The Dark Side of Netflix

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3/22/2009

Netflix Once Blamed USPS, Now They Blame ISPs

Netflix’s Chief Product Officer, Neil Hunt, has addressed Netflix streaming content problems on The Netflix Blog.

Many subscribers are suspicious that Netflix is throttling streaming content for heavy users. Netflix is flatly denying this practice, but the company has no credibility, because they have abused subscribers through throttling before and denied it.

Netflix’s denials of throttling streaming content are somewhat like the denials they used when they lied about their practice of throttling through the mail. Netflix used to blame USPS for the check-in and shipping delays for DVDs. We later discovered the fault largely did not rest with USPS, and the delays were mostly due to Netflix. Now that Netflix is being accused of throttling streaming content, Netflix is blaming the ISPs for the delays. First they blamed USPS, now they are blaming ISPs. We found out USPS was mostly innocent. What we will find out about the ISPs?

As of now, Netflix is on record as officially denying the practice of throttling streaming content for some users. If someone later finds Netflix is lying, there will probably be more lawsuits and ill will toward Netflix.

By the way, Neil Hunt’s most infuriating point in Netflix’s denial is that Netflix “hopes” to solve the streaming content problem by the end of the year. Why is this not a higher priority for Netflix? Netflix should be talking about having this resolved by the end of April.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Have just finished wtaching a movie stream on my Sony Bravia TV. The movie froze over 10 times during the 99 minutes. After the movie I checked the ISP packet capability via www.speakeasy.net and was getting 16MB download & 3MB upload on the connection the TV is attached. Would like to be able to identify who is at fault, Sony TV, comcast my ISP, Netflix the stream provider.

Anonymous said...

This is crap all right. I finally got a Roku and watched a few NF streaming flix on the day I hooked it up. Now I can't get a movie in my instant queue to play on the thing. Funny how the other 300 or so channels all seem to work perfectly......Well Amazon streaming got my money this weekend and it was well worth it. It irks me how Netflix feels they have to lie and say you have paid for "unlimited" streaming when there is obviously a limit they will not tell you about. Why can't they just be honest? Assholes!

Anonymous said...

Now I am being SO seriously throttled on the DVD's, it's unbelievable. I will be so happy to pay Amazon 3.99 for a movie that I KNOW I will recieve, instead of paying Netflix outrageous dollars and then just HOPING that they are kind enough to mail me a couple new releases when there is one I want to see. I have not asked for anything BUT new releases, just a couple, and am paying them almost $40.00 a month? I don't think so. Netflix' day has come and gone.