Netflix Speed Index Highlights The Best ISPs For Video Streaming
The Netflix ISP Speed Index chart debuted on Monday, and with it comes a feeling of responsibility on the part of nationwide and international ISPs.
The new Netflix Speed Index examines ISP speeds in the US, Mexico, Ireland, UK,Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The company places the ISP speed tests on a chart to showcase the best providers for video streaming service.
Taking the company’s top spot was the Google Fiber network with its 3.35Mbps average bitrate numbers. Google was followed in second place by Sweden’s Ownit ISP with 2.99Mbps bitrate speeds.
Netflix based its findings on data collection from its user base of more than 33 million Netflix members. The index claims those users view over 1 billion hours of TV shows and music via the Netflix streaming service every month.
Netflix’s findings include data collected since November 2012. The index will now be updated monthly, and, with Google Fiber increasing its speeds, the company is expected to fare even better that results from the first public speed test release.
Netflix is careful to note that its own findings will also trend below an ISPs peak performance levels. Netflix numbers are slanted because of the way Netflix encodes videos. Numbers are also eschew because Netflix customers are bound by the modems, wireless routers, and other home networking equipment they utilize for their specific home networks.
According to Netflix, the tests speeds “are an indicator of the performance typically experienced across all users on an ISP network.”
Netflix is not only providing users with a glimpse into their ISPs competence; the video streaming service is also using that data to determine which ISPs need improvement. For example, Netflix’s Open Connect content delivery network allows ISPs to peer directly into the Netflix network for better performance. Netflix even offers storage capabilities for ISPs by placing its own network configuration in a local cache setup via the ISPs own server farms.
With Netflix pushing harder than ever to provide fluid 1080p streaming to its customers, the company will likely continue its ISP challenges well into the future.
How does your ISP perform on the Netflix ISP Speed Index chart?
