Comcast finds change challenging

Comcast is piloting a new, slower service for users that consume more bandwidth than others — regardless of what they use it for.

"At the busiest times of the day on our network (which could occur at any time), those very few disproportionately heavy users, who are doing things like conducting numerous or continuous large file transfers, may experience slightly longer response times for some online activities, until the period of network congestion ends," Comcast rambled in a letter to selected customers.

The test will last 30 days and occur in Warrenton, VA and Chambersburg, PA, MediaPost writes. It may also extend to Colorado Springs, CO.

The company fell under media fire last year, when it admitted to "throttling" the bandwidth of torrent site users. Last March it partnered with BitTorrent, part of a commitment to change its unpopular practices. Nonplussed, the FCC said it would keep investigating the management practices of broadband providers.

Lawmakers have generally erred on the side of 'net neutrality, or hierarchy-free internet for all users. But Comcast is hardly the sole broadband provider concerned about increased bandwidth demand. Time Warner plans to test a pay-per-download model in Beaumont, TX.

Rates would range from $29.95/month for 5GB of bandwidth to $54.90 for 40GB. Users who exceed their allotment will be charged $1 per extra GB.

Meanwhile, companies like Verizon and Nortel explore bandwidth-optimizing opportunities that do not result in a tiered online structure.