Companies also announce plans to test Pando Network Aware(TM) P2P
technology on Comcast's network to identify faster and more efficient ways
to deliver legal P2P content
PHILADELPHIA and NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast Corporation
and Pando Networks, Inc. announced today they will lead an industry-wide
effort to create a "P2P Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" (BRR) for
peer-to-peer (P2P) users and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The two
companies plan to collaborate and engage with industry experts, other ISPs
and P2P companies, content providers and others to set a framework for the
BRR that can serve as a best practice. The purpose would be to clarify what
choices and controls consumers should have when using P2P applications as
well as what processes and practices ISPs should use to manage P2P
applications running on their networks. For example, P2P users should have
the right to control their computers' resources when using P2P
applications.
In addition, Comcast and Pando plan to conduct a test of Pando Network
Aware(TM) P2P technology on Comcast's fiber-optic network. The purpose of
the test will be to capture and analyze the data flow associated with
downloading a file using Pando's P2P application. These tests, along with
tests Pando will conduct on a variety of other ISP networks, including
cable, DSL, fiber and wireless, will measure things like performance,
speed, distance and geography as well as the bandwidth consumption impact
to the ISP. Comcast, Pando and the P4P Working Group plan to publish the
results of these tests so other ISPs can benefit from understanding how P2P
applications might be optimized for traveling over different types of
networks in different environments and geographies.
Today's announcement builds on Comcast's March 27th announcement to
collaborate with BitTorrent and the broader Internet and ISP community to
more effectively address issues associated with rich media content and
network capacity management. It also builds on Pando's recent announcements
of its P4P test results which demonstrated Pando's ability to reduce
network congestion and speed content delivery by routing P2P traffic more
effectively across cable, DSL, and fiber broadband networks.
The Pando test will provide additional data to help Comcast migrate to
a protocol-agnostic network management technique by the end of this year.
The arrangement is yet another example of how these technical issues can be
worked out through private business discussions and without the need for
government intervention.
"Working together, Comcast and Pando can help lead the discussion about
what consumers should expect in terms of a 'P2P Bill of Rights and
Responsibilities' for P2P users and ISPs," said Tony Werner, Comcast
Cable's Chief Technology Officer. "Doing so is in the best interest of
everyone involved -- ISPs, P2P companies and consumers. We hope to get
other industry experts, ISPs and P2P companies together this spring and
publish the 'P2P Bill of Rights and Responsibilities' later this year. By
having this framework in place, we will help P2P companies, ISPs and
content owners find common ground to support consumers who want to use P2P
applications to deliver legal content."
"At Pando, we have always believed that good P2P applications give
users control. Now we are committing to lead the industry in codifying
that," said Robert Levitan, CEO of Pando Networks. "In addition, we need
more data and analysis of how P2P applications deliver content over a
variety of different networks. By sharing the test methodology and results,
all P2P companies and ISPs can learn how to more efficiently deliver legal
content. This will ultimately benefit consumers who are relying on P2P
programs as well as content providers who are interested in delivering
their content to consumers where and how they want it."
Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is
the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and
communications products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers,
13.2 million high- speed Internet customers, and 4.6 million voice
customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management
and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming
content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment
Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout,
TV One, ten Comcast SportsNet networks and Comcast Interactive Media, which
develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a
majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the
Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball
team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
About Pando Networks Inc.
Pando Networks (http://www.pandonetworks.com) is the leading provider of
managed P2P content delivery services. Pando technology combines the
reliability and control of CDNs with the scale and cost efficiencies of P2P
protocols. Pando co-chairs with Verizon the P4P Working Group that is
developing methods to enable ISPs and P2P service providers to route data
more efficiently. Pando is funded by Intel Capital, BRM Capital and
Wheatley Partners. Pando has received numerous industry awards including:
AlwaysOn 100 Top Private Company, TechCrunch Connected Innovator, C/net
Webware 100 and Web Video Summit 2007 Hottest Products of the Year.
SOURCE Comcast Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.pandonetworks.com
CONTACT:
Charlie Douglas of Comcast, +1-215-286-3353,
charlie_douglas@comcast.com; or David Buckland of Pando,
+1-212-343-8800, press@pandonetworks.com
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