Netflix Gets What It Pays For: Comcast Streaming Speeds Skyrocket 328
jfruh (300774) writes "Back in February, after a lengthy dispute, Netflix agreed to pay Comcast for network access after being dogged by complaints of slow speeds from Comcast subscribers. Two months later, it appears that Comcast has delivered on its promises, jumping up six places in Netflix's ISP speed rankings. The question of whether this is good news for anyone but Comcast is still open."
"The question of whether this is good news..." (Score:5, Informative)
"...for anyone but Comcast is still open."
It was never a question, nor open. The answer is no. It is painfully obvious this benefits Comcast and hurts everyone else.
Re:I Pay (Score:5, Informative)
I've set up a VPS to access netflix through my comcast connection, but it doesn't allow comcast's throttling. My video quality has much improved. This anecdotally proves to me comcast is manipulating netflix's traffic.
Re:that was quick! (Score:5, Informative)
It happened basically over night.
It was merely throttling policy.
Re:I Pay (Score:5, Informative)
This is worse than net neutrality. IMO it violates the Sherman antitrust act.
Re:I Pay (Score:5, Informative)
1. You pay Comcast for Internet access at X speed.
2. Netflix pays Amazon and others for Internet access at Y speed ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N... [wikipedia.org] )
3. You pay Netflix to send you movies via those lines that you both pay for.
4. Comcast holds your content hostage, wanting an extortion payment from NetFlix.
The point about NetFlix paying for bandwidth is important, since Comcast keep claiming things like "they shouldn't get a free ride" and "somebody needs to pay for the infrastructure", but they *were* paying for infrastructure; just not Comcast's (directly, anyway).
Re:Seriously (Score:4, Informative)
I wish I could be so "lucky"... The only choices we have here in KC is AT&T U-Verse, Time Warner, oh and um.... GOOGLE FIBER!!!
Re:I Pay (Score:5, Informative)
Have a local ISP who pipe through Time Warner. Around the end of December, Netflix connections went to crap. Complained and ISP threw Netflix under the bus, saying they've over-saturated their bandwidth. Tried a SOCKS proxy via VPS and magic, works fine. Told ISP and they seemed genuinely amazed.
Comcast is still the devil- but VPS is a very viable workaround.
Re:So Netflix wants to change how it connects (Score:5, Informative)
Netflix is not the comcast customer. Netflix pays their own ISP for their bandwidth already.
It's not Netflix which is using all this bandwidth on comcasts network - it's comcast customers who are using it. And they already paid for it.
Comcast wants to bill twice. I am sure they would bill 20 times if they could get away with it.
And they are the 800lb gorilla with an effective monopoly position in many markets and no scruples whatsoever. Netflix folded to extortion, and the precedent is certainly not one that will benefit any users, unless it's the users that are also comcast stock owners.
Re:huh? (Score:5, Informative)
No, what you're seeing is fewer ads, but longer overall.
Take an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode.
43 minutes of show.
Plus 6 (count 'em) 2-3 minute commercial breaks when you see four ads back to back.
Granted, that's only about 28% (when TV is 36%). Still, for someone paying the monthly fee, that's ridiculous.