Netflix accused of creating fast lanes “at the expense of competitors” | Hacker News Reader

Netflix accused of creating fast lanes “at the expense of competitors”

arstechnica.com

2 pointsjoshstrange7 comments

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This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Just so I have this straight:

- ISP's refuse to increase peering to solve congestion issues

- ISP's further slow down Netflix traffic while in talks to have Netflix pay for faster lanes

- Netflix caves and pays the ISP's to fix issues for consumers

- Netflix is made out to be the bad guy "paying for fast lanes to beat out the competition"

This whole thing stinks and the republican sounds like he doesn't know shit. So now we need to go after shop owners who pay protection money because by paying protection money and installing bullet proof windows (Open Connect) they are hurting the other store owners who don't have bullet proof windows and haven't paid out to the mob????

What fucked up logic do you have to use to get to this point?

No, this complaint is that Open Connect boxes cache Netflix streams but other cache boxes do not cache Netflix streams.

Can you expand on that? At the surface that seems highly incorrect. Of course OC boxes cache Netflix, they built them. I didn't see anything about other cache boxes not caching Netflix content.

I feel like I'm reading the article to you, but OK.

"Netflix has chosen not to participate in efforts to develop open standards for [caching of] streaming video. Moreover, I understand that Netflix has taken—or at least tested—measures that undermine aspects of open standards for [caching of] streaming video. Specifically, I understand that Netflix has at times changed its streaming protocols where open caching is used, which impedes open caching software from correctly identifying and caching Netflix traffic. ... [Netflix] is currently installing its own proprietary caching appliances throughout ISPs' networks as part of its Open Connect program. If ISPs were to install open caching appliances throughout their networks, all video content providers—including Netflix—could compete on a level playing field. If, however, ISPs were to install Netflix's proprietary caching appliance instead, Netflix's videos would run the equivalent of a 100-yard dash while its competitors' videos would have to run a marathon."

Ok, quoting someone who has no clue what they are talking about is useless. I can say the sky is red but that doesn't make it true.

I feel like I'm reading the article to you, but OK.

> We asked Pai's office to provide further details and sources for the claims in the letter and received a partial response. Pai's office provided us links to three articles describing Netflix's refusal to join the newly formed Streaming Video Alliance, but no sources for the "fast lanes" claim or the accusation that Netflix changed its streaming protocols to prevent "open caching software" from working.

If I were Netflix I wouldn't join that alliance either, have you seen the members?? It would be like China, North Korea, and Russia creating a "Freedom Alliance" and then calling out the USA for not joining it claiming they must hate freedom. A name means nothing (Citizens United anyone?) and I don't trust this SVA as far as I can throw them. Pai has either been horribly mislead or is purposely spewing lies. Anyone can make outlandish claims which is EXACTLY what Pai is doing here.

Netflix has had Open Connect around for MUCH longer than the SVA existed yet Pai tries to phrase it as the SVA asked Netflix to join, Netflix said "Fuck you" and went and created OC with the intent to give their data an edge. That's NOT what happened at all. Netflix has been fighting this peering stuff for quite some time and developed OC as possible workaround. It's not Netflix's job to provide an open caching system they everyone can use and further more even if they had the ISP's would have still told them to go jump in a lake.

Who cares if Netflix only supports their own content on Open Connect appliances? They were offering to provide them to ISPs FREE OF CHARGE to alleviate the "complaints" Verizon et. al had, when they were deliberately throttling Netflix content. Refusing this solution and demanding payment (so these ISPs would double-dip on profits for this content, no less) is extortion in my book.

Netflix is a for-profit company and has no moral requirements to support competitor's platforms with their caching appliances.

PS - Cut the condescending bullshit, it provides nothing meaningful to the conversation and just paints you as a douche hat.

Disgusting revisionist history. The Open Connect appliances were an option given to the ISPs complaining they couldn't handle the bandwith load, their main reason for throttling Netflix content, right?

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