Is this the begining of the end? Netflix vs ISPs

[Vizardlorde]

Pardon me for the ridiculous title, but has the time that we feared would come finally arrived? This morning I heard in the radio that netflix has started battling ISPs over who should be held responsible for slow video streams. If netflix gets their way ISPs would have to upgrade some infrastructure. If ISPs win it could set a precedent for throttling paid services like netflix on their infrastructure. (Again I apologize for being melodramatic )

[Wilian]

The US ISP laws are getting fucked over by few and the rich. I hope you enjoy your relatively free internet for now until it's reduced to a throttle service where you can buy "service packages" like cable networks work.

[Bodaway]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Other than that the streaming speeds were fine.

[Hammahtime]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Other than that the streaming speeds were fine.

You must have signed up after they had the purge of their WB contracted series?

As to what Wilian mentioned, I already pay for a internet speed package through Cox (as that's standard for them). They have 3-4 tiers for different type users.

[Wilian]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Other than that the streaming speeds were fine.

That's not really the issue though. The issue is that in US, a law was repelled that protected free flow of information through internet recently and now ISPs can have full control over what is spread over their networks, or streamed through them.

Basically, think it in a way that now if you buy internet service from company, it's more like limited cable service, where you can pay to expand it further (and other companies have to accomodate to) rather than paying for access to internet that is free.

[Vizardlorde]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Other than that the streaming speeds were fine.

I totally understand what you mean about the selection, but there's people who want to watch old tv series or movies w/o resorting to piracy and without the hassle of renting the dvd so netflix is the perfect solution for them. The streaming speeds vary by ISP(obviously), location, and time of the day; when a bunch of people in a dense area try to watch netflix at the same time their streaming speed slows down.

[Reeve]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Other than that the streaming speeds were fine.

I watch Netflix almost every day and have for probably the last 6 years or so. I haven't run out of content yet.

[zorkuus]

Netflix has a horrible selection. I had a free trial but didn't renew it and I don't know why people would actually pay money for what they offer.

Says the guy from the US. I wouldn't even use the word selection in the same sentence to describe what the finnish Netflix has to offer.

[Zogarth]

Says the guy from the US. I wouldn't even use the word selection in the same sentence to describe what the finnish Netflix has to offer.

As much as the danish: several seasons behind every show, and this is just the shows they have. Movies that you get 2 years after they came out on DVD...

[Deleted]

I watch Netflix almost every day and have for probably the last 6 years or so. I haven't run out of content yet.

I wish I had Netflix were I currently live. I have to make due with Amazon prime instant Video. They just added Weeds but only up to the 3rd season and their are a few Episodes missing. Sadly the only compeition here is even worse. Showing only shows no one wants to see and charging extra for anything decent.

[Deleted]

Says the guy from the US. I wouldn't even use the word selection in the same sentence to describe what the finnish Netflix has to offer.

You know you can just change your dns to an american one, and you can enjoy the same content?....

[Wilian]

People talking about Netflix offerings while entirely missing the point that under current laws Internet can be ruled as cable and will be done so in near future if no opposition strong enough rises up...

Atleast in US

[Yvaelle]

In Canada, the ISPs are all colossally corrupt - and I'm entirely in favour of nationalizing the internet infrastructure - it can still be run as a governmental company - but where 'profit' is returned to the government as a pool against future infrastructure costs, reductions in internet plan costs, or - if a profit is still being produced - reallocated to other governmental bodies.

This is essentially how we run our insurance (ICBC) and power (BC Hydro) in BC - and it works pretty well. They can become bloated sometimes - because they feel like they 'lose' money if they don't spend it - so they have insufficient incentives to reduce operating and labour costs - but that's fundamentally an HR problem which should be dealt with by supplying managers and executives with incentives for efficiency and cost reduction (exactly as corporations do).

The very idea of an ISP is kind of silly - much of the time they are charging for a 'service' - but they rely on infrastructure which much of the time they don't own, didn't build, and don't pay true compensation for using. They provide customer support - but I think everyone knows that the CS supplied by ISPs is laughable - and certainly not worth the monthly fees.

In Canada at least, much of the infrastructure is built by the government (or contracted by the ISP to a construction company, which the ISP then receives subsidies or tax breaks equal to the cost of the contract of construction).

It could be that in the US and elsewhere the ISPs are actually paying the full cost of construction, and then renting the use of their infrastructure - but in Canada it's a corporate/politician circlejerk where taxpayer money builds the infrastructure, and then ISPs profit by charging taxpayers for the use of what is essentially taxpayer-owned infrastructure: it's a scam.

[Kilpi]

Says the guy from the US. I wouldn't even use the word selection in the same sentence to describe what the finnish Netflix has to offer.

Then don't use the Finnish version

[zorkuus]

Then don't use the Finnish version

Did I say I do?

[Collegeguy]

Did I say I do?

Why would you complian about something you don't use?

[Masark]

This is essentially how we run our insurance (ICBC) and power (BC Hydro) in BC - and it works pretty well. They can become bloated sometimes - because they feel like they 'lose' money if they don't spend it - so they have insufficient incentives to reduce operating and labour costs - but that's fundamentally an HR problem which should be dealt with by supplying managers and executives with incentives for efficiency and cost reduction (exactly as corporations do).

Furthermore, we're doing good with Sasktel here and we've got FTTP rolling out just about everywhere.

Netflix usage around here is absolutely wild. Literally like 40% of people here use Netflix.

[Yvaelle]

Furthermore, we're doing good with Sasktel here and we've got FTTP rolling out just about everywhere.

Netflix usage around here is absolutely wild. Literally like 40% of people here use Netflix.

Oh wow - that's a really good example and precedent - I shall remember that for future times this discussion/rant comes up!

Thanks Masark

[Bakis]

In Sweden the ISP's started to battle Netflix, HBO, Viaplay and want them to pay a fee for the massive traffic it generates.
The internet infrastructure is superb so no problems yet, guess they want to milk the cow.

[Baelic]

In Canada, the ISPs are all colossally corrupt - and I'm entirely in favour of nationalizing the internet infrastructure - it can still be run as a governmental company - but where 'profit' is returned to the government as a pool against future infrastructure costs, reductions in internet plan costs, or - if a profit is still being produced - reallocated to other governmental bodies.

This is essentially how we run our insurance (ICBC) and power (BC Hydro) in BC - and it works pretty well. They can become bloated sometimes - because they feel like they 'lose' money if they don't spend it - so they have insufficient incentives to reduce operating and labour costs - but that's fundamentally an HR problem which should be dealt with by supplying managers and executives with incentives for efficiency and cost reduction (exactly as corporations do).

Except ICBC and BC Hydro just up their fees/rates as a result of our lovely Fiberal government taking away their surplus, thus causing greater strain on the finances of taxpayers who's wages don't rise nearly enough to compensate.