Port blocking blocks freedom of speech and threatens privacy

I recently switched back to DSL from cable because I had learned that the cable company not only blocked port 25 (among others) outbound but they also have taken the liberty of blocking inbound as well (for my own protection of course).
What a JOKE!!! This scam is so ugly I get red in the face just thinking about it!
I still have and always will run my own email server so my email remains MY PRIVATE INFORMATION and I CAN CONTROL THE UCE I recieve and it works VERY WELL.

The cable company here seems to think this is a criminal activity or something!
They even specify in their AUP that any residential account operating a server is in "violation" of their Acceptible Use Policy and will be immediately cut off from service. Oh, so should I be scared now? Uh I think not! All the while they conveniently have these OVER-PRICED commercial accounts you can sign up for and they will be oh so happy to help you do that.

Last I checked, the internet is not owned by one person or company so why do they insult us by pretending that they seem to own it?

I can see blocking outbound SMTP and offering their servers in place of 25 outbound, in fact I like that because it futher protects my network from being noticed by flamming hackers and spammers but blocking incoming SMTP is just ludicrous!

They claim they are doing this to prevent spammers from using my poor defenseless li'l ole email server from being used as a drone (OpenRelay) HA!

Think about how ridiculous this sounds to the trained professional! If they have effectively shut down 25 outbound then why in hec would they even need to block inbound (Unless of course you want to suck the people dry!)

This is nothing more than an illegal taxation of a pulic resource. This is in violation of the law if you really look at this in a technical sense. I know Cox and the others are doing it the right way but I have to blow the whistle on PTD.NET.

These guys are ripping off the people! and they are getting away with it too! Hello?!? Is anyone else as enraged as I am that they think they can try to control a public resource and it is ok?!?

Thank GOD for my phone company and DSL. Even my phone company has NO PROBLEM with me running a web server and a mail server! I asked them straight out and they said "No Problem."

They just ask me to send my outbound email through their email servers... Sheyaw!!! "NO PROBLEM!"

Man someone needs to go to bat against PTD.NET and any other ISP trying to lord control over this public resource which belongs to the people! Anyone else share my pain here? Tell me about it, let's hook up and fight back against the ROMAN EMPIRE-like (ISP) Governments out there and take back what was rightfully ours to begin with!!!

There MUST be a law against forcing people to use a commercial account just to operate a simple service like email or even just hosting your own family web site. I don't even host my business site from home, that would just be dumb and unreliable, but my family website is a whole different story. Now how can pictures of my family be considered and illegal activity or a Commecial trade product. Who do these guys think they are? REALLY?!?

Let’s talk about PTD.net (PenTeleData)

Premier ISP is blocking all the useful reasons for having an internet connection - ,

The Palmerton, PA based ISP “PenTeleData” has decided that they know how best for you to use the internet.

Instead of just providing a high quality service at an affordable price, they have decided to set the limits for you on what you can and cannot use on their service lines.
Sounds legitimate right? Let’s consider the reasons the internet was created in the first place, shall we?

First and the most significant fact to consider, “We should all try to remember that the Internet is not owned or controlled by any one person, company, group, or organization, instead we all own it through participation, it is a community resource for the world.”

With its basis as an educational research project, the internet was designed for just that purpose educational research and it was designed to accommodate several significant server services. Along with the ability to research articles on the internet, one would also find the need to publish their own findings as well (And some technical types would use a web server to do just that). Still others who have the knowledge might decide not to depend on an outside (most times expensive, unsecure, sometimes unreliable) email provider.

Enter PenTeleData, if you order internet service from PenTeleData, all you will get is the ability to look, but don’t even think about trying to participate in the idea that IS the internet. You see they feel that users who operate an FTP server are also hackers (This was told to me by the installer that installed the service for me when I blindly ordered it without doing any research – Who knew?!) This was and still is their rationale for controlling the residential internet user. Well then, couldn’t one also infer that whoever owns a gun is a criminal? So then why not bar people from owning guns. (see this article [posted by someone “participating in the internet” by way of her freedom to do so, unrestricted by the control of others.] - http://keepandbeararms.com/newsarchives/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=2413 ).

