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BitTorrent: Netflix is hogging all the bandwidth in the U.S. and it's not right

BitTorrent, the company that created the P2P protocol, says reports that Netflix is responsible for just about a third of U.S. peak time download traffic is nothing to be proud of, as it is inefficient and hurts ISPs.

Sandvine published the report earlier this year, showing Netflix being responsible for 31 percent of peak download traffic, with YouTube taking another 18 percent. BitTorrent, by comparison, was at just 4 percent. Of course, BitTorrent controlled a much bigger share of upload traffic, due to the fact that all files being downloaded via BitTorrent must be shared by another peer.



"Netflix is hogging all of the bandwidth in North America," BitTorrent's vice president of marketing, Matt Mason (via Guardian). "This is a problem for Netflix. They're talking about [the super-high-definition TV format] 4K, but they're crushing the network already; if they deliver 4K they're going to completely grind it to a halt. All the ISPs are pissed at Netflix, because this is an unsustainable situation.

"It's always been funny to us that Netflix go 'oh, yeah, look, we're beating BitTorrent' – meaning 'we're beating piracy'. They're not beating piracy. It's definitely a good thing that there's a legitimate service that's available, and I'm sure that's helping on some level."

Mason believes the two companies should partner up: "Netflix traffic is hogging the network, [whereas] BitTorrent traffic voluntarily gives way to Skype, Netflix, everything else, because we saw that as the right thing to do. We're being good citizens on the internet. There's so many ways you could do Netflix better using BitTorrent, and the reason they haven't done it is because, in their initial dealings with Hollywood, BitTorrent was the pariah they had to beat. We're the straw-man of the internet."

"If you go on their website right now, in the jobs section, they're hiring a bunch of peer-to-peer engineers. They need BitTorrent, and we'd be happy to work with them, but all this stuff about them beating us is, quite frankly, bullshit. They're not beating us, we're getting out of everybody's way because it's the right thing to do."

Share of US downstream traffic | Create infographics

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Nov 2013 20:32

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• 5 comments

• Bozobub

  OK, 1st I should disclose that, while I DO also purchase content, I'm also an inveterate pirate, and I use the BitTorrent protocol (although NOT any client associated with the organization) to do so. Just wanted to make sure that's out there.
  
  That said, BitTorrent can kiss my pasty, white @ss.
  
  BitTorrent (as a protocol) is a huge consumer of worldwide bandwidth, and has been for a long time! At times - although not currently - it's been estimated that BitTorrent has been THE single biggest consumer of bandwidth. They can save us the crocodile tears.
  
  Furthermore, I can't think of a single entity, either corporate or individual, that gives a crap if ISPs are pissed. They dug their own shallow grave and they can freaking lie in it! Once the hardware is in place, running an ISP is nearly pure profit, yet they've sat on their thumbs and neglected their infrastructure for a long, long time. Well, time to pay the piper, and the bill is both large and itemized. They can stinking learn to deal with it!
  
  Additionally, while Netflix can ameliorate much of the effect they have on networks via various partnering with ISPs, BitTorrent cannot as easily do so. Sure, it happens occasionally, but not often.
  
  I do agree, 4K is going to be a serious problem, once it takes off. I also seriously doubt its utility. But again, ISPs have only themselves to blame for many of these problems. Think Comcast's 250 GB is gonna last long, with 4K streaming..? lol

  16.11.2013 21:05 #1

• Morreale

  ISPs are just mad they actually might have to spend money on revamping their networks and upping bandwidth caps to sooth mass customer outrage.
  

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  16.11.2013 21:23 #2

• scorpNZ

  interesting that there's no spam % included in the graph
  

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  16.11.2013 23:41 #3

• ddaring

  Quote:"Netflix is hogging all of the bandwidth in North America," BitTorrent's vice president of marketing, Matt Mason
  
  Mason believes the two companies should partner up Look at the above 2 statements. Mason is not upset or griping about the Netflix bandwidth usage. His crowing is to take the focus off BitTorrent which is constantly blamed and throttled and put it off on Neflix. The hopes are to force Netflix into a partnership to prevent throttling and blocking.
  
  So there is a financial interest for him otherwise he would not give a rate behind.

  22.11.2013 11:13 #4

• phobet

  Originally posted by Morreale: ISPs are just mad they actually might have to spend money on revamping their networks and upping bandwidth caps to sooth mass customer outrage. I agree with you there. ISPs are more than happy enough to take your $50/month when you're only checking your email. But try and utilize the full capabilities of your connection, and they start to get concerned. Some, who shall remain nameless <cough>Comcast</cough>, even send you a warning letter when you're approaching their "bandwidth caps".
  

  27.11.2013 21:47 #5