I'm no fan of network throttling behavior by an ISP, but I have to chuckle at this FCC request to Comcast. They've implemented a new bandwidth throttling scheme that simply limits the pull by anyone on their network who sustains a 70% level of usage for "too long". Letting such usage pass will impact other users on that network segment - you don't really want to see your streaming Netflix video come to a halt because Bob next door is sucking down all the bandwidth, for instance. Here's where it gets tricky - the FCC is interested in VOIP calls:

If Comcast is affecting the performance of Internet-based VoIP providers, why isn'€™t its own service -- Comcast Digital Voice -- being affected as well? Specifically, the FCC asked Comcast to "€œprovide a detailed justification for Comcast's treatment of its own VoIP service as compared to that offered by other VoIP providers on its network, [including] whether, and if so, how, Comcast Digital Voice affects network congestion in a different manner than other VoIP services."

That suddenly stops being simple. The net effect of that could be for Comcast (or any ISP) to treat their own VOIP service (which customers pay for) equally with, say, Skype (which is free). If this were like the old telephone system, and it was simply a matter of treating all vendors equally, it would be one thing - subscribers were paying for each service. On the net though? I can see why Comcast would favor their own VOIP, given that most of the competing VOIP systems are free. I don't know what the answer to this is, but it's sure not simple.