Netflix is slow lately on FIOS
glugglug
Enthusiast - Level 3

For the past few weeks I am intermittently getting only 1-2 bars on the bandwidth meter for the XBOX Netflix app, which I think means it is ~1-2Mbps.

I have a 35/35Mbps plan with FIOS, so it should be getting HD all the time. (it used to until recently).

Are others having this problem lately?  Is it a FIOS issue or is Netflix downgrading their service for any customers not on OpenConnect ISPs?

204 Replies
meetkp
Newbie

For past 5-6 months I am getting very bad speed for any netflix video. When I had other cable internet, netflix used to work perfectly.

I have 50 MBPS plan and for netflix I am not getting even few 2-3 MBPS download. Even my friend leaving next to my place using other internet service is getting crips and clear netflix.

We all knows that verizon is trying to get cold money from netflix, and this leave very bad impression of verizon for customer like me who is paying 10 time what I am paying to netflix.

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lbarzin
Newbie
I have had unacceptable Netflix streaming since February 2014. Quality has dropped to 2 dots and rebuffering every few minutes. My speedtests all indicate plenty of download bandwidth (~24 and on-demand and Amazon work fine so I can only assume that Verizon is throttling down video streaming packets from Netflix specifically for some greedy business reason. I have called tech support and they were clueless, treating it like a server re-boot issue. So, I guess I'll just boycott Verizon on demand until this clears up - or I get a better deal fro one of their competitors.
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working4buddha

I have noticed an improvement since the deal was announced. But I mostly watch after prime time hours, usually starting around 11pm. Earlier in the year each episode would take several minutes to even be watchable. It looked like a RealPlayer from the 90s. If I rewound it would go through the same problem for a few minutes. Even at its best it never seemed to be as high in quality as it used to be. That was when I found this thread trying to troubleshoot my issues.

But now there may only be a few seconds of poor quality when the show starts and it seems to adjust very quickly. Overall it seems much better and I really wouldn't have noticed a problem if it had been like this. 

I am in the Philly area so maybe I just lucked out? Using a PS3. 

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amarryat
Enthusiast - Level 3
Trying to watch Netflix tonight and it keeps pausing. I'm paying Verizon for 50mbit download, and this stream is probably 2 max. What again am I paying for?
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db909
Contributor - Level 3

@amarryat wrote:
Trying to watch Netflix tonight and it keeps pausing. I'm paying Verizon for 50mbit download, and this stream is probably 2 max. What again am I paying for?

50 down from the FIOS server closest to you when wired.  That's it.

www.verizon.com/speedtest/

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amarryat
Enthusiast - Level 3
I get closer to 60 down on speedtest.net. But can't watch Netflix or YouTube without pauses.
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db909
Contributor - Level 3

Netflix warning

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amarryat
Enthusiast - Level 3
Come on Verizon. Fix this before we switch to Comcast
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teddavid
Newbie

Verizon, not ALL of your consumers are fools. In fact most are not. We KNOW you are jerking us around with speeds on Netflix. It is IMPOSSIBLE to have 30/20 speed on my iPad and yet less than .7mbps on my Apple TV or smart BlueRay player when I bring up Netflix in the same room!. 

There is a reason the FCC is looking into your practices. And I plan to start a change.org petition. Either you work out your issues with Netflix without hassling your customers by throttling speeds or I will ask that you be declared in material breech of your agreement and I will have Cablevision back in my home and drop you like a rotten egg. I am already wired for Optimum and DirecTV. I don't need you. 

STOP THE NONSENSE NOW! 

Who's with me?

Let Verizon know you are sick of their nonsense by commenting below.

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thetick1234
Specialist - Level 1

Looks like the FCC is going to decide who's at fault.  I'm pretty sure Verizon is not going to be happy when their private records become public information.  Verizon will have a very hard time spinning the fact they did not upgrade their network for the hopes of getting more money from Netflix.  There will be some nonsense about Netflix paying their fair share that Verizon will claim.  

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/8501/20140615/fcc-wants-to-play-referee-in-netflix-v-comcast-veriz...

Also Verizon slid to to the bottom half of Netfix's USA ISP Speed Index:

#10 Verizon down 2 places

http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/usa

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thanhngny
Newbie

i am about to switch to verizon, but now i have the second thought about it. I have netflix too. if playing netflic is problem over verizon fios, then i better stay with my cable. so far i don't have any problem with optimum internet. Ah! I even have optimum hotspot in my home. optimum have alot of hotspot, that is a extra.

get yourself together verizon, or you will lose all the customer

a current optimum customer

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gabea
Newbie

Verizon,

You cannot claim that this is Netflix's issue. Netflix works perfectly well on every other ISP that is available in my neighborhood. I can even play HD video on my AT&T mobile phone. 

This is truly ridiculous. I am paying Verizon for 75mbit/35mbit internet and I can't play Netflix at night. It's constantly buffering and low resolution.

I will cancel my service if this is not resolved quickly.

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tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

@gabea wrote:

Verizon,

You cannot claim that this is Netflix's issue. Netflix works perfectly well on every other ISP that is available in my neighborhood. I can even play HD video on my AT&T mobile phone. 

