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grahamhgreen

(15,741 posts)
Wed May 14, 2014, 03:57 PM May 2014

Yes, Your Internet Is Getting Slower

General counsel Michael Mooney observes that the ISPs are playing a game of chicken by demanding content providers pay them before they build out any further infrastructure. “These ISPs break the Internet by refusing to increase the size of their networks unless their tolls are paid,” Mooney said. Worse, they don’t even use the capacity they have, artificially starving their customers and slowing down the Internet. (Which explains why Game of Thrones is always buffering on your HBO Go, for example.) Level 3 Vice President Mark Taylor provided evidence that five U.S. ISPs (and one European ISP) are refusing to upgrade their infrastructure despite their connection ports being saturated. In other words, these ISPs are intentionally letting their service degrade because they’re cheap, like a city not fixing potholes in its roads.

If your Internet connection and streaming seem to have slowed down over the last year (as mine certainly has), Taylor has an answer: “permanent congestion” that has been in place for “well over a year,” because your ISP “refuses to augment capacity.” These ISPs, according to Taylor, “are deliberately harming the service they deliver to their paying customers. They are not allowing us to fulfill the requests their customers make for content.” He provided a graph showing one Dallas ISP in constant saturation, effectively an Internet brownout for its customers.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/05/network_neutrality_dinosaurs_like_time_warner_and_at_t_have_nothing_to_worry.html

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Yes, Your Internet Is Getting Slower (Original Post) grahamhgreen May 2014 OP
Frontier SamKnause May 2014 #1
and now you know why.... call them up and read them the article or send it to them, lol! grahamhgreen May 2014 #2
To recognize the amount of this that happens... Shandris May 2014 #3
I have never had either one of those things happen. SamKnause May 2014 #8
I'm sorry Sam, I may not have been clear. Shandris May 2014 #9
Another disgruntled Frontier customer here. dixiegrrrrl May 2014 #5
I feel your pain. SamKnause May 2014 #7
yes, the free market. ejpoeta May 2014 #10
Calling google fiber... Fearless May 2014 #4
Google fiber Seedersandleechers May 2014 #20
Verizon used to tell us we were too far from the transmission point LiberalEsto May 2014 #6
The United States should be friggin' embarrassed by how backwards and behind the times its internet quinnox May 2014 #11
Except, the U.s. isn't embarrassed by how behind-the-times its healthcare or transportation grid are villager May 2014 #27
Other countries are faster and cheaper: grahamhgreen May 2014 #34
It can be more than just your "tubes" getting all clogged up. bvar22 May 2014 #12
I pay for a higher speed of FiOS and one I leave Verizon's network, the log jams occur. TheBlackAdder May 2014 #13
But DU is always super fast! frazzled May 2014 #14
Unless you are a CenturyLink customer... Thor_MN May 2014 #19
Wow! I can vouch for major problems getting onto DU since last Friday until Monday when Cha May 2014 #23
Who are you paying for your internet connection? Thor_MN May 2014 #25
I'm wifi in this studio.. I think they have TimeWarner, though. That's big on Kaua'i.. Cha May 2014 #26
Probably something happened with CenturyLink's DNS sweetloukillbot May 2014 #31
No, it wasn't CentruryLink's DNS Thor_MN May 2014 #36
... OilemFirchen May 2014 #15
Outrageously Cha May 2014 #24
some time ago the head of i think fronteir--some lady --was quoted saying she did not see the need dembotoz May 2014 #16
I don't think the cable companies anticipated how much streaming would take off sweetloukillbot May 2014 #30
Welcome to Deregulation - Bitches FreakinDJ May 2014 #17
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe May 2014 #18
k&r Duppers May 2014 #21
interesting. kick Liberal_in_LA May 2014 #22
Excellent take on a complicated issue. pa28 May 2014 #28
... handmade34 May 2014 #29
The government needs to take over the Internet emsimon33 May 2014 #32
Should be the new Postal Service grahamhgreen May 2014 #33
And of course we seem to be headed the other way n2doc May 2014 #35

SamKnause

(13,043 posts)
1. Frontier
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:02 PM
May 2014

explained to me that I have the slowest internet speed that can be considered broadband.

They informed me their was too much congestion on the lines.

They informed me they do not guarantee service or speed.

My internet speed has slowed considerably.

Buffering is the new norm for me.

Some videos or TV shows I can not watch at all.

I just get the spinning circle.

 

Shandris

(3,447 posts)
3. To recognize the amount of this that happens...
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:10 PM
May 2014

...try to remember the last time you had to wait 10 minutes for your Visa transaction to go through, or your ATM transaction. They all operate off the same principle.

