G+_Rud Dog Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Let's see if memory serves correct. Back when Comcast was upset due to Netflix using more than the average bear's bandwidth they told Netflix they would get have to charge Netflix for the additional bandwidth. Comcast was happy to allow Netflix to pass the added cost onto the customers. Well this started the whole net neutrality war and was happy to see the courts ruled in favor of netflix. To today received an email from netflix they were raising the monthly fee to 10 bucks a month. Just find the timing interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_John Saunders Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 There's some things missing about that story. Netflix's bandwidth had saturated it's POP interface into the Comcast network. Comcast refused to add an additional SFP+ interface to alleviate this network congestion. Netflix even offered to pay for the hardware to perform this upgrade (SFP+ hardware is still very costly at this point), and made this information rather public to shame Comcast in the spotlight. However, that is where most of the news stories stopped and where the news about FCC regulating ISP interconnects came around. Also, I received the same email from Netflix two weeks ago, but it was because two years ago (before this congestion story even broke) Netflix raised the monthly price to new customers, but kept the same pricing plan for those that already had an account. Now they are bringing everybody to the same base pricing plan. Gotta pay for new seasons of their in-house shows somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Dave Trautman Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Rud Dog, I would have to ask where you got the information. Netflix absorbed the cost for Comcast and did not pass it on. Other ISPs around the world also asked for help handling the bandwidth and were given many solutions to the problem (some from Netflix itself) to help. My own ISP actually hosts a Netflix server nearby so they can manage the load more locally. The rate increases are more than reasonable by my calculation. Considering what is on offer at the local cinema I'm more than happy to continue to subscribe for what I get. As to net neutrality, this is a bigger issue than you outlined. John Saunders seems to understand it more clearly than yourself. Selectively impairing transmission of raw data because of its content is both unethical and discriminatory. We're used to corporations thinking they have all the control; but they don't. IF the competition were better in the USA the ISP rates would me much lower and people would have their pick of "services" without fear of having them impaired because they could easily move to another service. My take on the US problem here is lack of competition and not some sort of scam perpetrated by the content distributors / makers. Everyone should petition their federal representatives to open up competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Josh Frye Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Rud Dog I just got the notice as well. But it was their adjusting the pricing in exactly the way John Saunders mentioned. They even stated as much in a email and announcements to Netflix customers two years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts