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Broadband In Australia Just Got Slower
liquidx writes: "Seems like broadband Down Under is getting more and more restrictive. First we had our _unlimited_ plans changed to capped usage plans, then incoming port 80 traffic was blocked (due to Code Red/Nmida worms) and now file-sharing protocol ports are filtered due to 'load balancing issues'! Whirlpool reports that Optus@Home throttled traffic to ports 6700-6702 (ex-Napster ports) without telling its users. Read the letter and article here. Are there any other broadband services, other than the ones in Australia, continually degrading their service to customers? When will this stop?"
* Institute a "one strike you're out policy" on Nimda, email virii, spamming, and piracy. So far we have only had three disconnections.
You probably could have stopped right there and saved a bundle. Removing the idgits with infected boxes is a dream. I installed a blocker on my webserver at work just to block requests for Nimda (I run linux and FreeBSD) in one month alone before I installed the blocker I transmitted 1.2 GiGs! (bytes not bits) of 404 error codes to Level 3's infected NT boxes (oh and my service was from level 3) and yes.... I have a record of the boxes and of who owns them. Granted most of these where colo's but if level 3 had bothered to check they would should have just shut them down. They didn't want to because these guys where over running there transfer limits and where getting socked for a bundle in extra traffic charges.
* Block all incoming connections to our users, so that they could not become servers. We allowed SSH as long as it is OpenSSH >= 2.5.2.
How do you tell this without violating the privacy act of 1970? The ALU would love to know.
* Block all known VPN clients. These were sucking up tremendous amounts of bandwidth, since we are in a rural area and many people liked to telecommute using our service.
our..... do you have a mouse in your pocket. You contract for a given product, failure to deliver is a breech of contract. Simple direct.
* Charge a $209 service fee to users who have crippled their internet access through a fault of their own.
This is fair.... However determining who caused the cripple can be a nightmare... warning from one who's been there. Be careful and error on the side of caution. The benifits will outway the losses.
* Block all incoming connections to our users, so that they could not become servers. We allowed SSH as long as it is OpenSSH >= 2.5.2.
Oh and again on this one..... define server? SSH is a server. Do you mean web servers? FTP servers. Webmin servers? NTP servers?
I'm sorry, I'm to tired to be witty at the moment so this message will have to do.
In your original post, you clinically described how you crippled your network, instead of honestly raising flat prices to meet demand (or even considering to charge fairly for overages), and pocketed the screw-profit difference (minus the 33% "gift").
Then I infer from what you say next, that your ultra-Christian paymasters have a higher than usual 'moral obligation' to spy on their users; and you probably love every minute of it too... you closet-pederass control freak. I bet the Chinese network admins would love your job; they're probably getting bored of monitoring pro-freedom politcal speech in chatrooms.
Most ISPs state in their Terms and Conditions something like "...shall have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor all content..." In practice, they don't really care what their users are up to, and that's the way it should be. It's nosy goody-goody's like you who do the spying in the name of moral policing. Just provide the fucking pipe and stay out of the way.
Man... just imagine how boring your job would be if everyone had been running secure IP from the start.
I know... I know... you've got to eat, and you just work there, etc. And "you were just following orders", etc., etc.
Hmm. Maybe I should scrap this post--it turned out pretty mean spirited. Nah, post I must, so don't take it too personally. My present to you is some lost karma, so, Merry X-mas!... er... Christmas! (the Xmas abbreviation demeans the Christ in the Christ-mas brandname)! ... Ack... I did it again. :-) Don't take it personally. Happy Generic Holidays!
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Power to the Peaceful
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