Level3 is without peer, now what to do?

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by Jtsummers on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @01:25PM (#7773825)

Not a big check, but they'd also be frustrated with Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime whom they also send money to each month (or year). The average customer wouldn't understand that it's the middleman causing problems, not one of the two endpoints (service provider or content provider).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by jimbokun on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @02:14PM (#7774188)

If ABC has a blank channel, but you can still watch CBS and NBC and ESPN just fine, the average consumer will assume the problem is with ABC.

If all the channels are blank, the average consumer will blame the cable company.

Similarly, if "the Internet is down", from the customer's perspective, they're going to blame the ISP, not Netflix/Hulu/Amazon.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by busterarm on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @05:28PM (#7775345)

Not true. I work for a cable/fiber ISP. Customers always blame the ISP.

Even when the problem is the feed (like with CW's networks last month)...or when some dipshit construction company digs where they aren't supposed to.

Luckily I don't work for one of the horrible ISPs that everyone hates, but we're definitely more in the blame-receiving business than is warranted.

Folks don't understand the complexity involved in making a utility service "just work" and if the provider doesn't have hundreds of millions to invest in infrastructure (like my small provider doesn't have) it won't.

The big ISPs have no excuse for not peering properly, but this is a fight they've been having with Level3 since the late 90s. Sadly they're winning.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by singlow on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @08:48PM (#7776114)

When the customers call you, it is because they blame you. You never hear from the ones who don't blame you.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by busterarm on Wednesday May 21, 2014 @10:50PM (#7781879)

That's not entirely true, but the majority of them do.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by couchand on Wednesday May 21, 2014 @12:43AM (#7776729)

Wait, did you just call broadband internet a "utility"? As in a Title II utility?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by busterarm on Wednesday May 21, 2014 @10:47PM (#7781873)

We provide phone service as well/primarily.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by Jtsummers on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @02:27PM (#7774259)

That's if everyone particpates on a Comcast/TWC/Cox/etc. boycott. If my parents can get to Amazon Prime but not Netflix, they'll assume the issue is Netflix. (ok, maybe not my parents, but the idealized tech-unaware parent)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by hardoncollider on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @03:07PM (#7774527)

But with such massive depeering as this, practically all of the internet would be affected, given the amount of traffic other peers would have to pick up.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Level3 is without peer, now what to do? by jonknee on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @01:53PM (#7774038)

I guess that depends on the number of participating Tier-1 providers that pull the plug, if enough did it would be very obvious it wasn't Netflix with the issue because everything would grind to a crawl.

[ Parent | on HN ]