Netflix Knocks Verizon Over Slow Data Speeds

Ok, so after reading the article a little closer it states they caved to Verizon, but are still getting less than stellar speeds. For shame Verizon. I think this is funny, good on Netflix.
 
If I was Netflix I'd also list any Verizon email addresses & phone numbers that customers can use to complain. I'd also provide links to sites like ConsumerReports.org that record customer satisfaction.
 
Also Netflix should buy Oolka. If they made SpeedTest work using Netflix videos it would help show more realistic speeds through these cable companies and make SpeedTest a useful tool and not just e-peen.
 
Yes, when Comcast & Verizon start losing customers over Netflix performance problems that'll get their attention! Netflix doesn't need to pay out more cash--that's futile. Also, I hope we're all on the same page about this being about *wired* connectivity--*wireless* probably will never be fast enough, at least in relation to wired Internet performance.
 
WaltC said:
Yes, when Comcast & Verizon start losing customers over Netflix performance problems that'll get their attention! Netflix doesn't need to pay out more cash--that's futile. Also, I hope we're all on the same page about this being about *wired* connectivity--*wireless* probably will never be fast enough, at least in relation to wired Internet performance.
Click to expand...

They could care less. If you don't have an alternative then you are screwed and they know it.

It's time to:

1. Turn telecoms into utilities.
2. Telecoms have to share lines with other providers. (ie: Verizon could pay lease time to Comcast to use their cable. Customer would get charged maintenance fees of lease line from Comcast. But data fees to Verizon)
 
Tak Ne said:
Also Netflix should buy Oolka. If they made SpeedTest work using Netflix videos it would help show more realistic speeds through these cable companies and make SpeedTest a useful tool and not just e-peen.
Click to expand...

Oolka consistently shows me averaging about 50Mb/ps in both directions these days, which seems about right. People on Netflix who haven't seen Netflix in its SuperHD mode (which also supports 5.1 dolby/DTS) have no idea how much better it is than standard Netflix HD. Night & day. Doesn't cost a penny extra from Netflix, but you can only get it through the right network and if you have the ISP bandwidth. (I get it through the Sony entertainment Network via my online Blu-Ray player.) Netflix will never seem the same--I deem it 98% as good as viewing a local BluRay disk in the drive.
 
Yes, but they should do this for EVERY provider, not just Verizon and Comcast. Unknowing consumers need to be educated. Even the small/local ISPs are overselling their service/bandwidth in order to maximize profits.
 
DigitalGriffin said:
They could care less. If you don't have an alternative then you are screwed and they know it.

It's time to:

1. Turn telecoms into utilities.
2. Telecoms have to share lines with other providers. (ie: Verizon could pay lease time to Comcast to use their cable. Customer would get charged maintenance fees of lease line from Comcast. But data fees to Verizon)
Click to expand...

The reason why I oppose that is pretty simply to understand: look how absolutely awful the regulated Telecom/land-line telephone system has become in its status as a common carrier. To get better service than that with the government controls you *have to* move up to an IP voice system--there's no other alternative, because it isn't affected by common-carrier POTs rules. The only thing that turning the ISPs into mini-AT&T land-lines would get us is that we'd all get the same lousy, bottom of the barrel service. And you don't like it and want to pay for something better? Forget it--Congress will have outlawed something better. I absolutely do not want *five people* on the FCC dictating what 300M Americans can get in the way of available services.

Customer backlash will work, most definitely. Microsoft turned many a 180 last year and every bit of it was caused by customer backlash. If people have the attitude that complaining won't help so why complain, well, that guarantees that nothing will get done.

Common-carrier designation works like this: you don't get guaranteed the best--you get guaranteed the bare minimum--translated: the worst. It is not a panacea, it is, imo, a cure worse than the disease.
 
WaltC said:
Yes, when Comcast & Verizon start losing customers over Netflix performance problems that'll get their attention! Netflix doesn't need to pay out more cash--that's futile. Also, I hope we're all on the same page about this being about *wired* connectivity--*wireless* probably will never be fast enough, at least in relation to wired Internet performance.
Click to expand...

Lose customers? How would that happen when the customers usually have nowhere else to go for internet service in most parts of the country?

Usually it's the choice between one cable provider and sometimes a slow DSL alternative. These companies know you'll take what they give you, complain all you like, they got you by the balls.
 
I think what would help is having one large company provide service west of the Mississippi then a rival company handle traffic east of the Mississippi. Wait nevermind.
 
Netflix should also list other major ISP/Networks that are not currently having the same speed issue in their little infobar/tooltip/popup.

"Verizon is slow right now but you know what Comcast, Charter, blah blah blah are not"
 
I think that they should also mention the bandwidth just so less tech saavy customers can identify.