 

Shandris

(3,447 posts)
9. I'm sorry Sam, I may not have been clear.
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:37 PM
May 2014

The point -was- that you (generic) never have that happen, yet if the networks were truly as congested as are claimed, it would happen all the time, just like slow loading sites, long buffering windows, and other snarls of congestion.

The fact that it doesn't happen is good evidence that the 'congestion' isn't necessarily a true fact, but rather a self-imposed condition (that doesn't affect everyone, like Visa for instance, because...Visa ).

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
5. Another disgruntled Frontier customer here.
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:17 PM
May 2014

Often charts are posted showing different ISP speeds, and Frontier is always in the bottom third place.

Online streaming is not available in Linux, so I have no gripe re: Frontier streaming.
However, at peak periods, my connection slows down.
Sadly, living out in the boonies, we have only 2 options for internet, and I refuse to use Mediacom, their record of responding to problems is even more horrendous that Frontier's dsl.

SamKnause

(13,043 posts)
7. I feel your pain.
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:33 PM
May 2014

Those of us who live in rural America have few choices.

I can use Frontier or Hughesnet Satellite.

The U.S. loves monopolies.

ejpoeta

(8,933 posts)
10. yes, the free market.
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:58 PM
May 2014

the internet needs to be a utility at this point. it's treated like a commodity. but you can't do much of anything without it. even job hunting they want you to submit a resume online. i live in rural area too. my choices are time warner or satellite... if i can get it that is. how is this not a monopoly again?

Seedersandleechers

(3,044 posts)
20. Google fiber
Wed May 14, 2014, 07:10 PM
May 2014

has been amazing, and if you don't need 1000 mbps, and buy the box, ($300) it's free for at least 7 years or more.

 

LiberalEsto

(22,845 posts)
6. Verizon used to tell us we were too far from the transmission point
Wed May 14, 2014, 04:29 PM
May 2014

which is ridiculous, because the speed was fine when we first subscribed to Verizon internet. We switched to Comcast, which is slightly better, but as usual they raise their price at the drop of a hat.

Internet service needs to be regulated as a public utility nationwide.

 

quinnox

(20,600 posts)
11. The United States should be friggin' embarrassed by how backwards and behind the times its internet
Wed May 14, 2014, 05:00 PM
May 2014

speeds are to the general population. In other countries they have much faster internet available to everyone and it is common.

 

villager

(26,001 posts)
27. Except, the U.s. isn't embarrassed by how behind-the-times its healthcare or transportation grid are
Wed May 14, 2014, 10:08 PM
May 2014

Excessive profits seem to keep people from embarrassing easily...

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
12. It can be more than just your "tubes" getting all clogged up.
Wed May 14, 2014, 05:08 PM
May 2014

Some Service Providers deliberately slow down your connection speed.
They call it "throttling" and use it to demand more money for faster service and larger capacity larger capacity,
or to provide more bandwidth to Preferred customers.


Bandwidth Throttling
Bandwidth throttling is the intentional slowing of internet service by an internet service provider. It is a reactive measure employed in communication networks in an apparent attempt to regulate network traffic and minimize bandwidth congestion. Bandwidth throttling can occur at different locations on the network. On a local area network (LAN), a sysadmin may employ bandwidth throttling to help limit network congestion and server crashes. On a broader level, the internet service provider may use bandwidth throttling to help reduce a user's usage of bandwidth that is supplied to the local network.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_throttling


How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection
http://www.howtogeek.com/165481/how-to-test-if-your-isp-is-throttling-your-internet-connection/

TheBlackAdder

(28,076 posts)
13. I pay for a higher speed of FiOS and one I leave Verizon's network, the log jams occur.
Wed May 14, 2014, 05:20 PM
May 2014

Paying at VZ doesn't guarantee you'll get faster service.

It's end-to-end with multiple carriers in between and you can't control the network that the client site has.

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
14. But DU is always super fast!
Wed May 14, 2014, 05:23 PM
May 2014

Really.

I don't have HBO Go, and I don't watch Game of Thrones. But I haven't had problems watching episodes of Mr. Selfridge on the PBS website. Could it be because it's unpopular? I always knew there would be certain advantages to not being one of the kool kidz.

 

Thor_MN

(11,843 posts)
19. Unless you are a CenturyLink customer...
Wed May 14, 2014, 07:08 PM
May 2014

Since last week, DU has been impossible to get to. I'm only able to read and post by virtue of using a proxy to hide from CenturyLink where I'm going. There are several alternate urls to get to DU and they have all stopped working. From what I hear, CenturyLink is blaming a service provider used by DU, who is blaming CenturyLink. Bottom line, te only way for me at this point is to hide where I am going.

