Opinion: Netflix has ruined Australia's internet.

[redvscotty]

My internet connection at home has been fine for years. Downloading anything from games to torrents at 1Mb/sec+ to streaming sports, music videos, youtube at 1080p.... you name it I could do it.

Games suffered a bit, mainly because of the proximity of the servers to this great wide land but all in all, connection has been great.

This has been through Optus and in the interest of full disclosure, I was a full time employee with internet and phone benefits as such.

Since the wide spread introduction of Netflix into Australia I believe the internet in the country has gone to shit. This coincided with me leaving Optus to move on to greener pastures, and thus losing all benefits, but either way, the internet at my home during peak times is now next to useless (could be a slight exaggeration).

Through reading various forums online, and anecdotal evidence, I believe this countries internet is being ruined by Netflix, and those that are giving away multiple free months.

Discuss?

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

So instead of blaming the Libs for dismantling the solution to the problem, you blame Netflix?

 

[Danish]

I haven't noticed any issues with mine to be honest. Only thing I did was switch to iiNet so that I can have unmetered Netflix as I smashed several hundred gig in the first couple weeks.

Didn't think I would bother to keep it but the fact you can share it on up to 3 screens means I've been able to set up my nan and mother in law and allow both of them to use my account for nothing. I watch a movie here and there these days but they watch it all day

 

[Bulldog Force]

My internet connection at home has been fine for years. Downloading anything from games to torrents at 1Mb/sec+ to streaming sports, music videos, youtube at 1080p.... you name it I could do it.

Games suffered a bit, mainly because of the proximity of the servers to this great wide land but all in all, connection has been great.

This has been through Optus and in the interest of full disclosure, I was a full time employee with internet and phone benefits as such.

Since the wide spread introduction of Netflix into Australia I believe the internet in the country has gone to shit. This coincided with me leaving Optus to move on to greener pastures, and thus losing all benefits, but either way, the internet at my home during peak times is now next to useless (could be a slight exaggeration).

Through reading various forums online, and anecdotal evidence, I believe this countries internet is being ruined by Netflix, and those that are giving away multiple free months.

Discuss?

I doubt it's NetFlix. I mean unless you're using it then it shouldn't affect your usage/speed as such.

 

[TiggaPlease]

I doubt it's NetFlix. I mean unless you're using it then it shouldn't affect your usage/speed as such.

He's talking about network congestion. Very much to do with netflix. I just left Optus cable as the congestion was so bad in peak times that it was unusable - I don't use netflix at all either.

 

[Haffa]

Between 7 and 10pm Mon-Fri my Optus cable is beyond slow. I can watch every game live on the NRL Digital pass without even the hint of buffering until Monday nights, then it's almost impossible.

 

[Bulldog Force]

Why would Optus offer free NetFlix for x amount of months if it's going to impact on the rest of their network? It's like taking 2 or 3 steps backward to take 1 step forward.

Then again all the experiences I've had with Optus have been utter shit, which is why I use our nations #1 TelCo.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

So instead of blaming the Libs for dismantling the solution to the problem, you blame Netflix?

The solution wasn't going to arrive till 2020 for most people anyway because of prioritization of rural areas first and it basically sent the program bankrupt as a result.

It also has virtually nothing to do with it, most ISP's simply don't have the backbones to support heavy traffic in Australia. The NBN does little to address this. An ADSL2 line has the same dedicate speed to the backbone as your next door neighbour does... There is no congestion at that point, it's when it hits the trunk lines going to your ISP that the issue begins to present itself.

Australian's have been getting scammed for years, with or without the NBN. ISP's massively over-subscribe their capacity and hope for the best. iiNet and Bigpond are basically the only decent providers there are.

 

[El Diablo]

congestion at night slows it to a crawl

bugger off Netflix

 

[El Diablo]

So instead of blaming the Libs for dismantling the solution to the problem, you blame Netflix?

fmd you're a dumb prick

it slows down for people who have the NBN too

 

[redvscotty]

I doubt it's NetFlix. I mean unless you're using it then it shouldn't affect your usage/speed as such.

Before Netflix, the amount of users streaming constantly was lower than what it is now.

