Monday, April 20, 2015

Is Netflix Killing Your Internet?

Traffic is up, speeds are down.

If you've noticed your internet is a little slower since the launch of Netflix Australia, you're not alone.

If you've noticed your internet is a little slower since the launch of Netflix Australia, you're not alone.

But Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull insists his pared back NBN isn't to blame for slower speeds.

Speaking at the CommsDay conference in Sydney today, Mr Turnbull insisted the blame for any slower speeds doesn't lay with the 'last mile' of his fibre to the node (FTTN) National Broadband Network.

New Line Cinema / Via giphy.com

'The Netflix conundrum'

'The Netflix conundrum'

"The launch of Netflix once again provided a soapbox for those who claim only fibre to the premises will unlock the benefits of the digital age. What a pity the facts don't support their contention," Mr Turnbull said.

The Communications Minister placed the onus back on the big internet service providers such as Telstra, Optus and iiNet.

"In an FTTN network the customer has a dedicated copper line from the node. From the node to the Point of Interconnection customers' traffic will travel over a shared fibre channel. Contention on that shared channel is possible but much less likely than the most common source of contention which is in the transit or backhaul network from the PoI," he said.

"In a world where ISPs will compete on price and service, the far more likely choke points for services such as Netflix will be in the backhaul network and the choices retailers make... That has certainly been Netflix's experience in the United States," he said.

Getty Images

The bad news: It's already happening.

The bad news: It's already happening.

iiNet Chief Technology Officer Mark Dioguardi also addressed the CommsDay summit this morning, admitting that Netflix's launch has had a huge effect on the ISP.

Mr Dioguardi revealed Netflix now accounts for 25% of iiNet's total traffic, up from just 3% before it officially launched down under in March.

Earlier this month, Fairfax reported that iiNet users were experiencing slower services during peak periods in the evening, likely as a result of the launch of Netflix.

iiNet's network services manager, Roger Yerramsetti, posted on tech forum Whirlpool earlier this month, admitting the ISP had some issues.

In some areas we’re seeing network traffic reach levels that were projected to occur well over 6 months from now, so under the bonnet we have been rapidly upgrading our network to keep pace with the demand and to ensure we’re continuing to provide a high quality service," he said.

BuzzFeed News has contacted Netflix for comment.

Jonathan Nackstrand / Getty Images


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