Comcast Defends Role As Internet Traffic Cop

By Cecilia Kang Washington Post Staff Writer

Comcast said yesterday that it purposely slows down some traffic on its network, including some music and movie downloads, an admission that sparked more controversy in the debate over how much control network operators should have over the Internet.

In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Comcast said such measures -- which can slow the transfer of music or video between subscribers sharing files, for example -- are necessary to ensure better flow of traffic over its network.