Avoid M1’s Broadband Service

Just found this disturbing news via cneil’s twitterstream: M1 Broadband passes all requests through a proxy that serves up low-quality images. In order to see the original images, users have to mouse-over the pictures they want and wait a few seconds. Obviously this involves a javascript code injection into all webpages, and could completely screw some sites.

Without exception, I would encourage anyone to avoid an internet service that interferes with the data they’ve requested in this way. Of course, all pages in Singapore are filtered against a blacklist of pornographic/political/hate sites, but aside from that which cannot be helped, no one should pay for anything less than a pure, direct connection.*

Previously: Singapore and Mobile Internet Data Plans

* Singtel offers two internet configuration profiles for mobile phones: One is named IDEAS WAP and the other, IDEAS INTERNET. The former passes through a sort of proxy server (supposedly) optimized for websurfing, while the latter is the direct connection that you should use – it also allows traffic on other ports, such as those needed for FTP, email, P2P, etc.