Is Verizon Deliberately Slowing Down Netflix Streaming To Customers?

[cyndi]

I've noticed quite a bit of buffering lately. I assumed it was my location.<br><br>From the Consumerist<br><a href="http://consumerist.com/2013/06/18/i...-slowing-down-netflix-streaming-to-customers/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://consumerist.com/2013/06/18/i...-slowing-down-netflix-streaming-to-customers/</a>

 

[Zil]

We have no trouble with netflex or other ROKU streaming on Verizon DSL, direct from Verizon. My Verizon brand 4G LTE is even faster than my DSL.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I think overbooking is more the problem ..

 

[offroad]

you can add the ROKU private channel called SPEEDTEST which allows you to check how fast your connection is.<br><br>Am getting a COMCAST connection of 3.3 Megs per second.&nbsp; Supposedly you need 1.5 Megs or greater to stream SD quality movies.&nbsp; But still I find that ROKU and my NETFLIX or VUDU tend to have problems some nights.&nbsp; Connections get all bandwidth limited.<br><br>

 

[caseyc]

I periodically use my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for wireless tethering to my Windows laptop and Android tablet to watch movies.&nbsp; I don't think I've noticed any significant lag time lately, other than the occasional buffering.&nbsp; I actually stopped using NetFlix awhile back and now stream movies for free using the Android app called TV Portal that I wrote about in a separate thread.

 

[twokniveskatie]

Casey- it seems to me that I read recently that TV portal was changing or cutting back services or something. Mine hasn't worked in awhile. Yours is still up and running?

 

[caseyc]

Katie,<br><br>TV Portal works fine for me. I just now played a movie for a test on my Verizon phone, plus it also worked yesterday on my GF's MetroPCS phone too for watching "2 Fast 2 Furious".<br><br>You might want to delete your TV Portal app, then reinstall using the link that I gave previously in another thread: <span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><a href="http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...l</span>&amp;jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13717545076178" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: medium;">m.slideme.org/application/tv-portal</span></a><br><br>Other thread here, which includes updated instructions on how to use the Android app.<br><a href="/post/TV-Portal-great-Android-app-for-watching-free-movies-amp-TV-shows-6260879" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vanlivingforum.com/post/TV-...for-watching-free-movies-amp-TV-shows-6260879</a><br><br>Trust me, it works!&nbsp; At least on my device <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>By the way, the app itself isn't cutting back on any services. The TV Portal doesn't actually contain any movies, it only provides the interface and the URL links for watching a particular movie or TV show.<br><br>Cheers!<br>Casey<br></span>

 

[twokniveskatie]

I jave the samsung note2 also. It was your excellent suggestion that steered me to the app in the first place! Thanks for the links back, I'll check it out.

 

[caseyc]

You're welcome! I cancelled my $7.99 monthly&nbsp;NetFlix&nbsp;subscription and now use the free TV Portal app, it's fantastic!&nbsp; You have the Note 2 phone too?!&nbsp; Have you downloaded the free Flash app so you can watch movies that require flash through your phone?&nbsp; Google disabled the feature, but Flash still exists and works for your phone. Let me know if you want the link to download Flash.

 

[offroad]

You do realize that sites like TV PORTAL can be blocked by the big corporate internet companies like COMCAST.&nbsp; They do this by redirecting all connections to a block of addresses to a different web site, so it can not function.&nbsp; Not conspiracy, because it does happen to control streaming video content.

 

[twokniveskatie]

Casey- I would be thrilled to have Flash. Did not know it was possible! I miss alot without access to flash.

I just went back to TV portal and it worked for me today. I had to wait a long time to connect but it was streaming nicely.

Like you, I am grandfathered in to Verizon's unlimited data. The Note2 is my phone, computer, tv, movie theater, etc etc. The bigger screen is a blessing. I still have netflix right now. Will likely stop it when I catch up on mybqueue tho. Especially if tv portal continues to work!