Cha

(295,926 posts)
23. Wow! I can vouch for major problems getting onto DU since last Friday until Monday when
Wed May 14, 2014, 08:50 PM
May 2014

EarlG gave these links in a post.. Sync is the one that worked for me.. and Betterment out here on the Hawaiian Islands.

http://betterment.democraticunderground.com
http://election.democraticunderground.com
http://metamorphosis.democraticunderground.com
http://sync.democraticunderground.com
http://upload.democraticunderground.com

Link to post in thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024943226#post15

So Sorry about your troubles getting on, Thor.. I can relate. How do I find out my ISP? Now I'm curious.

Mahalo

 

Thor_MN

(11,843 posts)
25. Who are you paying for your internet connection?
Wed May 14, 2014, 10:03 PM
May 2014

That's your Internet Service Provider. I just got in via the sync url, but I can confirm that all of those links did not connect from Minneapolis on CenturyLink earlier today. I am currently connected by using a proxy, hidemyass.com. Maybe the logjam is finally starting to break up, but I'd sure like to know the root cause.

Cha

(295,926 posts)
26. I'm wifi in this studio.. I think they have TimeWarner, though. That's big on Kaua'i..
Wed May 14, 2014, 10:07 PM
May 2014

Like to know the root cause too... it was so Frustrating for 3 days after getting in for 12 years with no problems except a time or two the site was down for a short time.

Glad you got a way in by hook or "hidemyasscom".. lol

sweetloukillbot

(10,814 posts)
31. Probably something happened with CenturyLink's DNS
Thu May 15, 2014, 12:34 AM
May 2014

Maybe DU's IP was updated or something and it didn't get propogated to Century Link yet - if there are changes like that it can take a couple days to get out to all the DNS servers on the Internet. If you change to a public DNS like Google, do you still have issues?

 

Thor_MN

(11,843 posts)
36. No, it wasn't CentruryLink's DNS
Fri May 16, 2014, 08:12 AM
May 2014

Switching one's router to OpenDNS or Google's DNS would have had result's then. They fixed it last night by having DU's ISP avoid a POS CenturyLink server that was overloaded. I can get here via IE now, but FireFox still can't get here.

dembotoz

(16,739 posts)
16. some time ago the head of i think fronteir--some lady --was quoted saying she did not see the need
Wed May 14, 2014, 05:34 PM
May 2014

for speeds over 6mg down for most people

i book marked it and saw it a couple weeks ago and of coarse i can not find it now


welcome to the third world

sweetloukillbot

(10,814 posts)
30. I don't think the cable companies anticipated how much streaming would take off
Thu May 15, 2014, 12:19 AM
May 2014

I work tech support for a minor ISP - and every night for the past 6-8 months we get hammered by utilization. Started around Thanksgiving. And after we had a showdown over carriage fees for some networks. When we added 50 mb service about 3 years ago, the studies at the time indicated that few of our customers used that much bandwidth - and with the exception of Netflix and torrenting, much use doesn't need that much. But when they phased out the slower speed plans and moved everyone to the 50mb plan, all of a sudden everyone started taking advantage of it and started using Netflix and ground our network to a halt. In 2010 we thought that the upgrades we'd made would be sufficient for the foreseeable future, now we're scrambling to upgrade our entire system to meet the current demands. It sucks for the customer (and it sucks for the customer service peons like me who get the irate calls) and I'm sure the cost is going to be passed on to the consumer at the next rate hike.
And with the increased use of wireless and everyone in the family having their own device to stream, combined with the falling viewership on cable tv and networks increasing their carriage fees, it's only going to get worse. Cable TV is dead, the Internet is going to replace it, and unfortunately the infrastructure isn't there to support it yet.

pa28

(6,145 posts)
28. Excellent take on a complicated issue.
Wed May 14, 2014, 10:40 PM
May 2014

Hopefully the DU "industry" guy who was explaining why the poor broadband companies need to be paid to build out infrastructure will read it.

emsimon33

(3,128 posts)
32. The government needs to take over the Internet
Thu May 15, 2014, 03:19 AM
May 2014

and run it as a public utility as they did the interstate highway system.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
35. And of course we seem to be headed the other way
Thu May 15, 2014, 03:02 PM
May 2014

With Obama proposing to allow toll roads on the interstates. He is consistent.

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