How Does Comcast PowerBoost Work?
Unveiled in June 2006, Comcast grants a free PowerBoost service upgrade to its broadband cable Internet subscribers. As of 2010, the upgrade allows users who subscribe to the 12 megabits per second (Mbps) speed or higher to download and upload the beginning of content quicker.
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Size
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PowerBoost automatically activates when certain-size files are to be downloaded from the Internet or uploaded from a computer. For example, if downloading a large file, such as software or video, PowerBoost launches when you start the transfer. According to Comcast.com, a download will progress 25 to 36.7 percent faster over the first 10 or 20MB, varying upon network activity and subscription speed. A "heavy" upload, such as a home movie or music files, will transfer 40 to 100 percent faster over the first 5 or 10MB, depending upon your subscription level and network congestion.
Function
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Comcast, like all other cable providers, ties into a data network connected by massive sets of fiber-optic and coaxial cable. This infrastructure is the basis upon which all things cable-related are connected: television, Internet and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone service. Comcast, one of the largest cable providers in the United States, pays for and maintains its hefty portion of the network. When Comcast provides Internet services, it must attach a price and a speed limit, dictated primarily by cost of maintenance and available resources.
Much like driving down the highway, rarely does the posted speed limit indicate what if you "put your foot down." PowerBoost works exactly the same way--provided there's not an abundance of "traffic" on the Internet superhighway, Comcast can lift its subscribers' limit temporarily. PowerBoost allows a user to move through the Internet faster, without overloading Comcast's infrastructure.
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Features
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The figures listed on Comcast's website display only PowerBoost's minimum speed. When PowerBoost lifts the speed limit temporarily, it does not actually place a new limit as its website would suggest, but instead opens up bandwidth available to your local "hub" as part of the Comcast network. If you are subscribing to the 12 Mbps download service, for example, the initial portion of download may not cap at 15 Mbps as Comcast's website would suggest, but rather might peak at 2 or 3 times your subscription speed. This should be taken as a benefit, as while the boost is temporary, it can be exponentially powerful instead of fractionally, as Comcast suggests.
Requirements
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You must be a Comcast cable broadband subscriber and pay for access to the 12 Mbps speed or higher. Upon subscription, you will need to either lease or purchase a modern cable modem from Comcast. Should you choose to lease, Comcast will charge a nominal fee per month but cover general repairs and warranty. Subscribers can pay for installation or get a free do-it-yourself kit, with all necessary cabling and instructions included. Once everything is installed and running, PowerBoost only activates on large enough files--standard surfing or "lighter" files will not activate the service.
Controversy
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Because PowerBoost is limited to the onset of a file transfer, most Internet "speed tests" will display inaccurate results as to what a Comcast subscriber will receive on average. A common Internet speed test, such as the Comcast Speed Test available from Comcast.net, works by transferring a temporary file from a local server. The transfer will occur dramatically faster than what a subscriber should expect on average, as the file is large enough to trigger PowerBoost. This skews these tests into Comcast's favor, as broadband providers without a technology like PowerBoost will display results more indicative of their expected speed.
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References
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