Netflix's decision to pay Comcast for a direct connection to the Comcast network has resulted in significantly better video streaming performance for customers of the nation's largest broadband provider.
Netflix has bemoaned the payment, asking the government to prevent Comcast from demanding such interconnection "tolls."
But there's little doubt the interconnection has benefited consumers in the short term. Average Netflix performance for Comcast subscribers rose from 1.51Mbps to 1.68Mbps from January to February, though the interconnection wasn't announced until late February. In data released today, Netflix said average performance on Comcast has now risen further to 2.5Mbps, a 65 percent increase since January.Comcast's increased speed allowed it to pass Time Warner Cable, Verizon, CenturyLink, AT&T U-verse, and others in Netflix's rankings. Comcast remains slower than Cablevision, Cox, Suddenlink, Charter, and Google Fiber.
The average speed isn't indicative of quality for every Comcast user, though. A search of Comcast support forums shows some customers complaining of poor Netflix quality well after the interconnection deal began.
Netflix publishes its monthly speed rankings largely to demonstrate the effectiveness of its Open Connect peering and caching program, which it uses to connect with ISPs without any money changing hands. Comcast is among several ISPs who have refused payment-free interconnection. Verizon and AT&T are still demanding money from Netflix, with customers paying the price in poor video quality.
Netflix has struck payment-free deals with Frontier, British Telecom, TDC, Clearwire, GVT, Telus, Bell Canada, Virgin, Cablevision, Google Fiber, Telmex, and RCN—and it recently made another free deal with Telenor of Norway.
"We’re also seeing early improvements on Telenor-owned ISPs in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark after Telenor agreed to directly connect its network to Netflix," Netflix said today.
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