Comcast to skip today's FCC hearing

The Federal Communications Commission is holding another hearing on broadband network management practices today, this one at Stanford University in California. The hearing reportedly will focus on the information disclosures service providers should make to customers regarding what they will get when signing up for a broadband service package, as well as the what responsibilities service providers have to manage traffic in a fair manner for all users. Unlike the previous Net neutrality-themed FCC hearing at Harvard University on the opposite coast, neither Comcast nor P2P/P24 technology firm Pando Networks is planning to attend this one.

Perhaps it looks like Comcast fears the wrath of FCC chairman Kevin Martin or the general anti-Comcast sentiment likely to arise at the hearing, but in truth, Comcast has been working with key P2P companies like Pando and BitTorrent to improve network management practices affecting the P2P user community. Martin can continue his college tour like a bespectacled, un-cool (but funnier) version of Dane Cook, while Comcast and others do the heavy lifting to actually remedy this situation. Comcast was indeed in the wrong for delaying P2P traffic last year, and then just plain stupid for acting initially like it had not happened, but regardless of its current motives, this company is making some progress working directly with P2P companies.

For more:
- see this story at The Wall Street Journal

Related articles:
Comcast and Pando are working on a P2P user "Bill of Rights" Comcast report 
Comcast hired seat fillers for FCC hearing Story on Comcast's fight with the FCC