 

[caseyc]

Hi Katie,<br><br>I just sent you a private message (PM). See link provided, and do a simple free registration to the site mentioned.&nbsp; Yes, you will POSITIVELY be able to play videos that require Flash through your Android smartphone or Android tablet.&nbsp; I positively guarantee you this works!!&nbsp; I've done this many times for my own Android devices and for many others.&nbsp; This only works for an Android device, not for any iPad nor iPhone.&nbsp; That's why I can't stand an Apple product due to its locked down system, but that's for another topic, haha! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"><img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>BTW: having unlimited 4G LTE through Verizon is fantastic! My all time high is 23GB of monthly data usage so far, but records are meant to be broken, haha!&nbsp; The only major downside is that you/me/we must pay FULL retail price for any new smartphone purchase&nbsp;in order to keep our grandfathered unlimited data through Verizon.&nbsp; As soon as you take advantage of a discounted device purchase, then&nbsp;BAM! You've lost your unlimited Verizon data because that means you would have altered your previously existed contract.&nbsp; That's why I paid $700 plus tax for my Samsung Note 2 in order to keep my unlimited data plan.&nbsp; You might already have known this, just want to make sure though!&nbsp; Plus it's good information for others who don't know this.&nbsp; <br><br>I just chatted with my car mechanic recently who told me he unwittingly lost his unlimited Verizon internet/data plan because he took advantage of some type of discount offer. Verizon sales reps are <a href="mailto:b@stards" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">b@stards</a> for now informing you of this either, because they are all trying to get everyone to change to their "Shared" plan.&nbsp; A Shared Plan means nothing to me because I'm the only person on the account, as opposed to having any family members included.<br><br>Casey

 

[caseyc]

Hi Katie,<br><br>I found an easier way. Using your Android smartphone, click on link below. You should be able to install the Flash app directly to your phone.&nbsp; You can then watch movies through your Android phone when Flash is required for viewing.&nbsp; This same Flash app also works for Android tablets too.&nbsp; Just not for anything from Apple, unfortunately.<br><br>BTW:&nbsp; I have found that certain browsers on my Android phone do NOT support Flash, even though you've installed the Flash app.&nbsp; The standard built-in "Internet" app on my Samsung Note 2 phone *does* support Flash for playing videos.&nbsp; FireFox browser also supports Flash player, as long as you've enabled the feature in settings.&nbsp; However, Opera browser app doesn't support Flash player, and I'm pretty sure Google Chrome browser doesn't support Flash player either.&nbsp; Needless to say, I only use browsers that support Flash for playing videos.<br><br>Flash app installation link here:<br><a href="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/...roid/11.1.115.27/install_flash_player_ics.apk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://download.macromedia.com/pub/...roid/11.1.115.27/install_flash_player_ics.apk</a><br><br>Cheers, Casey

 

[offroad]

for iphones you need a phone that is jailbroken.&nbsp; Then you can install XBMC and then 1CHANNEL or LIVETV&nbsp; that does the same as TV PORTAL

 

[caseyc]

Update here. This weekend, the TV Portal app seems to have problems with buffering. But it seems to work okay for some movies, but takes a long time buffering for other movies. Weird. I got so frustrated that I re-subscribed back to NetFlix again for $7.99 monthly <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/rolleyes.gif">. At least NetFlix seems to play fine on my devices.&nbsp; Oh well, $7.99 is like ordering 3 coffees at Starbucks.

 

[offroad]

caseyc - yes that happens all the time.&nbsp; these nefarious sources of video streams are very flaky.&nbsp; am a user of netflix, amazon prime, hulu plus, vudu all because third party is very faulty.

 

[TheMadTitan]

ISPs do throttle service, even the cable companies, and they've copped to it many times. I regularly experienced the problem with my most recent service Time Warner, although many don't do it to the extent I dealt with through Time Warner. They want you watching TV and movies through their cable service, and if like me, you use the internet for all video, and also for data intensive gaming, or frequent downloading (I do a lot of it for gaming mods, testing out operating systems, free music) then they'll throttle you half to death. Especially during high traffic times like weekend nights or early evening when everybody is getting home from work. I could see a threefold jump in speeds within a 6-hour period between 5 pm-11pm.

http://www.howtogeek.com/165481/how-to-test-if-your-isp-is-throttling-your-internet-connection/

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Depending on your data plan when you reach a limit the provider throttles you. Some plans only give you 2 or 3 Gb monthly. I don't know much about the tech part, but have seen it with some users. Ya gotta check your user agreement with your provider.
When we had Sprint it was totally unlimited and I hammered some big data numbers on my Android as our only connection for 8 months...never a falter...till we got on the road and found their coverage sucked in most places we traveled. They were expensive, so dropped that. Now we just wait for some free (which is nearly everywhere) wifi and use laptops. Had withdrawal for a short, but am used to it now and don't mind so much.
We have cheapo phones with a cheapo plan and use G00gle Voice for lots of our calls.