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?
@db909 wrote:
@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.
Actually, I cannot edit my comment but even iPad is horrendous. I was incorrect in my earlier statements. It is terrible on EVERY device.
The past 2-3 days were inexplicably super! I was watching in super HD with no loading, no buffering, literally instant play of netflix movies and now ..... back to garbage quality. What! Why! How!
I am a tech person and I'm now at a loss - I was thinking unoptimized routes, lack of netflix CDNs etc. But why did it get better for like 2-3 days and now back? Is it because of fourth of July people not being at home or people being at home and Verizon not throttling it to avoid complaints? Who knows?
Even espnfc.us is horrendous now. Even highlights which you'd think more people have watched and so gets cached somewhere by Akamai type cache locally. But nope.
I've looked up Comcast now and it is $89 for its triple play with up to 105Mbps. I think I have to take my chances with them rather than keep complaining with Verizon and suffering like this in 2014!!!
I'm just shaking my head at the state of this country.....
Note see thread on dslreports
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r29341990-Networking-1st-Proof-of-Verizon-Netflix-Direct-Peering-
Comcast jumped in the Netflix ratings the 1st month after Netflix agreed to pay them.
Netflix agreed to pay FIOS in April and is moving down in the rankings.
"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."
Bottom line it could be awhile. Networking is evidently a lot harder at FIOS than it is at Comcast.
There are only 2 things to do here, chose a different provider or get a VPN. Verizon is sticking it to us but they aren't winning any fans.
There's actually a couple very well educated posts about this over on DSLr that I'll share.
This is all a big publicity stunt and doesn't pass the smell test.
Both netflix and level 3 have some 'splainin to do
You should do some research around Internet routing. The decision of which "crap" link to use is in 100% control of the origin of the traffic (e.g. content providers). ISPs control their forward path back to the origin (which is not a problem) and Content providers control the forward path to the ISPs (which is the problem)
The reason why content providers will "route your traffic through our congested to crap TATA links" is part of a Peering Playbook strategy called Traffic Manipulation and designed to cause problems and get people like yourselves to blame the ISP vs the really orchestrators behind these issues.
It appears my reply on the Level 3 blog is going through extended moderation time, even though other replies and replies from the author have been posted. For anyone that cares, here it is...
--
This back and forth is getting really tiresome, neither this post nor the ones from Verizon are giving anywhere close to a complete picture of how the business relationship has been conducted in the past and present. Offering to pay for Verizon to upgrade their ports is like one of your customers offering to pay for the ports / cross connects to your network without any ongoing usage costs. No, its not an exact comparison, but it’s close enough for this grand-staging effort being conducted by all three levels (content producer, transit, residential ISP).
As to the “suggestions” that this is an intentional effort by Verizon to thwart NetFlix, the simple questions can be asked… Why are you selling a service (transit) to NetFlix that you know very well in advance that you cannot fully fulfill? If NetFlix is being targeted by Verizon (or Comcast, AT&T) unfairly, why have they and you elected not to pursue any legal remedies to date but rather instead wage a public “public relations” campaign?
The latest tactic appears to ask the US government to intervene, which may or may not be a bad thing, but remember most consumers only realize their NetFlix experience sucks and doesn’t understand or care about peering in any shape or fashion. Regulation may come, but the government is not known for subtle or light gestures, its quite possible all parties involved will find themselves in a much worse position afterwards. Let’s also not forget, the regulation may not stop at residential ISPs, interconnections are far more important than any single ISP.
To summarize: I believe all of the parties involved are simply trying to look out for their own interests and profits, rather than any genuine concern about how the Internet works. None of the parties to date have released any meaningful data publicly to support any of their claims, but rather have released highly summarized data that can not be analyzed or verified by any uninvolved party.
@Hubrisnxs wrote:Both netflix and level 3 have some 'splainin to do
No they don't.
People uttered the same on DSLR in the Comcast forums and disappearred without comment after Netflix started paying Comcast and things magically got better.
Netflix agreed to pay FIOS in April and for whatever reason FIOS can't make it happen. FIOS execs have ackowledged that they cannot make networking changes on their side overnight like Comcast did, so maybe they have problems inside their network that need to be rectified first.
Regardless it has been almost 4 months since Netflix agreed to pay FIOS to fix this issue.
@db909 wrote:Comcast jumped in the Netflix ratings the 1st month after Netflix agreed to pay them.
Netflix agreed to pay FIOS in April and is moving down in the rankings.
"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."
Bottom line it could be awhile. Networking is evidently a lot harder at FIOS than it is at Comcast.
Users on some east coast locations and the Dallas-Fort Worth area are reporting that routing back to them from Netflix is now direct -- it does not include third-party content provider ISPs like NTT, Telia, or L3. I believe the worse markets are being dealt with first. The interesting thing is that this seems to be improving Netflix performance for those not yet switched because of lower transit on the peering points between the third-party content provider ISPs and Verizon, although the improvemens are not consistent.
My netflix has been absolutely terrible for the past few days, Cant fast forward or it wont start up, if I let it just play you cant even get a good picture it looks like 240p. Ive been having issues that verizon just refuses to help with and were about done now, were waiting for the cablevision guy to give us a call back so we can switch.
That would explain why it's taking 30 minutes to play the INTRO on a ST:TNG episode!
This deal is getting worse every time!
C0x users: don't switch now!!
Same problem here.
Verizon uses their own speed tester that is WITHIN THE FIOS SYSTEM. Last night I was only able to get about 5Mb , usually during the day I get 25 Mb. So even their own system is not fast enough to handle the evening load.
Using speakeasy during the day I get 25Mb and at night sometimes NOT EVEN 1Mb!!!
Spend about an hour talking to a technician last night, doing the usual tests, checking the lines, resetting our system etc. to no avail. I wonder why they bother, knowing there is nothing that can be done.They offered to replace the router, what a brilliant idea! What defect would make a router work fine at noon but not at 8PM?
Using Netflix is usually impossible at night. And if it works at night it reboots often and is looking awful.
But even normal web pages can take many seconds instead of being there instantly.
Verizon has been sitting on their fanny too long not upgrading their FIOS system to meet the increased demand.
After finding out what the problem is I cancelled the increased connection speed.
And I was planning to stream UHD 4K!! HAHAHAHA
Eugene
It just keeps getting better. FIOS is worse than every major cable compnay in the US and worse than three dsl providers!
That is embarrassing.
no it doesn't
Sandvine: Netflix, GoogleISP Rankings 'Conflicting ...
I've already pointed out numerous times that Netflix's streaming rankings are made less valuable by the fact that Netflix CDN partners do better in the rankings than those who refuse to participate in the free service. Similarly I've noted Google and YouTube's new ISP rankings need some work as well, as navigation is clunky and some ISPs are listed as HD verified even in markets they don't even provide service.
Serisouly?
You don't find that FIOS and it's wonderous fiber optics getting trounced by inferior technology like cable and dsl is embarrassing?
What is the point of having better technology that doesn't work?
Please don't say Netflix has singled out FIOS and has something to do with it. That is crazy conspiracy talk.
Why is fios HD certified on google but coincidentally because they didn't play nice with open connect (wink wink) are rated low on netflix "very official" isp rating index? Man hook line and sinker......
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