In her article, Nicki mentions a very important fact we should all keep in mind. She is referring to people who just accept the norm and let others dictate what they say and do. “These are the same people who don’t mind the government snooping into their medical records, their employment files, their family history, or their travel habits. After all -- they have nothing to hide, and those who do *must* be committing a crime, and our benevolent government officials are simply trying to protect society.”

The last sentence that mentions our benevolent government officials, sounds suspiciously, a lot like the policy makers at PenTeleData. So then I ask you, “Why pay a company to LIMIT your abilities (a very expensive price considering what limited service you get) to participate in this idea that IS the internet?” The internet is THE last free forum and with corporations trying to put limits on their customers so only the rich can express their ideas, you can see where the next phase “Government imposed, mandatory limitations” will be instituted if we do not speak up.

Hec and why not, people are already paying to be controlled and limited in the first place!

Here is an example of what I am talking about:
Let’s say you work for a large firm and need to use remote desktop to work from home.
Well on a typical DSL line, No Problem!

Try do it on a ptd.net residential account and see if it works (Maybe, maybe not). “It depends” says one sales rep.
I got on the horn with another Rep in the business dept and asked him specifically if they block these ports:

• 21(ftp)
• 22(SSH)
• 25(email SMTP)
• 80(http web)
• 443(SSL – Secure Socket Layer)
• 8080(Web Proxy)
• 3389(RDP – Remote Desktop Protocol)

He, “Brian” said “Well on the residential side I would say definitely yes.” “Well why is that?” I asked. “Well on residential lines you really don’t find that those ports are needed and we don’t allow residential accounts to run servers.” “Why?” “Well we have commercial accounts for that.” “It sounds to me like they are just greedy.” I said. “Well if you look at it like that, I can’t argue with you.” says Brian.

Brian’s rationale was similar in that he stated that if you work for a large company and you remote desktop in your are performing a commercial task and so you now have to pay the commercial rate for your service (Which offers less bandwidth for more money). So what if I work for a smaller company? You guessed it you still have to pay the commercial price. GO Figure!!! The trade off of course is that you get a static IP address and unlimited band width. Good! That is a good feature for a commercial package! However, we are not commercial entities! We are residents trying to simplify life and sometimes that means working from home if our employer permits it. PenTeleData seems to disagree…

I have to say, I have DSL through my local telephone company and they do NOT block a single useful port, with the understandable exception of one SMTP (OUTBOUND ONLY). They still provide a means for you to use the outbound SMTP port to send email, you just have to send it through their email servers so they can control spamming (GREAT IDEA, I LOVE IT!) and yes inbound SMTP is wide open so I can still run my email server to collect email sent to me@mydomain.com , How nice is that?! All the other ports are open for my use too and why not?! I am paying for them; I should be allowed to use them?! PenTeleData seems to disagree…

My telephone company is practicing RESPONSIBLE consumer protection by blocking ONLY outbound SMTP. They are helping us fight the good fight against those vile SPAMMERS while still “Providing a High Quality, Affordable Service to their customers. The only thing they limit that I wish I had more of is the upload speed for my connection, the maximum I can get is 128K. Even though that is painfully slow, I am willing to live with it because I still have my freedom and control over the service I PAY FOR WITH MY HARD EARNED CASH.

I sure am glad PenTeleData is not a government office; we’d all be in trouble. I urge you, if you are a PenTeleData customer, call them and tell them you want what you are paying for and if they do not allow you to use those ports, switch to DSL where you still have the freedom to be free from corporate imposed controls. Don’t let Corporate America steal your rights and charge you for it too. Fight back! The consumer has the power to change what ever they do not like simply by NOT buying what they do not like. If they do not relent then go elsewhere and get what you pay for, not some watered down barley worthwhile imitation. Don’t settle for a low quality product when you have the power to demand better. Isn’t the price already ridiculously high anyway? Let’s get our money’s worth now! Just say no to PenTeleData!