Has Verizon DSL slowed over time? Netflix pauses frequently

[JacG1]

Starting 2014 my Netflix streaming would not play properly, frequently pausing in the middle of a movie. It never did that before.

I heard Verizon was restricting bandwidth to Netflix and/or other TV streaming (Roku) content because TV streaming used up too much bandwidth.

At most we use 2 computer + 1 Roku TV streaming.

At night "ONLY" the Roku TV streaming. Yet there is still the problem of frequently pausing/buffering movies on my TV.

What is the problem? Verizon's old DSL Broadband Internet Service? Netflix streaming?

[tothepoint22]

I had the same issue streaming Netfilx.  Trying to sell the higher bandwidth?  (only my guess, no I don't want to pay an additional $10 a month for sometime that worked fine in the past)  I had to set Netfilx to stream SD and not HD.  Works most of the time now. Defeats the purpose of high def though.,  Starting May 16th, I am also having an issue with the DVR box suddenly shutting down. (not in sleep mode) , then I reset and the box does not recognize the additonal storage capacity and I need to reset multiple times.  Technology is great when it works.  Losing patience, but not enough to spend an hour on the phone yet.

[gs0b]

There is not problem with an individual user's link or settings.  The issue is in the inter connections used between Verizon and Netflix.  As Netflix traffic has grown, the connections have not.  For a while, Verizon and Netflix were pointing fingers at each other as to who should pay to make the connections bigger/faster.  Recently, they reached an agreement.  It will take some time for the better connections to be installed and for us users to see a difference.

Spend some time searching this forum or the web and you can find lots more information about this.

Enjoy.

[JohnLossinAdams]

I also am experiencing latency issues (Netflix constantly reloading during "busy hours").  Just out of curiosity, I did a

trace route to the Level 3 DNS server from my serivce in Southern Ocean County, NJ (served out of Atlantic City) and found quite a large delay in what was an old MCI router (204.255.173.54 Dallas, TX) that is now "mis" managed by Verizon.  The tracert results are:

C:\Users\JackAndDiane>tracert 4.2.2.1

Tracing route to a.resolvers.level3.net [4.2.2.1]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    33 ms    34 ms    34 ms  10.24.13.1
  2    36 ms    39 ms    35 ms  G0-3-1-0.ATCLNJ-LCR-21.verizon-gni.net [130.81.197.112]
  3    37 ms    39 ms    37 ms  so-5-0-0-0.NWRK-BB-RTR1.verizon-gni.net [130.81.28.10]
  4     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  5    39 ms    39 ms     *     0.ae1.BR2.NYC4.ALTER.NET [140.222.229.91]
  6  1718 ms  1698 ms     *     204.255.173.54
  7    40 ms    40 ms    41 ms  vlan51.ebr1.NewYork2.Level3.net [4.69.138.222]
  8    39 ms    40 ms    39 ms  ae-46-46.ebr1.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.201.41]
  9    40 ms    41 ms    40 ms  ae-81-81.csw3.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.134.74]
 10    59 ms    60 ms    45 ms  ae-3-80.edge2.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.155.144]
 11    39 ms    38 ms    43 ms  a.resolvers.level3.net [4.2.2.1]

Trace complete.

I'm just guessing (Since I have no access to the NOC), but it looks like there is an orphan entry in the
router at (130.81.28.10) that clobbering Netflix  streaming performance lately.  Of course this could

also be a problem with Level3 peering arrangements with VZ, but who knows!

[leighleigh33]

I have the same issue just complained about that here paying too much for slow connection and now they want to charge more!!!  

[PamLakeHouston]

It was just on the news a couple of days ago.  Verizon is at war with Netflix over this issue.  The only other alternative for us DSL users was the Redbox/Verizon offer.

I know a marketing play when I see one, they are trying to sell their product, so I tried it.

Two HUGE problems:

1.  The Redbox/Verizon system is not compatible with any of my equipment.  Blu-Ray Players, Smart TVs.  Only specific models.  I would have to purchase so much additional equipment it makes it economicaly unfeasible.

2.  The video quality of Redbox was so horrible, I had to turn it off.  Maybe Redbox/Verizon should have put a little bit more research on end product quality before they tried to jerk the rug out from under Netflix.

The Redbox/Verizon system does not work for DSL users.  I would have to purchase so much additional equipment for each TV, it's a disaster.

Nice try, but no cigar!!!