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When the FCC scrapped net neutrality legislation in 2017, many media outlets and analysts warned that it was only a matter of time until a company took advantage of the situation to create a so-called āfast laneā or an optimized internet connection.
And todayās the day it finally happened.
First reported by Brian Crecente at Variety, an American ISP called Cox is introducing a new package for subscribers called Cox Elite Gamer that will offer 34% less lag, 55% fewer ping spikes and 45% less jitter for its subscribers who play PC games like Fortnite, Overwatch and Apex Legends.
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[li]We compare the best antivirus software in 2019[/li][li]As well as the best internet security suites[/li][li]Hereās how to delete your social media accounts[/li][/ul]
The service, which is only available only for Cox subscribers in the state of Arizona for the next three months for a trial run, works by giving anyone who subscribes to it an āoptimized pathā to a gameās server using a white-labeled version of wtfast.
To join, youāll have to subscribe to one of Coxās internet service packages, which range in price from $59.99 to $119.99/month, and then tack on the Elite Gamer package for an extra $14.99/month.
According to a statement from Cox sent to TechRadar, subscribers to Cox Elite Gamer service then download software and log in to their preferred game through the software. The software routes the player via a more efficient internet path to the gaming servers, resulting in an enhanced experience for gamers.
According to information on Coxās website, the service will connect you to āthousands of popular game serversā and includes images of Fortnite, Overwatch and Apex Legends - though the telecom says this lineup of games could change in the future.
34% better for some or 34% worse for everyone else?
What Cox wanted to emphasize to TechRadar is that youāre not paying for prioritized traffic or increased connection speeds ā just a more optimized connection via the Elite Gamer software. According to Cox, that isnāt illegal and would be permissible regardless of current regulatory laws.
But that raises the question: If a better connection to a gameās server is possible, why isnāt that the standard network path?
According to a Cox spokesperson, thatās because āCox Elite Gamer solves a problem with deficiencies in the public Internet, NOT our network. No customerās experience is degraded as a result of any customers purchasing Cox Elite Gamer service as an add-on to their Internet service.ā
That said, we have a lingering concern that packages like Cox Elite Gamer set a dangerous precedent of paying extra for better access that could one day apply to all aspects of the internet, from social media to streaming video, all of which could have their own āoptimized connection.ā
While proponents of fast lanes argue that less government regulation is a good thing and that fast lanes could promote competition among carriers, the general fear among consumers is that cable companies will take advantage of their oligopoly and use fast lanes as a wedge to drive up internet prices. Worse, it could force consumers to choose which parts of the internet they have access to.
While Cox isnāt going as far as outright blocking or throttling connections to game servers, it is charging more for a service that couldāve been - and probably shouldāve been - made available to all.
[ul]
[li]Feature: Keeping the web safe is more difficult than you think[/li][/ul]
Continue readingā¦
And todayās the day it finally happened.
First reported by Brian Crecente at Variety, an American ISP called Cox is introducing a new package for subscribers called Cox Elite Gamer that will offer 34% less lag, 55% fewer ping spikes and 45% less jitter for its subscribers who play PC games like Fortnite, Overwatch and Apex Legends.
[ul]
[li]We compare the best antivirus software in 2019[/li][li]As well as the best internet security suites[/li][li]Hereās how to delete your social media accounts[/li][/ul]
The service, which is only available only for Cox subscribers in the state of Arizona for the next three months for a trial run, works by giving anyone who subscribes to it an āoptimized pathā to a gameās server using a white-labeled version of wtfast.
To join, youāll have to subscribe to one of Coxās internet service packages, which range in price from $59.99 to $119.99/month, and then tack on the Elite Gamer package for an extra $14.99/month.
According to a statement from Cox sent to TechRadar, subscribers to Cox Elite Gamer service then download software and log in to their preferred game through the software. The software routes the player via a more efficient internet path to the gaming servers, resulting in an enhanced experience for gamers.
According to information on Coxās website, the service will connect you to āthousands of popular game serversā and includes images of Fortnite, Overwatch and Apex Legends - though the telecom says this lineup of games could change in the future.
34% better for some or 34% worse for everyone else?
What Cox wanted to emphasize to TechRadar is that youāre not paying for prioritized traffic or increased connection speeds ā just a more optimized connection via the Elite Gamer software. According to Cox, that isnāt illegal and would be permissible regardless of current regulatory laws.
But that raises the question: If a better connection to a gameās server is possible, why isnāt that the standard network path?
According to a Cox spokesperson, thatās because āCox Elite Gamer solves a problem with deficiencies in the public Internet, NOT our network. No customerās experience is degraded as a result of any customers purchasing Cox Elite Gamer service as an add-on to their Internet service.ā
That said, we have a lingering concern that packages like Cox Elite Gamer set a dangerous precedent of paying extra for better access that could one day apply to all aspects of the internet, from social media to streaming video, all of which could have their own āoptimized connection.ā
While proponents of fast lanes argue that less government regulation is a good thing and that fast lanes could promote competition among carriers, the general fear among consumers is that cable companies will take advantage of their oligopoly and use fast lanes as a wedge to drive up internet prices. Worse, it could force consumers to choose which parts of the internet they have access to.
While Cox isnāt going as far as outright blocking or throttling connections to game servers, it is charging more for a service that couldāve been - and probably shouldāve been - made available to all.
[ul]
[li]Feature: Keeping the web safe is more difficult than you think[/li][/ul]
Continue readingā¦