In the latest example of why control over the Internet should not be left to the telephone and cable companies, the Associated Press (via here but with some original research) reports that Comcast has blocked its customers from using BitTorrent technology (If this upsets you don’t look here).BitTorrent is a new method for distributing large files of any type by dispersing the upload duties to willing participants who have or are downloading the file. While Comcast would like us to focus on BitTorrent’s use for downloading copyrighted material, it serves a variety of legal functions and could very well be the future for online video. But thanks to Comcast’s discrimination, (that it previously denied) its 12.4 million broadband customers won’t get to experience it. Let me break this down a bit further.BitTorrent protocol allows any content producer who has a large file they want downloaded, whether that be software, video game updates, podcasts, music, or video, not to pay the large hosting costs that come with distributing this type of data. The bottom line is any upstart or existing company will pay significantly less to distribute their product and any citizen creating media will have a much easier (and cheaper) time getting their undiluted creation out to the Internet masses. What’s more, the masses will receive that creation faster and not have to depend on a single distributor. So what’s Comcast’s motivation for blocking?Well, that depends on your point of view; they claim that heavy users of BitTorrent are clogging the network with all this activity. Supposedly making up only .01 percent of customers. Unfortunately, they provide us with no evidence beyond their word that this is the case. (I think we've all seen what Comcast customers have had to resort to when they trusted Comcast at their word.) The other explanation is that this revolutionary protocol has the ability to turn Comcast’s main revenue stream -- cable TV -- on its head.With the explosion of online video, the Internet is quickly becoming a second option to television. The biggest obstacle in continuing this proliferation is video quality. While video compression standards continue to improve, the large file size remains the biggest hurdle. A high quality movie runs in the gigabytes.With U.S. broadband providers selling slower speeds at higher prices than many of our international counterparts, Americans are turning to this technology to provide them the best opportunity to immediately access the video content of their choice at the quality they expect. (Note: Both Comcast and Time Warner have significant video divisions (though you may want to stay away from CN8 - The Comcast Network) with content currently being distributed through this technology).Your guess is as good as mine as to which explanation is true and it very well could be both. Regardless, this presents all 12.4 million Comcast customers with a problem. BitTorrent amounts to a technology that has the potential to converge the Internet and television platforms and be a main driver of broadband adoption. How can a dial-up user resist upgrading when they see you accessing as much high quality video as your heart desires 24 hours a day from any person willing to spend the time to create content?Comcast needs to look beyond their next quarterly report and upgrade their network to bring us in line with other countries and allow for the next generation of online use to blossom. Blocking their customers from using these new Internet features is a short-sighted decision that should have every customer calling for more choices in broadband providers and for the (re)enshrinement of the basic Internet principle known as Net Neutrality.