"Hi, this is netflix, we are sending 5mbit of data to you, but verizon is only letting 1.6 mbit through.
You should upgrade you connection to at least 5mbit, or have them replace your modem. Contact verizon at:
... ... ..."
 
DigitalGriffin said:
They could care less. If you don't have an alternative then you are screwed and they know it.

It's time to:

1. Turn telecoms into utilities.
2. Telecoms have to share lines with other providers. (ie: Verizon could pay lease time to Comcast to use their cable. Customer would get charged maintenance fees of lease line from Comcast. But data fees to Verizon)
Click to expand...


Wow ok so lets say we go this route.

You will have companies that own the lines. (transmission)

Companies with central high speed connections into the backbone of the internet (producers)

Connections to homes and businesses (distribution)

And resellers. (commodity traders in essence.)

If you take the internet and commoditize it you will pay for use. All of the other tracking mechanisms are in place already. The people that will make the real money are the ones involved in bulk transmission and production. the rest will get a slice but nowhere as large. And we the consumers will have to get our internet from resellers that are effectively commodity traders in most cases.

They will have to purchase bulk data time on lines over periods of time and track useage and line availability. JUST like they do today with power. And power is cheaper than internet.. right? Ummm...

If you separate the organizations like we do power companies, you will also need to establish an entity to ensure delivery of service to customers and no interruptions with oversight into the traders, transmission, distribution and production facilities. Quite interesting.
 
On Cox here.

Found out last week that my Amazon Prime membership includes streaming video for many tv shows and movies (movie selection is a bit weak for free ones). Watched some tv episodes I had missed and it worked great, was in HD.

Anyone who uses netflix, had a chance to compare it to amazon streaming?
 
GoodBoy said:
On Cox here.

Found out last week that my Amazon Prime membership includes streaming video for many tv shows and movies (movie selection is a bit weak for free ones). Watched some tv episodes I had missed and it worked great, was in HD.

Anyone who uses netflix, had a chance to compare it to amazon streaming?
Click to expand...

That is because, so far as well know, Amazon streaming has not been affected as of yet. Netflix has the vast majority of streaming traffic so they are being singled out right now by providers. Rest assured though, if this activity is allowed to continue, Amazon will be subject to it at some point too.
 
I definitely have seen Amazon streaming get throttled more by Comcast. With a 50Mb connection I don't get reliable HD video.
 
Wierdo said:
Lose customers? How would that happen when the customers usually have nowhere else to go for internet service in most parts of the country?

Usually it's the choice between one cable provider and sometimes a slow DSL alternative. These companies know you'll take what they give you, complain all you like, they got you by the balls.
Click to expand...

In fairness Verizon has other brands, specifically wirelesss to worry about. If "Verizon" is known as absolute shit, no one is going to care that Verizon Wireless is different
 
OregonLAN said:
Yes, but they should do this for EVERY provider, not just Verizon and Comcast. Unknowing consumers need to be educated. Even the small/local ISPs are overselling their service/bandwidth in order to maximize profits.
Click to expand...

tell me about it.....

I LOST speed recently because Frontier won't upgrade anything and keeps on selling.

went from 3.7mb/484k to 1.3mb/118k....

sadly the upload loss is worse than the download loss AND my service is still shit during peak times (4pm to midnight).

get more than one device trying to use the internet at the same time....they kill each other.
 
WaltC said:
The reason why I oppose that is pretty simply to understand: look how absolutely awful the regulated Telecom/land-line telephone system has become in its status as a common carrier. To get better service than that with the government controls you *have to* move up to an IP voice system--there's no other alternative, because it isn't affected by common-carrier POTs rules. The only thing that turning the ISPs into mini-AT&T land-lines would get us is that we'd all get the same lousy, bottom of the barrel service. And you don't like it and want to pay for something better? Forget it--Congress will have outlawed something better. I absolutely do not want *five people* on the FCC dictating what 300M Americans can get in the way of available services.

Customer backlash will work, most definitely. Microsoft turned many a 180 last year and every bit of it was caused by customer backlash. If people have the attitude that complaining won't help so why complain, well, that guarantees that nothing will get done.

Common-carrier designation works like this: you don't get guaranteed the best--you get guaranteed the bare minimum--translated: the worst. It is not a panacea, it is, imo, a cure worse than the disease.
Click to expand...

Great post. We need to follow what other countries have done to improve bandwidth and speed in their countries, our US strategy is not working.
 
I think that the effected consumers of Verizon FIOS should sue Verizon.

It all boils down to what Verizon is selling their customers. FIOS is sold as an Internet service, not an Intranet service. Meaning, they are selling you a connection speed between networks. Verizon will likely say bullshit like "your speeds to our network are fine". That's great since speeds to your network are part of and Internet service, the other part is the speeds between Verizon's exit connections. If you're selling an Internet service, you need to deliver on both.

