Rogers Fights BitTorrent by Throttling All Encrypted Transfers
In its ongoing war against BitTorrent, Canadian ISP Rogers decided to throttle all encrypted traffic. ISPs and BitTorrent client developers are playing an ongoing cat-and-mouse game, but Rogers really crosses the line here. A very bold move, to say the least, which affects not only BitTorrent users, but everyone who is using encrypted transfers.
Last year Rogers was one of the first ISPs to throttle BitTorrent traffic because it generated “too much” bandwidth. The developers of uTorrent and Azureus soon countered this move and added support for encrypted transfers to their clients, that’s where the cat-and-mouse game started. Encryption seemed to work for well for most Rogers clients, until this week.
Rogers realized that the bit-shaping applications they were using to limit the traffic that is generated by BitTorrent weren’t effective anymore, and started to throttle all encrypted transfers as well. As a consequence, people have trouble connecting to encrypted e-mail services, and other applications that rely on encrypted connections.
Rogers is not the only ISP that tries to cut down the BitTorrent traffic. Last year we had a discussion whether traffic shaping is good or bad, and both BitTorrent users and ISPs had some good arguments. However, limiting all encrypted transfers is a completely different story, it affects a wide range of customers, not only the ones using BitTorrent.
What makes it even more ridiculous is that Rogers still advertises with the slogan “for sharing large files and much more”. Last time I checked BitTorrent was still the best way to share large files, but I guess the people at Rogers don’t want their customers to share large files after all.
Rogers’ competitor Shaw is also limiting BitTorrent traffic, but at least they still leave encrypted traffic untouched (for now).
Previously: How To Use Usenet, A Beginners Guide
Next: Piracy Investigators Infiltrate Private Torrent Sites
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Sounds like it is time for everyone to band together and start a class action lawsuit against Rogers. They are not giving the service that they promised in the slightest, and are breaching the contract that they have with their customers…. a no-no in ANY country in the whole world.
hey so is Rogers enforcing the 60GB bandwidth limit by charging if you go over? I read some forums(and Wiki) that said they are not currently doing it. Is that true?
First of all I have been a cable and DSL tech. I am a special tech now that does computer repairs and DSL but know allot about the systems used when I send the field techs out for the US version.
After reading some of the comments added hear from rogers reps that have been called I have decided to speak up on a tech standpoint.
The more doanload activity on a server/node the greater wear on the machines is correct but a proper serice adds newer servers that also preform better to increase space or replace older models. My rogers service went from 100-300kb which I was happy with even with 614 gigs cap before they would warn you. they ignore 1 gig difference I was told to 30kb or less even on regular downloading from norton and other antivirus comapnies that I see on my jobs Internet users are getting 80-300kb depending on computer conditions. 90% of my downloads are tv shows and older movies you can’t get easily after 5 years.
Rogers main reason that started throttling was they put VOIP on the exsisting servers without inprovements. The servers mus be fairly old even with all the R&D fees that they can’t handle 100kb torrent or regular downloading. It should be the higher the speed package the greater torrent speeds since I have the 6megs package 100kbs seems resonable to me. I use my downlaods on my computer like a VCR since my hours can be anywhere from 12 to 15 hours away from home that tapes can’t do and rather not have the cost of PVR and other chices since 60 hours HD won’t cover 2 weeks.
I am switcing to acanac which is offering 5 meg service at $19 for the first year including tax and regular price $34 a month. NO RESTRICTIONS.
I forgot to add the 99 IP address that were bough with torrent restrictions is a load of (you get the point). Rogers can manage the new IP within weeks of obtaining them. They were made delibarately for restricting internet since Azerus automaticly claims restricted Internet. This is another proof that the info they spout about whta is being done is 90% garbage mixed with 10% truth.
yingjai,
Here is an article that may or may not help. I ran into this same thing with Comcast recently:
http://youarestupid2.blogspot.com/2008/01/comcast-vs-bittorrent.html
here’s an idea, instead of limiting the amount of bandwidth there is in use, why not you know… increase the bandwidth? I know it’s not as easy as it sounds… but when us (as in the americans) are ranking 17-20th in terms of internet speed, someone is doing something wrong.
Use VPN.
http://blacklogic.com
I just heard on the News here in Toronto this morning, News 680 am (a Rogers owned station) that Broadband in a couple of years will be non-existent due to teenagers downloading music and going onto video sites like YouTube.
Let me put on my Tin Foil hat. Rogers will slow down traffic on purpose to try and get everyone buy into their new fast pipeline. Which will be fast to the sites that pay them money and the ones that don’t well they’ll be like 56k slow. But Disney, CBC and CNN will be super fast.
This is called Net Neutrality. We really need to fight.
I was told, by Rogers’s techs, that I would receive unlimited access to the net however it would only be slower. I also asked if they slowed down any programs and was given a firm no as this would not be legal. I was asked why I this was a question? My response was that I had noticed a major difference with the same models of computers and different ISP download responses.
Now Rogers sends a custom notice that tells me that I have to accept a notice that I will be charged $5:00 per MB after June.
Not only has Rogers mislead me about my access time, they, in my opinion, hacked into Google and or distorted the intended page I was to search on. This is a breach of privacy as Rogers sent me an email telling me that I have illegally downloaded a patch from Microsoft. Microsoft had a different view. This same company creates a breach of another company’s software and calls it progression. I am also expected to click on a tab that will remove the notice from my computer. Note: Rogers always does things with addendums attached, by this way you agree to have your internet time knocked down to well below 50% while Rogers continues to profit off your money. This may truly be only a warning as stated by Rogers, however you must look at your own and hones dealings with Rogers to form your conclusion. I am moving all my services away from this company. The only action Rogers will understand is when ALL of this company’s customers decide to say that we have had our fill as we know this reaches beyond concessions. This reached dictation. Be the smart person you are, Speak through your wallet. Change services now, but don’t forget to ask questions and record your calls.
This works great. There are plenty great providers out there; you will trip over them the moment you steer away from Rogers.
Rogers sucks plain and simple.
They are cutting the traffic because it costs a large amount of money to revamp the whole system so it handles the traffic properly. I’ve been told this plenty of times by their staff. They also took down their customers access to the usenet(news groups) services and then raised the price of their services. As of March 15/2008 they also decreased the GB cap limit on all accounts. Remember something people…..IT’S A COMPANY! It bought out the Blue Jays and even outsources their call centers to save money. All it’s concerned about is making money without giving out the proper services. The Blue Jays suck ass, and in the future they will be cutting down their GB cap limit even more. The only way to stop them is to cut your services completely. If that’s not an option then decrease the amount of services you have with them. Go with another cell phone provide(like virgin), change your internet plan, YOU DON’T NEED HIGH SPEED TO SURF THE NET. They burn fools into thinking you need their 5mbs package in order to send emails, surf or buy things from the net. YOU DON’T! The lite service will do. Stop complaining about them and do something about it, otherwise you fools will have no one to blame but yourselves.
Rogers(Bell) indeed is slowing (throttling ) internet high speed against contract.
I use high speed wireless portable other wise known as inukshuk.
Premium prices and now slower than dial up between 6 pm and twelve pm.
High speed in the arctic but none within eye site of the CN tower.Time for public boycott as rogers and Bell
are co managing the potable wireless
and the site near me is Bell managed.
No high speed here!
if you are in Toronto you are f*cked, there are no choices but Rogers and Bell. And if you live in a condo or apartment it is Rogers or bust. Talk about monopoly.
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