Sure you have Spotify and specialised streaming services for different sports or whatever, but the Aussie Netflix roll-out has made TV/Movie streaming more easily accessible to the average computer user who is afraid to download torrents and had been previously using the internet to surf facebook and watch porn once every couple of days.

Now every man and his dog are streaming Netflix hours at a time, all during peak hours for internet usage. Chuck in the fact that certain providers are now making Netflix usage outside the normal internet quota and you've got people watching on the highest def possible using 1Gb + an hour.

Personally I have mine on the lower setting, approx. 300Mb/hr (I think) as I mainly watch through the tablet or laptop anyway, so quality of picture is not that important.

The quality of our internet wasn't fantastic to begin with, and we're applying bandaid fixes to it which will be obsolete before we even finish the roll out.

 

[ek999]

With TPG (download speed of only around 3Mbps due to distance from the exchange) and have had Netflix for a few years now but did only move to my new place at the end of last year. I haven't noticed any difference at all TBH. Wife and I are both able to stream different shows at the same time (SD quality for both)

Side note, TPG were the only ISP that would actually service our house, all others said it couldn't be done. After a couple of hiccups on their end during installation it has never been a problem

 

[canberra_raiders2k2]

I have an Internode NBN connection, my speeds do decrease during the evenings. I also live in a very populated unit complex. I would say my speeds do drop, but the worst is the the drop of signal altogether, which occurs randomly.

Ive spoken to Internode and they believe it is due to the WIFI congestion, not my connection. The speed at most would drop from 98mb to 85mb during the period, which is still quite decent..considering I previously had an ADSL 2+ connection which was 3kms from the exchange lol.

 

[Bulldog Force]

This could be a blessing in disguise. I don't think Optus anticipated this much popularity and sign-ups with NF, and were under the impression that their current infrastructure could support it. If the complaints start rolling in, and perhaps some users switching to other companies such as TPG, Telstra etc... it may give them the kick they need to do something about it. The risk could be that the damage has already been done!

I'll tell you this much, I'm not signing up to NF as, with most people, we spend 8 hours a day sleeping, 8 hours working, 2 hours commuting... I don't want to spend my free 6 or so hours watching something on my computer/laptop/tablet/phone!

 

[Mogsheen Jadwat]

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/05/heres-the-best-isp-in-australia-according-to-netflix/

 

[ek999]

This could be a blessing in disguise. I don't think Optus anticipated this much popularity and sign-ups with NF, and were under the impression that their current infrastructure could support it. If the complaints start rolling in, and perhaps some users switching to other companies such as TPG, Telstra etc... it may give them the kick they need to do something about it. The risk could be that the damage has already been done!

I'll tell you this much, I'm not signing up to NF as, with most people, we spend 8 hours a day sleeping, 8 hours working, 2 hours commuting... I don't want to spend my free 6 or so hours watching something on my computer/laptop/tablet/phone!

You do realise you can watch Netflix on a TV? Also you spend 2 hours a day commuting? f**k that

 

[roostersrule2]

This could be a blessing in disguise. I don't think Optus anticipated this much popularity and sign-ups with NF, and were under the impression that their current infrastructure could support it. If the complaints start rolling in, and perhaps some users switching to other companies such as TPG, Telstra etc... it may give them the kick they need to do something about it. The risk could be that the damage has already been done!

I'll tell you this much, I'm not signing up to NF as, with most people, we spend 8 hours a day sleeping, 8 hours working, 2 hours commuting... I don't want to spend my free 6 or so hours watching something on my computer/laptop/tablet/phone!

So instead you go on your computer/laptop/tablet/phone and type?

 

[Pete Cash]

I exclusively watch Netflix on a TV. Bf you post some silly nonsense Lmao.

 

[Bulldog Force]

You do realise you can watch Netflix on a TV? Also you spend 2 hours a day commuting? f**k that

You get what I mean - looking at a screen.

2 hours commuting - 1 hr in (includes walking), 1 hr out.

So instead you go on your computer/laptop/tablet/phone and type?

Not at home.

I exclusively watch Netflix on a TV. Bf you post some silly nonsense Lmao.

As mentioned, TV/laptop etc... looking at a screen.

 

[redvscotty]

So you're worried about wasting your own time, but are quite happy to waste ours and your employers time to post dribble on here on a daily basis?