ISPs（Internet service providers，网络服务提供商）似乎天生仇视P2P（peer to peer）软件，因为大量的影音文件在网络上传输，加大了ISPs的负担。因此才有comscore这样的运营商限制甚至阻止P2P软件使用的情况，被美国通讯委员会（FCC）调查，并且很可能面临重罚。

对抗不是办法，那么只有合作。Verizon公司想出的办法是和P2P软件制造者合作研发，尽量减低大文件传输对网络的压力，他们合作的工作组成为P4P。

P4P主要是解决什么问题呢？P2P传输是在用户之间进行，同时上传和下载。但是它存在着这样一个问题，由于用户使随机分配，所以很可能美国用户在上传的文件是由德国用户在下载，而德国用户上传的文件是中国用户在下载。这种长距离的文件传输，不仅加剧了网络负担，也导致下载的速度变慢。

Verizon则把网络架构的细节和P2P软件制造商分享，制造出一款尽量降低这种国际间分享的行为，优先在附近用户之间进行。新的P2P软件取得了效果，测试中58%的资料传输在Verizon的用户之间进行，而传统方式只有6.3%。同时，用户下载速度平均提高了60%。

实验用的软件叫作Pando，NBC即将推出的高清电视剧免费下载将通过这种软件进行。P4P技术很可能在4月在Verizon的网络中进行全面推广。P4P工作组的成员还包括AT&T。

更新：关于P4P的研究，一位读者留下了极有价值的信息，具体请大家看下面的留言。

Verizon gets cozy with P2P file-sharers

(via Y!news via AP) Peer-to-peer file sharing, the primary vehicle for online piracy, has been as unpopular with Internet service providers as it has been popular with users.

Providers have banned, blocked or slowed peer-to-peer traffic in their efforts to keep the flood of music, video, games and software from overwhelming their networks. But Verizon Communications Inc. has broken ranks with the industry and announced Friday that it plans to help its users share files faster. Read more.

Tags: Bittorrent by sawyer
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Comcast公司周一宣布，已经正式接到美国通讯委员会（FCC）的调查函，该公司涉嫌严重干涉其宽带用户的使用某种特定的网络文件传输方式（P2P）。事件的详细起因请看之前的报道“美国ISP着手另类网络内容审查”。

很多公司由于同样使用P2P方式传输文件，也受到了Comcast的限制。一家叫Vuze的公司单独向FCC提起诉讼，希望FCC能够澄清，网络服务提供商（ISP）到底有多大权限控制用户的流量。

更新：经过FCC几次听证之后，3月27日，Comcast和BitTorrent两家公司签订了互谅协议，互相协作，更有效的解决富媒体文件传输问题和网络空间容量管理。Comcast不再对来自BitTorrent的流量进行限制。

此事到此显然还没有结束，因为这只是这两家公司之间的行为，更大的命题在于网络中立的原则能否确认，甚至立法加以保障。

FCC asks Comcast about Internet filter

(via Yahoo!news reported by AP)

Comcast Corp. Monday said it has received letters of inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission regarding complaints that the company actively interferes with its subscribers’ Internet traffic.

A coalition of consumer groups and legal scholars asked the agency in November to stop Comcast from discriminating against the sharing of certain types of Internet data among subscribers. Read more.

Update: Comcast Corporation and BitTorrent, Inc. announced today that they will undertake a collaborative effort with one another and with the broader Internet and ISP community to more effectively address issues associated with  rich media content and network capacity management. While BitTorrent and Comcast are talking directly, they are also in discussions with other parties to help facilitate a broader dialogue and cooperation across industries. Read more.

Tags: Bittorrent, 热点评论,Review by sawyer
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