Background: Late yesterday (Nov. 14), Vuze, a Palo Alto-based company that uses BitTorrent to distribute video content, filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission asking for rules to prevent telephone and cable companies from blocking, degrading or unreasonably discriminating against legal Internet applications.
The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:
“Here is another example of harm caused by Comcast's back-door excuse for network management. Vuze is a startup that provides high-quality video content using peer-to-peer technology that is working hard to attract licensed content partners for viewing while providing an innovative experience for its customers who want to upload their own video.
“As the company's petition makes clear, Comcast's actions frustrate Vuze's business and force the company to devote resources to play a 'cat and mouse' game with Comcast in order to maintain superior service for its customers.
“With the Vuze petition, as well as the complaints and petition for declaratory ruling filed by several public interest organizations, including Public Knowledge, the Commission now has a variety of options that allow it to act to prevent discrimination on the Internet disguised as 'network management.' We hope the FCC acts promptly before even more harm is done to more consumers and to more companies.”
A copy of the Vuze petition is here: http://www.publicknowledge.org/pdf/vuze-petition-20071114.pdf
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.