth test using [1]http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/.
>>    My download speed is 28,998kbps and upload is 6,864kbps from the Chicago
>>    server.  23,694kbps down and 4,087kbps up to the Seattle server.  These
>>    numbers aren't 100% accurate since I am uploading some backups while
>>    performing the tests.
>
> I'm pretty sure comcast games these tests.  Try uploading and
> downloading a large file for more accurate numbers.


I also had that impression, but it is a fair kind of game.  I think they 
give you more bandwidth for the first bit of upload/download and then 
throttle it back a bit.  That is really a good thing (obviously?) but it 
would be deceptive for people who care about moving really big files 
(e.g., DVD ISOs).  I say that it is a good thing because it makes most 
everyday use really super fast while keeping total bandwidth usage to a 
reasonable level so that price doesn't jump up too much.

The thing I object to about Comcast is that they seem to operate in 
secret.  They won't just tell you what you can do or can't do, what kinds 
of things they will interfere with, how bandwidth really works, etc. 
We've seen this many times from them (e.g., people accuse them of things 
which they deny).  They have to be sued or they won't admit anything. 
It's a little troubling.  I could be wrong but this is the impression I've 
been getting in the past couple of years.

Mike