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About cable modem firmware updates

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Just learned today that I am not allowed to update my cable modem's 
firmware. Also, I have no say in whether or not my ISP updates that 
firmware!

"It's the standard."
"It's common industry practice."
etc.

Does this business model bother anybody else? Doesn't anybody else see 
where this can lead?

What's to stop, say, Arris, from deciding that it's time for SB6141 
owners to buy a new modem and in order to force them to do that, release 
a firmware update which slowly decreases the modem's functionality until 
it quits working?

And if this precedent is established, what about things like "smart tvs" 
and other objects connected to the vaunted "internet of things"?

Yep, Joe Blow has owned his refrigerator for two years now. Time for him 
to get a new one. ***ZAP*** Refrigerator start cooling less and less 
efficiently each day until it doesn't work at all.

First, there was planned obsolescence with cars wherein the 
manufacturers deliberately engineered components to wear out much sooner 
than they should. Now, if this crap is allowed to continue without being 
challenged, the consumer will be allowing manufacturers to remotely 
disable equipment and force buying of newer models.

If ISPs want to treat cable modems like they own them, then they SHOULD 
own them and the end user shouldn't have to purchase or rent them.

-- 
John Corliss

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About cable modem firmware updates John Corliss <q34wsk20@yahoo.com> - 2015-02-12 16:06 -0800
  Re: About cable modem firmware updates "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> - 2015-02-13 07:03 -0500
    Re: About cable modem firmware updates John Corliss <q34wsk20@yahoo.com> - 2015-02-13 10:37 -0800
  Re: About cable modem firmware updates tech9857@gmail.com - 2015-06-28 08:58 -0700

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