Verizon Throttling YouTube?

[Codyak]

So I've been noticing over the last week that YouTube (and sometimes Netflix) have been streaming to lower resolutions or outright buffering to catch up. I decided to try to capture this on my 2012 rMBP with the Verizon Fios 1Gigabit connection as well as my using a VPN into work. Here are the speedtest.net results of both.

Fios:

Work:

What you'll see is a YouTube of some BF1 gameplay at 1440p/60FPS. I have the "stats for nerds" section pulled up to show the "Connection Speed", "Network Activity", and "Buffer Health".

You'll see at 0:43 seconds I VPN into my work, and a couple seconds later the connection speed normalizes with no issue. At 1:03 I turn off the VPN, where it spikes high but then goes back to pauses/buffering. Finally at 1:36 I re-enable the VPN where the connection speed again stabilizes.

Basically when I use just my regular connection I get this strange buffering and spikes, all while obviously having a fast enough connection, yet as soon as I VPN over to work, the problem completely fixes itself proving there was enough connection speed to begin with. Again please ignore the low FPS as this is an older Mac and really the point was to show the connection statistics.

Kinda strange, no? I've test this also on my Gaming PC and Xbox One which both behave in similar fashions.

 

[maflynn]

Did you call them and ask about the issues you're having?

 

[Codyak]

Did you call them and ask about the issues you're having?

Yes, and after two visits they basically just say now that they can’t guarantee speeds. Which blows my mind as you saw it can’t even keep .2% of what’s advertised.

I’ve also talked to my neighbor and he reports the same thing but I haven’t done any of my own testing there.

 

[maflynn]

I’ve also talked to my neighbor and he reports the same thing but I haven’t done any of my own testing there.

I'v heard similar complaints about Fios, I don't think they throttling but you're not getting your advertised speeds either.

 

[Codyak]

I'v heard similar complaints about Fios, I don't think they throttling but you're not getting your advertised speeds either.

That was why I used the VPN to compare, at exactly the same time the video was struggling to load, I "shielded" the type of traffic and instantly the problem was fixed. Not only that, but any time I've ever downloaded large files or games, I get my advertised speeds. It seems to be only streaming services.

Again to reiterate, this isn't like I'm only getting 90% of what they advertise, I was literally getting less than .2% of what they advertise at a non-peak hour.

 

[Foggydog]

I find that Verizon throttles YouTube a lot. That’s where I have been using close to 175G a month now.
Not much I can do out here on the road so I downloaded SPEEDTEST. My devices automatically connect to the closest tower to my location, but with Speedtest I select a different tower that has faster download speeds.

 

[Codyak]

Yeah ever since last week it's gotten significantly worse. I've tested this with multiple VPNs, at multiple times, and now with two different neighbors. Youtube will barely play 720p while at the same time I'll test downloads from other sites or streaming from other providers besides Netflix and there are zero issues. Not only that but like a switch the second I turn on any VPN the issue completely disappears.

They are throttling youtube, and now that they legally can, I don't see it getting better. Time to switch to Cox.

 

[Strelok]

Depends on where you are. I had this issue with Brighthouse (now spectrum) for a long time. 100/10 connection would struggle with YouTube in the Tampa area. As soon as I used a VPN to another state it was fine. From what I read, it was because all the traffic was being routed through a congested server by Google which caused the bad YouTube experience. Try a VPN to another state and see what you get.

 

[Codyak]

Depends on where you are. I had this issue with Brighthouse (now spectrum) for a long time. 100/10 connection would struggle with YouTube in the Tampa area. As soon as I used a VPN to another state it was fine. From what I read, it was because all the traffic was being routed through a congested server by Google which caused the bad YouTube experience. Try a VPN to another state and see what you get.

This is interesting. Now that you mention it, I VPN'd about 1 mile away to work, and I also tried from our backup site in LV. Both fixed the issue.

 

[smallcoffee]

Yup - and this will only continue to get worse under the repeal of net neutrality regulations.

 

[bruinsrme]

Yup - and this will only continue to get worse under the repeal of net neutrality regulations.

I hope they don't mess with my cat videos