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Unless Level 3 had commits to their customers (e.g. NetFlix), in which case it could be very expensive to drop Comcast users.
by mwcremer 16y ago
Unless Level 3 had commits to their customers (e.g. NetFlix), in which case it could be very expensive to drop Comcast users.
- run4yourlives 16y agoIt's pretty easy to change internet providers when you suddenly lose netflix. They should have called Comcast's bluff.
- qeorge 16y agoHe's referring to NetFlix being a customer of Level3, not the end user being a customer of Comcast. NetFlix uses enough bandwidth that they'd have direct deals with Tier 1 providers like Level3.
- run4yourlives 16y agoI get that, but Netflix and Level3 not only just signed a major agreement, they have similar interests. Level3 should have attempted to sign Netflix up for this fight and point the issue squarely at the consumer.. A big "You can't get Netflix because you are on Comcast" or "It now costs you $20 a movie because you are on Comcast" frames the battle back into Level3's favor. All they did by backing down was show Comcast that they will back down when challenged again. You beat a bully by fighting him.
- dedward 16y agoThat creates a real net neutrality issue, wheras the simple issue of rather imbalanced peers doesn't. Free peering only works, and is only reasonably fair as long as traffis is, on average, about equal. If one network is really genreating 5x the traffic of another, why would the smaller one take the hit fo free?
- ewrwerf 16y agoThey would have if they set up their own network. However It would cost way too much money for them, that's why they only use CDNs and now they moved from datacenters to amazon cloud.
- irons 16y agoOh really? The Comcast alternatives in Seattle are Qwest's elderly DSL, and Clearwire Wimax which can struggle to get over 1mbps. Compared to a lot of US cities, even those options look good. High-speed internet service in the US does not resemble a functioning market.
- run4yourlives 16y agoBut Quest is an option, as is Verizon and Earthlink. The fact that Comcast may be the best option and the market state aren't the points I'm arguing. Would you stay Comcast if it meant losing Netflix? I bet many times the answer is no. I'm not arguing that it's a wonderful thing to you, I'm arguing that by pissing you off, you'll be much more likely to act.
- irons 16y agoWould you stay Comcast if it meant losing Netflix? I bet many times the answer is no. Anyone in my area code switching to Qwest for Netflix will be disappointed. Friends a few blocks away with DSL can't finish a streamed program without dropouts and rebuffering. AT&T delivers better service to my phone. The "pretty easy" option you alluded to entails moving out of the city to one of the suburbs with FiOS.
- alttab 16y agoHow crap, I haven't heard anyone say Earthlink in years. Next thing you know someone busts out Sprynet.
- Groxx 16y agoOnly AT&T provided non-dialup access where I live, until (apparently) very recently when RoadRunner finally ran wires. Swapping's not easy. I do work and research online - dialup isn't an option. I'm a student - pricier cell-based solutions aren't an option. I do a bit of gaming - ping time matters.
- brfox 16y agoI watch 1 hr of Netflix every evening in Seattle with Qwest and it is very reliable.
- ams6110 16y agoNot for everyone. My options are Comcast, or dial-up.
- 10smom 16y agovery limited in choices in "Small Town" USA when it comes to ISP