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Netflix Trash-Talks Verizon's Network; Verizon Threatens To Sue
jfruh (300774) writes "If you're a Verizon broadband customer and you've tried streaming Netflix over the past few days, you might've seen a message telling you that the "Verizon network is crowded" and that your stream is being modified as a result. Verizon isn't taking this lying down, saying that there's no proof Verizon is responsible for Netflix's issues, and is threatening to sue over the warnings."
Since Netflix already paid off Comcast I'd wager they're willing to do the same for Verizon. However, Verizon is probably trying to bleed them for more than they're willing to pay. In other words, this is just their way of negotiating the contract down to a "reasonable" amount. (as if they should even have to make payoffs to the cable companies in the first place)
Because that would be abuse of monopoly, and they take that stuff seriously!
The current situation is unacceptable, and it makes me want to dump both Verizon and Netflix. There are alternatives for both.
Haha this suit is never coming, they sure as hell don't want to be in a courtroom over this topic too much risk in having netflix expose them and others.
Well this seems like a fine "solution" to companies that are trying to get rid of net neutrality.
What if every big content provider started popping up such messages? Let the user know directly that their content is being delivered slower because their net provider is throttling the data.
As long as the content provider can accurately determine this is happening, then what can anybody do to stop them from saying it? Verizon can huff and puff about it but if its provably true can they legally do anything to stop it?
I bet people start caring about net neutrality real fast..
-- Senior Software Engineer, Attorney appearance services, locallawyerapp.com.
I think what Verizon is saying is that instead of Netflix paying Verizon for a direct link between the Verizon (tier 1) network and the Netflix servers, Netflix is using a different Tier 1 provider which probably has a peering agreement with Verizon and therefore Verizon isn't making any money off the supply side, only the consumer side, which just isn't good enough for them.
2004-2014 ?
A lot has happened in the last decade....
They don't actually need to throttle anything. They just have to fail to build the infrastructure required to support the bandwidth needs of their customers from a Netflix source. Basically, as video streaming has increased, it's created bottlenecks in existing internet infrastructure. If they don't keep up with the new bandwidth demands, they can't deliver the content.
Video streaming providers like YouTube and Netflix have been colocating cache servers at ISP's for a while now. These cache servers are actually cheaper for everybody: they're cheaper for the ISP because they don't need to build out as much new upstream bandwidth to keep their service going. They're cheaper for the content provider because the content provider doesn't get as many hits on its datacenters. And everybody else in between has a less-congested network.
So really it's a matter of ISP's like Verizon and Comcast refusing to allow Netflix/YouTube to build cache servers at the ISP's sites, despite the clear benefits to everybody.
Netflix offers caching but Comcast/Verizon demand they pay for it despite the money they would save by hosting the cache. They're more interested in poaching Netflix's customers for their own streaming alternatives. This is what happens when Net Neutrality is not mandated.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
The irony here is that Version will claim no one is paying them to expand their capacity to deal with the Netflix traffic.
But then there customers should be able to ask and sue for an answer to the question: "If you don't have enough bandwidth to handle sending us data from Netflix, did you lie when you told us you were selling us X amount of bandwidth?"
They are being enslaved willingly. So I do not care for them at all. If people want to give up their freedoms so they can be lazy and feels safe then fine. I just want these lazy pussies to stop trying to give away my freedoms and responsibilities.
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
The whole concept of live streaming accross the internet has always been a stupid idea for pre-recorded non-live media consumption
I think your understanding of network routing protocols is not complete. Every router everywhere's core job is to find and use the best possible routes for packets. That's it. If an end user can find a superior route by adding hops, then there is something fundamentally wrong with the underlying logical network structure. Either something logical is broken or someone has made configurations to make that happen. So sure, Verizon might not be throttling, they just are dumping packets, routing in loops, intentionally using worse routes, or are merely incompetent and not capable of running a functional network.
Doesn't really matter. Bottom line is if someone can add to a network path through Verizon and get better results, then it is the blatant fault of Verizon alone.
I refuse to criticize Verizon for standing up to content-provider extortionists.
There is a reason that "the right" is doing better financially, and its not because they are holding you down. You are holding yourself down by not giving a fuck about things like facts.
It's sad to see someone criticizing another for bias and then throwing something like this out. No one said anything about "the right," and if you're going to throw out a claim like that you should back it up with something.
If "the right" means Republicans, as it usually does in the US, I've seen nothing but poor financial decisions out of them in the few decades that I've been paying attention. I would not say that they're doing better financially. (better than who? "the left"? the middle class, as the grandparent was discussing?)
It seems to me that the luxuries are cheaper, but the necessities are more expensive. My TV, computer, and other toys might be less, but my gas, groceries, medical care, and housing are going up like rockets.
Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
Um, isn't Netflix pretty specifically the only major provider that ISN'T owned/run by the Big X? Which is why the ISPs who are owned by the same/similar people are trying to shut them down so hard?
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