Broadband News

UK and US broadband providers are looking to review the way that customers download data over the internet, it has been noted.

Following his recent commentary on the way that British internet service providers are managing data traffic during busy periods, Guardian commentator Jack Schofield has noted that Comcast, a major US ISP, is currently involved in talks with BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer filesharing program, to create an agreement that will give people fairer access to data.

The issue is prominent in the UK, where ten per cent of internet users currently account for 75 per cent of network traffic, Mr Schofield noted in an earlier article.

Currently, UK ISPs manage the problem by limiting the amount of data that can be downloaded by individual users during peak periods, ensuring that the internet works for everyone, albeit at a slower rate.

"One answer is just to charge file-sharers, say, £1-£2 (or $2-4) for each gigabyte they download," Mr Schofield suggests.

For the moment however, Comcast will be following the lead of UK providers and limiting traffic for heavy users, with BitTorrent positive about finding agreeable solutions for its users in the future.