Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Comcast's Attack on Netflix Streaming

Light Reading has published an article describing how Comcast is forcing Level 3 to pay to deliver Netflix streaming traffic to Comcast broadband customers. This will raise Netflix's costs for delivering streaming video to Comcast customers.

Netflix streaming is a direct competitor to Comcast's own video broadcast and video on demand services. It is using its position as the broadband service supplier to improve its competitive position. Level 3 is calling this a net neutrality issue.

This will work in Comcast's interest in the short run. However, in the long run it will make "cord cutting" more attractive for its broadband customers. Making Netflix more expensive will make it more attractive for its customers to drop its services and move to over the air broadcast TV supplemented with Internet streaming. This will save most customers $100 per month.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Network Problems

In the last week or so I have had difficulty connecting my VBR231 to my WiFi network. I do not know why, but I have noticed that I also have not been able to connect my Nokia N95 phone to my WiFi network at the same time.

The other night it took several attempts before I could connect to the WiFi network. After I was able to connect, Netflix said that the speed of the connection was slow and that I would seed interruptions while viewing the video that I had selected and gave me the option to cancel. I went ahead and had only one very slight interruption.

I assume it is a problem with the network itself. Maybe weather changes are causing it. Maybe the stars and tides are not in alignment. In any case, the WiFi signal is weak in that room in the best of times. A less determined user would give up on Internet TV with this kind of performance.