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FarCenter

(19,429 posts)

27. This is all about network peering arrangements

Reply to Ichingcarpenter (Original post)

Sat Apr 26, 2014, 01:54 PM

Apr 2014

Netflix stopped using the Akamai content distribution network (CDN) and built its own CDN called Open Connect. This offers "free peering" to ISPs at a number of points, mainly hosting data centers of Equinix and Level 3 Communications. Of course, "free peering" is not a good deal for the ISPs, who then carry mainly downstream video traffic to their customers. So the ISPs want Netflix to pay for the ISPs running connections to the Open Connect data centers and hooking up to Netflix.

It's just a normal peering dispute between content provider, content distribution networks, hosting data centers, backbone ISPs, and local ISPs. They have to connect, but the speeds, distances, direction of traffic, etc. determine how much money changes hands for a given peering arrangement.

It has little or nothing to do with net neutrality, which is about discriminating between different types of traffic, e.g. video, voice, email, file transfer, character data, etc., ...

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This hilarious graph of Netflix speeds shows the importance of net neutrality [View all] Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 OP

Well that explains why I could barely connect to Netflix last fall! I hate Comcast/Xfinity. Plan txwhitedove Apr 2014 #1

I quit cable and satellite three or four years ago. Use a digital antenna picked up from radio shack 2banon Apr 2014 #28

My budget is forcing the issue too, and I warned the kids that it's about to happen. Comcast raised txwhitedove Apr 2014 #47

exactly. that' ole $19.99 turns into over a $100 a month in no time...n/t 2banon Apr 2014 #55

"Presumably, Netflix would eventually pass those fees on to its subscribers..." Hong Kong Cavalier Apr 2014 #2

And Comcast will charge users by how much bandwidth they use. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2014 #7

Comcast's 250gb/month data cap makes streaming videos in HD a risky endeavor. Hong Kong Cavalier Apr 2014 #16

Actually comcast.com got rid of its data caps some time ago lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #26

Not according to their website: Hong Kong Cavalier Apr 2014 #42

They do not have data caps in San Jose, California, as of now, and when I spoke with them a few days lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #43

Yeah...it looks like they're going to "roll out" these caps eventually. Hong Kong Cavalier Apr 2014 #44

That is the problem with monopolies. I am surprised that Uverse isn't in St. Paul, though they have lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #46

Aero isn't in distribution networks. It delivers via other ISPs. Google Fiber is a distribution net. FarCenter Apr 2014 #48

Right about aero I was mixing metaphors, my point was that there lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #50

To connect up a few million homes at a couple thousand per home means you have to be big. FarCenter Apr 2014 #52

sure it is, which is why it should be regulated lostincalifornia Apr 2014 #54

The city applied to be a test market for Google Fiber. Hong Kong Cavalier Apr 2014 #49

And Comcast will sell their streaming for less. Eventually Netflix will sell out rhett o rick Apr 2014 #11

I'm going back to dial up BBS. L0oniX Apr 2014 #3

Amen TroglodyteScholar Apr 2014 #19

Watch out for them port sniffers. L0oniX Apr 2014 #21

It is a little ironic Netflix got "throttled." DirkGently Apr 2014 #4

Netflix still throttles Auggie Apr 2014 #14

10%...15%...20%....22%...23%...24%....25%....25%...25%... NuclearDem Apr 2014 #5

Useful; but the least of my worries. snot Apr 2014 #6

X Comcast attorney is on the FCC Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #8

Would someone pls tell Obama, snot Apr 2014 #9

No he's hiring rivals from each industry not party. bobduca Apr 2014 #17

He knows that better than many of us, I expect. n/t jtuck004 Apr 2014 #23

+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #57

So fucking corrupt it's sickening..... blackspade Apr 2014 #20

It's corruption from sea to shining sea. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #58

Although your response is factual, it has exactly NOTHING to do with the graph... MohRokTah Apr 2014 #35

It involves Comcast and its my thread Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #38

The graph has nothing to do with Net Neutrality in the first place. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #40

The issue with Netflix is peering between Comcast and the tier 1 providers. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #10

You sound like you know what you're talking about; could you explain that in layman's terms, please? Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2014 #25

Not really, but this guy on DK does an outstanding job of explaining it MohRokTah Apr 2014 #29

k&r thanks for posting. Looks like "net neutrality" is another subject boycotted by rhett o rick Apr 2014 #12

If the graph pointed out in the OP was about Net Neutrality, you'd see a lot more tech savvy people MohRokTah Apr 2014 #34

My point is that there is a very vocal group here boycotting net neutrality threads. rhett o rick Apr 2014 #36

I doubt that. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #37

To be fair, I was told to get my head out of my ass when I criticized the ruling. djean111 Apr 2014 #45

business scams. business scams... BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2014 #13

my Verizon DSL has been HORRIBLE slow with Netflix lately, especially if I have google logged on. Sunlei Apr 2014 #15

Not really such a hilarious graph when it's real, though, is it? Jamastiene Apr 2014 #18

Not really related to Net Neutrality, though. It's due to peering agreements between Comcast and... MohRokTah Apr 2014 #30

I've seen this firsthand. Comcast extortion. KeepItReal Apr 2014 #22

NOT Comcast extortion. COGENT Extortion MohRokTah Apr 2014 #31

I would like to see the same chart for other content providers ThoughtCriminal Apr 2014 #24

You'd be wrong. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #32

This is all about network peering arrangements FarCenter Apr 2014 #27

^^^^^ This is factual. The OP is wrong looking at it from anet neutrality viewpoint. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #33

Call the washington post Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #39

Christopher Ingraham is an idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about. MohRokTah Apr 2014 #41

Broadband providers have a lot of incentive to slow down so that people go up a tier or six. merrily Apr 2014 #51

Makes sense madville Apr 2014 #53

This is practcally rent seeking behavior. BlindTiresias Apr 2014 #56