Internet networks unable to handle H1N1 telework traffic: GAO

As concerns rage over the spread of the H1N1 flu, a federal report showed that a pandemic that would keep millions of Americans at home could also overload Internet networks. Adults working from home, children accessing video files and playing games online and families logging on for information about the illness would overwhelm residential Internet networks that were never built to have a majority of users on the Web at the same time, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. The federal government is in disarray when it comes to dealing with such a scenario, the GAO reported. The Department of Homeland Security is in charge of communications networks during times of national emergency. But it says it doesn't have a plan to deal with overloaded Internet networks -- an essential resource to keep the economy humming and residents informed and connected during a pandemic. And the DHS hasn't coordinated with agencies like the Federal Communications Commission to create clear guidelines for how telecom, cable and satellite providers can minimize congestion. Such confusion "would increase the risk that the federal government will not be able to respond rapidly or effectively if a pandemic quickly emerges," the GAO reported. Network operators like Comcast, AT&T, Cox and Verizon are limited in their options. They could add more bandwidth capacity and lay down private lines for essential workers, for example, but that is expensive and would take too long. Shutting down certain Web sites or prioritizing traffic could run into technical regulatory hurdles, the report said.