Break Verizon Fios contract over netflix throttling?

[Dari]

Also, I gotta say, you FIOS customers are fucking things up for the rest of us. When TWC wanted to cap data at 50GB a couple of years ago, we protested and protested hard so that they backed off. Comcast's was more generous at 250GB. Now these asshole ISPs are throttling services that we all use and you guys are just taking it up the rear. There is no doubt in my mind that TWC is looking at this and having designs of their own. They will do the same shit to us if you guys just continue to take it up the ass. Say "Enough!". Squeeze your ass cheeks so they can't penetrate anymore. Then get up, take off the knee-pads, slap away the K-Y and fight the fuck back.

 

[irishScott]

I understand but it's really fucked up what Verizon is doing. I'm surprised you guys aren't more upset. It's wrong and it's wrong. If they succeed with Netflix (and they have) Google (youtube and gmail) may be next.

And what should I do about it? Switch to Comcast? Because they're the only other viable option in my area, and they've done the same thing as Verizon, just a little smoother. I suppose I could technically get wireless broadband from AT&T, but they're even worse as a company plus I'd have data caps up the ass.

There are no good options. I'm pissed, but the most I can do is write stern letters to Company X and my congressmen. In the meantime I try not to worry about things I can't control.

 

[irishScott]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5PzJhU8iI0

I appreciate the sentiment.

 

[Accord99]

I understand but it's really fucked up what Verizon is doing. I'm surprised you guys aren't more upset. It's wrong and it's wrong. If they succeed with Netflix (and they have) Google (youtube and gmail) may be next.

Google already directly connects, as do many other companies:

http://blog.streamingmedia.com/2014...have-direct-interconnect-deals-with-isps.html

Verizon is not doing anything other than follow its pre-existing agreements with Netflix's transit providers.

 

[bearxor]

Before VPN

After VPN

Which test video is this? The only one I know of tips out at 3000kbps.

And since I haven't seen it linked yet, Level 3 has come right out and said that the issue is all on the Verizon side.

http://blog.level3.com/global-connectivity/verizons-accidental-mea-culpa/

But, of course, Verizon disagrees.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5922793/verizon-level-3-netflix-peering-transit-congestion

 

[ch33zw1z]

Just use a private VPN service, that should get you around it.

Comcast doesn't throttle me, but since I'm a bit on the untrusting side, I use:

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/

 

[mnewsham]

Which test video is this? The only one I know of tips out at 3000kbps.

And since I haven't seen it linked yet, Level 3 has come right out and said that the issue is all on the Verizon side.

http://blog.level3.com/global-connectivity/verizons-accidental-mea-culpa/

But, of course, Verizon disagrees.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5922793/verizon-level-3-netflix-peering-transit-congestion

It's the standard test video, just netflix only streams 720p at 3000kbps max in the web browser. If you use a PS4/PS3 or the Windows 8 Netflix app, it then allows you to playback netflix superHD which means it will playback up to 1920x1080 at 5800kbps OR if you have a 4k display it will playback up to 3840x2160 at up to 16000kbps what they call Ultra HD, Ultra HD is only available on a few select titles though, House of cards season 2 I know is 1 of them though.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

In Verizon's defense though, I don't think you can use a VPN to prove they're throttling like people think you can. That could just as easily indicate that there is congestion between Verizon and Netflix (or Level 3), and using the VPN routes around the congestion.

Level 3 has an interesting take on the problem. Also more commentary here.

 

[bearxor]

It's the standard test video, just netflix only streams 720p at 3000kbps max in the web browser. If you use a PS4/PS3 or the Windows 8 Netflix app, it then allows you to playback netflix superHD which means it will playback up to 1920x1080 at 5800kbps OR if you have a 4k display it will playback up to 3840x2160 at up to 16000kbps what they call Ultra HD, Ultra HD is only available on a few select titles though, House of cards season 2 I know is 1 of them though.

Cool, thanks. I haven't tried it from one of the apps. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Markbnj]

Possibly relevant:

http://broadbandnow.com/report/municipal-broadband-roadblocks/

 

[slackerinabox]

Fios disconnected, Time Warned installed.

Previous bitrate range on verizon fios: 370s/kbps - absolute max of 768kbps (this is after much complaining they "provisioned" my modem. Sub-SD resolution

Currently, on time warner - 5800kbps/stable, full 1920x1080 resolution

Yeah, a bit of a difference there

 

[RelaxTheMind]

an atot story with a happy ending/resolution. this doesnt happen often.

something will eventually give over time. vz fios gets pretty emotional about their market penetration.

 

[slackerinabox]

an atot story with a happy ending/resolution. this doesnt happen often.

something will eventually give over time. vz fios gets pretty emotional about their market penetration.

Ha, well I'll miss fios TV - good selection of channels and the picture quality's def. better. I just felt like they were trying to control us in a borderline creepy way.

 

[Zee]

Verizon blows dick

VZW is now throttling 4G unlimited users.

This company is right up there types of companies like comcast and RIAA. Always anti-consumer

 

[Imported]

nvm

 

[lupi]

Someone semd me your netflix logon so I can test my stream rate.

 

[shortylickens]

Someone semd me your netflix logon so I can test my stream rate.

:hmm:

 

[slackerinabox]

Verizon blows dick

VZW is now throttling 4G unlimited users.

