Problems with AT&T DSL & Netflix Streaming?

Duane writes, "I have DSL 6.0 (6 mbps) service.  What’s been happening is that during the hours of 7pm to 11pm, AT&T’s DSL network slows down so bad that it is impossible to even watch a steaming youtube video much less any Netflix streaming media. I’ve had technicians to my house that said my lines to the DSLAM were good and the ports weren’t “crowded”.  I’m certainly not the only one. The conspiracy theory is that AT&T denies any issues (as in my case), blames my home interior network and blames anything but their network.  The theory is that they are abandoning DSL in favor of moving customers to u-Verse high speed digital (internet, TV, and phone) hence the poor service and data usage cap. Regardless of hearsay, this is a continued issue with no correction in sight and with AT&T continuing to over promise and under deliver with full denial or accountability. That is going to hurt Netflix and it’s ability to retain customers for the streaming service. If a customer can’t stream Netflix, they won’t continue to subscribe."

I have the same 6mbps DSL service (really about 5mbps), and I'm not having troubles, but there are a number of reports online about problems with Netflix and AT&T DSL.

Is anyone else having trouble with Netflix streaming with AT&T or other ISP?

Comments

[Wonderbird]

You may want to try resetting your "modem." Some of the older ones use separate "channels" and once a certain number of "errors" have been detected in a specific "channel" it will stop using that "channel." Eventually it will be using less than half the channels... ("Older" models would never check the channels "again" to see if they were now usable...) Unfortunately that is not likely to explain a time-related "slow down." (Try hooking up wired if you're using wireless... You might be running into collisions between your wifi access point and the neighbors cordless telephone, microwave, garage door opener, wireless headphones, etc...)

[Greg]

I would like to try Netflix streaming, but unfortunately, Netflix does not support my old eMac. So I will just stick with getting DVDs.

[[email protected]]

I have 1.5 mbps AT&T and stream netflix easily :-/

[Lynne]

Wonderbird -- I wouldn't want to mess with my modem. From what you are saying, it does not seem likely because it is not that I cannot stream videos from Netflix. The streaming just fluctuates and it says adjusting to your Internet speed. It is better with the Silverlight hack (Alt_Ctrl_Shift_M) because it boots up in seconds instead of minutes at 250 to 560 -- I try to use the lowest I can get for AT&T lite such as 250.

Works uninterrupted with Hulu.com browser with Flash set at 288.

So on my end I don't think it is the modem. Cannot say for others that notice the fluctuating disruptions in the Netflix streaming. Does seem like it would be from the Internet Server but I guess it could also have something to do with Netflix too -- not sure.

Seems to have been more disruptions with the streaming in last couple of months more so this month. Usually starts and about within 5 minutes of the TV Show or Movie kicks off -- and restarts but quickly within 250 to 560 selected for Netflix then will play out the rest of the TV Show or Movie uninterrupted.

[jdinor]

I am ultimately frustrated with the huge corporations creating market share that isn't there.

Here is an analogy:
if I reduce bandwith I can elevate the fees for a larger return. In the longview I can convince the FCC in the not to distant future to allow me the corporation to control internet bandwith and provide better service allocation of bandwith for equality of usage to all.

Smoke screen and mirrors. We, all of us end up with little freedom of choice in an internet service provider. I find this unimaginable to blame anyone but ourselves for allowing large corporations the freedoms we do under the guise of free market economy and job growth. The only outcomes I've seen in my fifty years of life is my choices slowly taken away and the dispersion of wealth separated by greater margins.

It may sound paranoid, but I am a business man and understand just how to manipulate market share for greater margins.

Snap out of it People.

[Really????]

@jv42

Dude really? You have the speed to stream HDX (1080p w/ 5.1 dobly digital) but probably not the right device. I have a PS3 and I can't tell the difference between blu ray and HDX streams on my 65in panasonic tv. you can rant and rave all you like about "streamflix" but the simple fact that blu ray is going to be obsolete in 5 to 10 yrs, given the success of Netflix, amazon VOD, vudu and iTunes; psychical media just isnt gonna be around much longer. And I give blu ray the benefit of the doubt for lasting that long since everyone is jumping on the 3d bandwagon (I'm guilty too) but the quality of 3d titles is on par with a starz play movie from Netflix. So I just hope the old media formate dies sooner rather than later so streaming providers can be the main source of distribution for Hollywood's latest titles.

[Jason]

First if u-verse is available it makes no sense not to switch because it costs no more than their old dsl maybe even less. Plus it i still dsl but over fibre optic. In general it's better service, though some, like me, had technical problems with some sort of line interference. But the interference would have been there with the old dsl too. Water can get in the lines, local ports can begin to go bad, etc. The side effect of this interference is loss of bandwidth, high packet loss, and high ping (latency) to remote servers. All make streaming video troublesome at best. After 6 line technicians worked 6 different times on outside lines in my neigborhood they finally got all the parts fixed to get rid of the interference tht made streaming and MMO game play nearly impossible.

[Fire2box]

im not having any problems yet. thing again, the 150 GB per month cap hasn't started. I can go under 150 GB's but I know I'll have to watch my usage.

If anything it will only force me out of the house more or god forbid, get to house work.

[Beardman]

I am experiencing issues also with AT&T and Netflix. It seems to be mostly in the evening hours much like other posters have stated. I have reset the modem and am hardwired to the network but still the issue persist. I thought it might be my boys and their online gaming, so I had them stop for a time while we tried to watch a movie. It still dropped the connection. I watch movie on Saturday mornings and have no issues streaming.
I have the 6 MBPS plan and connection to a PC has not been an issue even with 5 computers online. I suspect it is the communication between the Netflix servers and AT&T network in my area. I have noticed a lot of the 2wire modems when I set up my wireless connection so I suspect when everyone comes home in the evening the bandwidth drops like a stone as we all logon.
It stands to reason as more people use the Netflix and other streaming services that this is going to occur. Don't know how to fix this but I do have the old Speedstream modem and it may be time for an upgrade.

[Michael Stern, Merrin Capital Management]

In Hong Kong, City Telecom will provide you with a 1Gbit fiber connection for $26/month. Broadband in the United States is terrible.

[Erick]

This is not un-normal. I live in El Paso, TX, ATT 6Mbs pack and exactly from 7-11PM nightly my speed just completely drops from about 5.2 to 1.2-1.3 maybe. My upload remains amazing. ATT still has yet to provide me with the answers I need.

I only have TW as an option other then ATT and I'm just not very into them with their horrific service, there by 9 my behind... more like there by 9 in 2 weeks.

[w. aamoth]

I too have been experiencing slow down & or intermittent lag in viewing with A T & T. This has been extended to my computer as well. I would occasionally experience connection loses in the mid-afternoon hours. But since starting Netlix in Feb of this year, the lose of connection has extended to all hours of the day. After being on hold for 40 minutes I had to give up on chating with a live person. But bet I will try again.