Comcast And Netflix Tipped In Peering Agreement

Those of us using Comcast have been subjected to fairly poor quality on Netflix for that nice after-dinner movie, something that prompted numerous complaints (and ample frustration) in recent times about content showing up in less-than-HD despite high-speed plans, as well as frequent buffering. According to some recent details spotted and confirmation from a source, these issues may have come to an end.

Recently, Bryan Berg of App.net published a trace route on Github that suggests Comcast and Netflix have forged a peering agreement of some sorts. The folks over at GigaOm reached out, and say an industry source has confirmed the suspicion, but declined speaking further on the matter. According to that source, this is "a recent development".

According to the traceroute that was posted, the peering is taking place in the Equinix Silicon Valley. Whether such an arrangement was made on amicable terms or as part of some paid deal betwixt the two is unknown, and it comes at a time when issues of net neutrality have reared its head once again.

Comcast and Netflix have never been the best of friends, and in recent times word surfaced that talk between the video streaming service and Time Warner Cable stalled when the Comcast acquisition came to fruition. Netflix is seen as a direct competitor to Comcast's Xfinity content service, and so the company's hopes of ending up on TWC's set top boxes could end up being nixed as a result.

SOURCE: GigaOm