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Level 3 Shaken Down By Comcast Over Video Streaming
An anonymous reader writes "It looks like the gloves are really coming off; Level 3 Communications had to pony up an undisclosed amount of cash to keep Netflix streaming to Comcast customers. Perhaps now the FCC might actually do something to ensure that the internet remains open. Level 3's Chief Legal Officer, Thomas Stortz, said: 'Level 3 believes Comcast's current position violates the spirit and letter of the FCC's proposed Internet Policy principles and other regulations and statutes, as well as Comcast's previous public statements about favoring an open Internet. While the network neutrality debate in Washington has focused on what actions a broadband access provider might take to filter, prioritize or manage content requested by its subscribers, Comcast's decision goes well beyond this. With this action, Comcast is preventing competing content from ever being delivered to Comcast's subscribers at all, unless Comcast's unilaterally-determined toll is paid — even though Comcast's subscribers requested the content. With this action, Comcast demonstrates the risk of a 'closed' Internet, where a retail broadband Internet access provider decides whether and how their subscribers interact with content.'"
You should have done what FOX and NBC have done in the past - Cut off Comcast. When that happens the customers invariably blame the cable company for being greedy, not the broadcasters or Level 3 or netflix
Then Comcast would be forced to stop banning netflix, else risk losing customers.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Keep the government out of my internet! The corporations can solve their problems in a way that the consumer is not effected!
Right?
Guys?
anyone?
Of course, in America where you may not have a choice in ISPs, this breaks down entirely and Comcast is free to do whatever they want.
"Seven Deadly Sins? I thought it was a to-do list!"
So instead the paid the Danegeld. They can now expect a lot more Danes to come demanding their cut.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
I think you are too 1.0.
Customer: loading netflix...
Netflix: Sorry, Comcast has blocked Netflix because it competes with their own offerings. They were previously sued for this anticompetitive behavior, but it continues.
Your location was detected as [Philadelphia, PA], please click here for information to set up internet with: [ ] Verizon, [ ] RCN, [ ] Clear.
Please click here to upload a video to youtube requesting the department of commerce investigate this matter.
Please click here to connect to Netflix through 7 proxies.
-- I was raised on the command line, bitch
If Comcast are a monopoly supplier (ie customers cannot get broadband from another ISP) then maybe the customers who cannot get Netflix (or whatever else) should bring a class action suit against Comcast.
They could, but not many consumers are interested in getting a $15 coupon off Comcast cable eight years from now when the lawsuit is over. Our courts, the FCC, the DoJ are all so pro-big business as the result of both political parties' appointments at the behest of lobbyists that breaking antitrust law is just another profitable new business strategy.
Notice that the dispute is not between Comcast and Netflix -- it's between Comcast and Level3, which doesn't create content, only owns pipes. Level3 and Comcast have a "peer" agreement; they generate a similar amount of traffic, so they accept each others' traffic for free. That's a typical arrangement. However, this was before Netflix changed CDN from Akamai to Level3. Akamai sends much more traffic to Comcast than it receives, so it pays Comcast for receiving the traffic. That's also a typical arrangement. Now that Neflix will be going over Level3 instead, Comcast is just trying to negotiate the same deal w/ Level3 as with Comcast:
Net neutrality may be an important issue, but it's not the issue here.
TCP: Why the Internet is full of SYN.
GP is right. But it's all about public relations.
Netflix: Uh, well, that's your ISP's fault for not coordinating with our CDN.
Um. No. You'd say that only if you wanted to piss people off.
A real corporation would avoid jargon, and point fingers at someone else... Hell, they do that even when they *are* at fault.
In reality, you'd get something more like:
Netflix: We're sorry, sir. Who is your internet provider? Comcast? Unfortunately, that appears to be a problem that all Comcast customers are experiencing. Please contact your Comcast customer service. In the meantime, can we offer you an free upgrade to your DVD by mail service for three months?
I can see the fnords!
I take exception to your crack on Americans. I'm public school educated and I knew what Danegeld was without being told.
If historical trivia is your measure of proper education would you like to take a gamble that I could find some reasonably important but semi-obscure history that you're not aware of?