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Netflix CEO Complains About Comcast Xbox 360 and Caps
Says Exempting Own Content From Cap Anything But Neutral
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings hasn't been particularly nice to bandwidth caps, arguing that they're not economically or technically necessary -- but exist simply as a way for carriers to exert control and drive bandwidth prices up. Now Hastings is taking aim at Comcast's recent controversial decision to allow Xfinity video delivered via the Xbox 360 to be exempt from the company's 250 GB bandwidth cap. Ranting on his Facebook page (via Paid Content), Hastings insists that Comcast is no longer adhering to network neutrality principles with the move:
quote:
I spent the weekend enjoying four good internet video apps on my Xbox: Netflix, HBO GO, Xfinity, and Hulu. When I watch video on my Xbox from three of these four apps, it counts against my Comcast internet cap. When I watch through Comcast’s Xfinity app, however, it does not count against my Comcast internet cap....The same device, the same IP address, the same wifi, the same internet connection, but totally different cap treatment. In what way is this neutral?
If you recall Comcast justified the move by insisting that the Xbox 360 is simply another cable box, initially stating that because the content was “being delivered over our private IP network and not the public Internet" that the cap shouldn't be applied. The company then changed that language, insisting that they weren't applying the cap because the 360 services is simply "similar to traditional cable television service that is delivered to the set-top box."
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