This is truly ridiculous. I am paying Verizon for 75mbit/35mbit internet and I can't play Netflix at night. It's constantly buffering and low resolution.

I will cancel my service if this is not resolved quickly.


You haven't done much looking at other ISP forums.  Its not just Verizon.  And even for Verizon not all users are seeing problems.

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tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Maybe we will finally find out who to blame.  There are several stories about the FCC wanting some answers.  e.g. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/blame-slower-internet-streaming-fcc-find/story?id=24138190

and FCC doc

http://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-statement-broadband-consumers-and-internet-congestion

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Fennups
Newbie
I just switched to quantum and I am still getting low quality often buffering Netflix. This is ridiculous. So far this seems as though it doesn't matter how much you pay. Verizon wants more for the exact same product
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amarryat
Enthusiast - Level 3
Even the most basic service should allow you to stream Netflix perfectly since those streams are only a few megabits max.
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DChar
Newbie

Utter Garbage......the lack of ability to watch Netflix in HD is going to be the final straw. Why pay for 30Mbit service if it can't stream 2Mbits of video? And then Customer Service has the gall to blow smoke up my "Optic Fiber" and blame everyone else but themselves. The individual I spoke to said that Verizon treats all network traffic the same. Really? Then why did you feel it necessary to shake down Netflix for a paid peer agreement in April? That sounds like a bribe for preferential treatment. And lo and behold, Netflix calls them out for not delivering and all of a sudden the service goes to pot. I don't think I can continue to be a customer of a company that takes me for a fool. If Netflix is overtaxing Verizon's network, maybe promising everyone 15X the bandwidth needed to watch a movie is too much to handle for the rookie ISP. I almost feel bad for the poor CSRs who have to deal with the ever increasing disappointed (ripped off) customers. Looks like its time to cut the fiber....Hopefully the FCC digs up the dirt on Verizon and deals with them appropriately.

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deepafp
Newbie

Since Jan 2014, almost all video streaming services have been HORRIBLE. 

Netflix, Youtube are especially pathetic on all devices EXCEPT iPad. Now I don't understand this. 

Speedtest consistently shows > 50Mbps download and over 35 Mbps upload to any device. 

However, Netflix and Youtube or espn.com don't need this bandwidth to stream one single HD stream. You need no more than 8Mbps connection for that. 

What is also odd is every device plays Netflix or Youtube in absolute crap quality - pixelated like a mosaic on PC (with Firefox, Chrome, Opera, IE), Mac (with Safari, Opera or FF), any Android tablet (Kindle Fire, Galaxy Note 10.1, Nook) and Windows Surface Pro BUT ........ But..... it plays in HD quality on my old iPad (first gen) using the Netflix app. 

This tells me that Verizon is throttling video connections by checking user agent that Netflix is sending and throttling? I haven't tried changing UserAgent yet. (or using a VPN). 

I am dismayed by how great Fios was these past few years to stream Netflix or Youtube in HD and now its so {word filter avoidance} annoying with its constant buffering, absolute crap quality - espnfc.us is so bad, I cannot see the score or ball or anything. .

If it doesn't improve with my next round of testing, I will cancel and switch to Comcast (my only other horrible choice) available here. 

Why cannot we get Net Neutrality (the proper version w/ no pkt inspection/throttle) passed already? C'mon.... 

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JEC3Beach
Newbie

Netflix is unwatchable on FIOS in Baltimore, MD due to constant pauses to reload. This is true almost all day long not just during peak hours. I have a vacation home where the only high speed internet service available is Mediacom and I have virtually no pauses to reload. I am unable to get HD video with Mediacom even though I have 20 MBPS service, but at least Netflix streaming is watchable. In order to verify my equipment. I swapped everything except the Verizon provided modem/router between the two locations and the problem remained at the Baltimore location. Also, all my equipment is hardwired so WIFI is not the cause. I have several Sony and Samsung devices and they all have the same problems in Baltimore but not when swapped into my vacation house. This certainly makes Verizon look like the party at fault. Of course they deny having a problem.

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db909
Contributor - Level 3

@deepafp wrote:

If it doesn't improve with my next round of testing, I will cancel and switch to Comcast (my only other horrible choice) available here. 



My advice, go to Comcast.  After Netflix agreed to start paying Comcast months ago for a high speed lane, the buffering issues disappeared within days.

Besides Comcast is way better on the TV side now with the X1.

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Scarecrow1
Enthusiast - Level 1

Guys, before you drop the DSL.. do a little research. It took me about ten minutes to scour the news sources and find that this war between Verizon and Neflix should be over shortly. I personally refuse to go to Comcast so Im willing to wait. I was glad to find the problem was not my router or other equipt and now I see others also have the issue of Neflix pausing and reloading. Verizon is quoted less than a month ago here saying... Verizon VP David Young told CNET, "We can't just snap our fingers and the network is upgraded. We need new facilities. We have to do the equipment engineering. Build it and test it. We are doing all of that right now. And it should be completed during this year." When finished, Netflix's connection to the Verizon network will supply "adequate capacity to satisfy the needs of their subscribers."