Say you are subscribed to the 50/25 Mbps tier, and you are only getting 1.75 Mbps, which is literally less than 4% of the speed you are paying for, when traversing to an external network (it doesn't matter which one or why), and Verizon is aware of the slowdown, and does nothing to improve it then they are pretty much guilty of false advertisement and intentionally defrauding the consumer. Since they are selling an Internet service, they need to do everything in their power to make sure their infrastructure delivers on what they are selling. If you are selling me a 50 Mbps connection between networks, then that's what you need to deliver.
 
Dear Valued Verizon Customer,

Your crappy Netflix streaming experience is just a PR stunt. :rolleyes:

After CNET's story was published, a Verizon spokesman told CNET in an e-mailed statement that the Netflix move "is a PR stunt," adding that his company is "investigating this claim, but it seems misleading and could confuse people."
Click to expand...
 
WaltC said:
Yes, when Comcast & Verizon start losing customers over Netflix performance problems that'll get their attention! Netflix doesn't need to pay out more cash--that's futile. Also, I hope we're all on the same page about this being about *wired* connectivity--*wireless* probably will never be fast enough, at least in relation to wired Internet performance.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm going to jump right on threatening to move my business to the other ISP in my area....oh wait..There isn't another option for me or most anyone else in the country. Well..fuck, I wonder how that happened?
 
I have Verizon 4g unlimited for my internet. Only thing I can get in rural area other than craptastic satellite. Netflix runs well, but I do have a lot of issues with Youtube buffering even in SD. Will play a few seconds then buffer, etc... Speedtest shows me at 5-10mb/sec speeds. Netflix runs ok, not great but ok enough, but youtube???????? really??????????
 
WaltC said:
The reason why I oppose that is pretty simply to understand: look how absolutely awful the regulated Telecom/land-line telephone system has become in its status as a common carrier. To get better service than that with the government controls you *have to* move up to an IP voice system--there's no other alternative, because it isn't affected by common-carrier POTs rules. The only thing that turning the ISPs into mini-AT&T land-lines would get us is that we'd all get the same lousy, bottom of the barrel service. And you don't like it and want to pay for something better? Forget it--Congress will have outlawed something better. I absolutely do not want *five people* on the FCC dictating what 300M Americans can get in the way of available services.

Customer backlash will work, most definitely. Microsoft turned many a 180 last year and every bit of it was caused by customer backlash. If people have the attitude that complaining won't help so why complain, well, that guarantees that nothing will get done.

Common-carrier designation works like this: you don't get guaranteed the best--you get guaranteed the bare minimum--translated: the worst. It is not a panacea, it is, imo, a cure worse than the disease.
Click to expand...

Microsoft had Apple and Google to worry about. Comcast and Verizon customers usually do not. Not to mention some customers are tied into contracts.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Yep, I'm going to jump right on threatening to move my business to the other ISP in my area....oh wait..There isn't another option for me or most anyone else in the country. Well..fuck, I wonder how that happened?
Click to expand...
Yup, I'm paying out the ass for ATT uverse and can't use my own modem so have to rent their crap... unfortunately, the only alternative is Comcast that I actually tried to get first but they kept screwing my order up so bad that I had to cancel the install service.

Yay, two choices... better than some I guess.
 
http://drpeering.net/white-papers/Art-Of-Peering-The-Peering-Playbook.html

This is a good primer on what ISP's can do, and have done with CDN's in the past. Some deals are free, but some are paid..It is interesting that some of the tactics that ISP's can perform to throttle their network -- and not even be detected.. so even a third party will have a hard time verifying whether the ISP was at fault or not...unless the ISP, (or a court order) will open up the ISP's logs to see how the traffic was handled. But it is a hard enough time to figure out where bottlenecks lie, without having ISP's potentially playing these types of games.. That said, given what I've researched, even anecdotal evidence, I'd say Verizon did throttle their network or is still, out of spite. That said, imo most ISP's charge a truckload of $$$ for crappy speeds, irregardless of what above commenters have stated about 'what your promised' : Google fiber is one example, and if you search CNN for an article on the city of Chattanooga, the city owns the bandwidth and offers bandwidth to its residents at gigabit speeds as well, for around $70 a month. So when I hear private ISP's say how expensive it is to upgrade out their network and how it's going to be the customer who pays, I get a little annoyed... The Chattanooga city project has gotten a lot of attention from other cities wanting to know how they can do the same because of them being tired of how much of a chokehold ISP's have over bandwidth...

