The new policy, according to an article by Karl Bode at BroadbandDSLReports.com, "temporarily de-prioritizes the traffic for customers who meet two criteria: they're on a congested node, and they have been using 70% or more of their assigned upstream or downstream throughput for more than fifteen minutes." Bode suspects that "the FCC only just realized that these restrictions will only impact competing VoIP services."

Comcast has its own VoIP service, called Digital Voice Internet, but it's significantly different from independent VoIP services like Skype. According to an FCC letter to Comcast, the company's Web site states that "Comcast Digital Voice is a separate facilities-based IP phone service that is not affected by" Comcast's VoIP-throttling policy.

Comcast has not yet commented on the allegations, and has until January 30 to respond.

But the consumer advocate and pro-net neutrality group Free Press has already responded. Policy Director Ben Scott called the FCC's statement "a positive sign that the FCC's [previous] Comcast decision was not a one-and-done action on Net Neutrality. We are pleased that the commission is conducting an ongoing investigation into network management practices that might impact users' access to the online content and services of their choice."

The FCC letter was one of the last official acts of President Bush's FCC Chairman, Kevin Martin. Whether the new administration will pursue this inquiry remains to be seen, but Scott is optimistic. "As the agency transitions into the new administration, this letter demonstrates that vigilance for consumer protection will not be put on hold."