This company is right up there types of companies like comcast and RIAA. Always anti-consumer

Yes, verizon does seem to be extra evil these days. That's why I quit, manipulating the bandwidth for one service to strong arm their competition (all while the consumer suffers) doesn't sit well with me, especially since our bills have been consistently over $180 a month. maybe i'd put up with the b.s. for a discounted service plan, but nearly $200 a month means I don't accept compromises and being played with...

time warner's much improved from what i remember and i'm not missing much - the dvrs are now much speedier and their 1 hour service window was not b.s. - installer was supposed to be here between 8 am and 9 am and they were in our apartment by 8:45. I'm used to time warner being late for a 8 hour window! def. seems like the lesser of two evils these days

 

[Dari]

Yes, verizon does seem to be extra evil these days. That's why I quit, manipulating the bandwidth for one service to strong arm their competition (all while the consumer suffers) doesn't sit well with me, especially since our bills have been consistently over $180 a month. maybe i'd put up with the b.s. for a discounted service plan, but nearly $200 a month means I don't accept compromises and being played with...

time warner's much improved from what i remember and i'm not missing much - the dvrs are now much speedier and their 1 hour service window was not b.s. - installer was supposed to be here between 8 am and 9 am and they were in our apartment by 8:45. I'm used to time warner being late for a 8 hour window! def. seems like the lesser of two evils these days

TWC has definitely stepped up since Verizon FIOS came to town.

 

[SheHateMe]

I am not canceling Verizon (We also have 75/75..but we get a constant 90/75)) over this because my only alternatives are Comcast or ATT and I'd rather get hit by a bus before I switch to either of those.

Instead, I can use my VPN provider (Private Internet Access) to watch Netflix

I also want to say that I've never actually had any problems streaming Netflix on Verizon...

 

[zerocool84]

I have FiOS 50/25 and stuff for the most part streams perfect. On rare occasions though it'll drop to like 240p for a second or two then go back up.

 

[mnewsham]

Found this decent summary of the situation for those who don't particularly see why verizon is the bad guy here.

Your internet connection is delivered much like this--

(Internet) -- [Backbone provider] --interconnect-- [ISP] --last mile-- [you]

the Last Mile problem is how to get the service from an ISP's central office or local point of presence to the actual subsciber's house. This is where cable has the problem. Cable is a fiber-to-the-node type system, the cable company runs fiber from their central office or PoP to a node located in your neighborhood, which then sends the signal out over the coax line. This coax is then delivered to many homes, which all share its bandwidth. If you put too many homes on one coax line, that bandwidth will be fully saturated and everybody's connection will slow down.

Verizon FiOS uses fiber to the home. While it's a similar system, in that the fiber is optically split for each subscriber and many subscribers share one fiber (much like cable), the resulting bandwidth is so much greater that this isn't considered to be a problem.

However these are both last mile problems. What's going on with FiOS is an interconnect problem, between Verizon and their backbone provider. All the FiOS customers want Internet data, and even if it can zip around Verizon's network really fast, they want to get out of Verizon and get things from the greater Internet. So Verizon pays a larger backbone provider (in this case Level3) for this access. This is how it always works- the ISP pays a backbone for bandwidth, which they resell to their subscribers via their own (ISP's) network.

Verizon is saying that because Netflix's traffic comes in over their Level3 backbone interconnect, Level3 should PAY THEM for the privilege of serving FiOS customers. This is not how things work and not how things have ever worked.

To make an analogy- let's say Level3 is a cattle farmer, and Verizon is McDonalds. Right now, McDonalds pays the farmer for beef which it then marks up and sells to the customer in the form of a cheeseburger. Now imagine that McDonalds tells the farmer that THE FARMER NEEDS TO PAY McDONALDS for 'access' to the hungry customer. Ass backwards, right? That's what Verizon is trying to pull right now.

Since Level3 refuses to pay, Verizon refuses to upgrade their interconnect links. So all the FiOS customers (who aren't using much of their last mile links) are fully saturating the link between Verizon and Level3. L3 has begged Verizon to upgrade these interconnect links, but Verizon refuses to make the upgrade, because they say L3 should be paying them instead of the other way around.

Now it's useful to understand- there ARE situations when payments like this take place- when two major backbone providers connect with each other. So if L3 and say Global Crossing, or XO, or one of them set up a peering arrangement between each other, and more traffic flowed in one direction than the other, the company sending more traffic would generally pay the company receiving traffic. These companies don't service customers directly, they sell access to ISPs)

This doesn't apply to Verizon though, because Verizon is not a backbone network in this context. They are a consumer-level ISP, who must pay for backbone access to resell to their customers. Verizon is trying to play both sides and get paid on both ends, which is NOT how things are done.

 

[PliotronX]

Found this decent summary of the situation for those who don't particularly see why verizon is the bad guy here.

Good post, thanks. It makes me wonder if Verizon is biding time to let the death of net neutrality fade from public aperception and then go ahead and implement their $xx/month for Netflix priority.

 

[zerocool84]

Good post, thanks. It makes me wonder if Verizon is biding time to let the death of net neutrality fade from public aperception and then go ahead and implement their $xx/month for Netflix priority.

Verizon or any cable companies don't want their record profits to drop 0.00000001% that's why. They make tons of profit but don't want to spend the money upgrading their infrastructure.

 

[Jumpem]

This is one reason that I only use Netflix for blu-ray.

I would never switch from FiOS as an ISP either. I am much happier with there services and cost than TWC.