As for the Net Neutrality issue, all I can say is for those who don't already know, the FCC is taking PUBLIC COMMENT through July (I think?) so please go there and give them a piece of your mind because once the deadline passes, that's it...you won't get a second chance..

P
 
you would figure with as much money as they ding people every 30 days, we would all have 50Mbit pipes.

I got hit for $120 month for a single cell line, 450min/unlimited text/10GB of LTE.... i never used but maybe 10% of the entire package but they got their money every month. So basically they got almost 3000 dollars from me... and the actual cost to them was maybe...what? 50 bucks?

I will be very happy to sit back and watch them burn, along with any other company that thinks they can bully others into paying more and getting less.
 
GoodBoy said:
On Cox here.

Found out last week that my Amazon Prime membership includes streaming video for many tv shows and movies (movie selection is a bit weak for free ones). Watched some tv episodes I had missed and it worked great, was in HD.

Anyone who uses netflix, had a chance to compare it to amazon streaming?
Click to expand...

Unless Amazon has changed something recently, their streaming is not as good of quality as Netflix. Their "free" selection is not all that great either.
 
I couldn't stream very well with Comcast until Netflix paid up.. Weird thing is, Netflix actually worked just fine until around 2 months before the deal was struck... It was like Comcast screwed with Netflix traffic to force them to pay, while making streaming for me miserable. Douches.
 
collegeboy69us said:
you would figure with as much money as they ding people every 30 days, we would all have 50Mbit pipes.

I got hit for $120 month for a single cell line, 450min/unlimited text/10GB of LTE.... i never used but maybe 10% of the entire package but they got their money every month. So basically they got almost 3000 dollars from me... and the actual cost to them was maybe...what? 50 bucks?

I will be very happy to sit back and watch them burn, along with any other company that thinks they can bully others into paying more and getting less.
Click to expand...

So much this. I am seriously thinking about dropping my cell phone once my contract is up. I hardly use any minutes or data anyway. Maybe prepaid is the way to go.. and even then, I am pretty sure it would not kill me to not have a cell phone.

Plus Verizon's call quality has gone down the tubes in the last few years. I rarely have a call that is clear, and a lot of the time my calls get dropped.

I am almost convinced that they prioritize the bandwidth towards the newest devices as I have always noticed that when I get a new phone, the call quality is awesome and calls almost never drop.

About 6 months later, the call quality starts getting worse. By the time it is time to "upgrade", the phone has such bad call quality that the new phones seem like they are really awesome.
 
WaltC said:
Oolka consistently shows me averaging about 50Mb/ps in both directions these days, which seems about right. People on Netflix who haven't seen Netflix in its SuperHD mode (which also supports 5.1 dolby/DTS) have no idea how much better it is than standard Netflix HD. Night & day. Doesn't cost a penny extra from Netflix, but you can only get it through the right network and if you have the ISP bandwidth. (I get it through the Sony entertainment Network via my online Blu-Ray player.) Netflix will never seem the same--I deem it 98% as good as viewing a local BluRay disk in the drive.
Click to expand...

Speed test sites are useless this day in age, most ISP's give them high priority so customers "think" they have great speed!

Go download a linux "torrent" or something to really see true speeds.
 
ravx25 said:
That is because, so far as well know, Amazon streaming has not been affected as of yet. Netflix has the vast majority of streaming traffic so they are being singled out right now by providers. Rest assured though, if this activity is allowed to continue, Amazon will be subject to it at some point too.
Click to expand...

Not to mention Amazon can take a financial hit on their streaming services, it's simply there to try and lure people into a Prime membership, they make money from selling shit to everyone. Netflix on the other hand has only streaming as a revenue source. From a business perspective it's only obvious that you you go after the one who has the most to lose.
 
WaltC said:
The reason why I oppose that is pretty simply to understand: look how absolutely awful the regulated Telecom/land-line telephone system has become in its status as a common carrier. To get better service than that with the government controls you *have to* move up to an IP voice system--there's no other alternative, because it isn't affected by common-carrier POTs rules. The only thing that turning the ISPs into mini-AT&T land-lines would get us is that we'd all get the same lousy, bottom of the barrel service. And you don't like it and want to pay for something better? Forget it--Congress will have outlawed something better. I absolutely do not want *five people* on the FCC dictating what 300M Americans can get in the way of available services.

Customer backlash will work, most definitely. Microsoft turned many a 180 last year and every bit of it was caused by customer backlash. If people have the attitude that complaining won't help so why complain, well, that guarantees that nothing will get done.

Common-carrier designation works like this: you don't get guaranteed the best--you get guaranteed the bare minimum--translated: the worst. It is not a panacea, it is, imo, a cure worse than the disease.
Click to expand...


What's wrong with the telecom network? You're comparing analog systems to digital systems.
 
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