Netflix Trash-Talks Verizon's Network; Verizon Threatens To Sue 364
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."
Price Wars (Score:5, Insightful)
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)
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Never going to happen. (Score:3, Insightful)
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.
solutiuon to non net neutrality.. (Score:5, Insightful)
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..
Re:I want to see where this goes (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Price Wars (Score:5, Insightful)
This is why you don't negotiate with terrorists.
Re:Price Wars (Score:1, Insightful)
Not really terrorism...more like blackmail. Still shouldn't pay them though.
Re:We are being bred for slavery (Score:1, Insightful)
2004-2014 ?
A lot has happened in the last decade....
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:TOECDN solves mostly all of your problems (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:5, Insightful)
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?"
Re: We are being bred for slavery (Score:4, Insightful)
Simple solution (Score:5, Insightful)
The whole concept of live streaming accross the internet has always been a stupid idea for pre-recorded non-live media consumption
Re:Price Wars (Score:2, Insightful)
But with Netflix, actively engaging again net neutrality and asking DRM in HTTP, it is also bad.
So, the public is victim of two would-be/actual monopolists.
The solution, I think, is no streaming.
On a side note, video is really overrated.
Days are only 24 hours, you use a few sleeping, you have better things to do than watching movies the rest of the time.
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:2, Insightful)
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.
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:We are being bred for slavery (Score:2, Insightful)
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?)
Re:Price Wars (Score:4, Insightful)
It is always a temptation [poetryloverspage.com] to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that pays it is lost!"
Re: We are being bred for slavery (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Re:Redbox Instant (Score:5, Insightful)
Um, isn't Netflix pretty specifically the only major provider that ISN'T owned/run by the Big X [wikipedia.org]? Which is why the ISPs who are owned by the same/similar people are trying to shut them down so hard?