After signing a deal with Verizon to deliver faster streaming videos to its customers, Netflix is now laying the blame on the Internet service provider for slow streaming speeds.
Vox Media designer Yuri Victor posted on Twitter a screenshot of the red Netflix buffering screen. Victor said he was waiting for the video to start streaming on his MacBook when this message appeared:
"The Verizon network is crowded right now. Adjusting video for smoother playback."
Netflix itself has confirmed the message. In a response to Victor's tweet, Netflix spokesperson Jonathan Friedland said Netflix is always "testing new ways to keep members informed."
"We are testing ways to let consumers know how their Netflix experience is being affected by congestion on their broadband provider's network. At present, we are testing in the U.S. in areas serviced by many broadband providers," Friedland says in a more official statement, which also stressed that the testing was not limited to Verizon.
Verizon was quick to label the buffering message as a "PR stunt" and believes that Netflix is providing its customers the wrong information so it can use them as "pawns" in business negotiations and legal proceedings. David Young, vice president of federal regulatory affairs at Verizon, wrote in a blog post Wednesday that the problem most likely lies in "the connection Netflix has chosen to use to reach Verizon's network."
In a more official letter sent to Netflix obtained by DSL Reports, Verizon is threatening to pursue "legal remedies" if the streaming services provider does not take down its buffering message right away. Verizon also demands that Netflix provide evidence to support Netflix's claim that the ISP was solely responsible for slow streaming speeds.
"As Netflix knows, there are many different factors that can affect traffic on the Internet, including choices by Netflix in how to connect to its customers and deliver content to them, interconnection between multiple networks, and consumer in-home issues such as in-home wiring, WiFi, and device settings and capabilities," writes Randy S. Milch, executive vice president for public policy and general counsel at Verizon.
Verizon also takes a shot at Netflix for continuing to use middle-man IP networks to send data to ISPs, even though Netflix knows relying on third-party content distribution services may cause congestion problems.
But Netflix is not showing any signs of giving in to Verizon's demands. In a letter sent to The Verge, a Netflix spokesperson said the issue is more about "consumers not getting what they paid for from their broadband provider" rather than a direct attack on the Verizon brand.
Earlier this year, Netflix signed a similar pact with Comcast that allows faster streaming speeds for its customers, but Netflix has not been shy about criticizing the ISP for placing a premium on direct access to its network. The spat between Netflix and Comcast has riled up talks about net neutrality, with advocates claiming that ISPs could force popular content providers to pay higher fees to ensure delivery of content to their customers. Netflix also has scorecards that rank ISPs by their speeds, a move that was recently followed by Google's YouTube.
