Does Telecom do traffic shaping for video streams like Netflix? Will UFB improve video performance?

Forums › Online streaming services › Does Telecom do traffic shaping for video streams like Netflix? Will UFB improve video performance?

wonderstuff

102 posts

Master Geek

#130790 28-Sep-2013 08:22

Hi all,

I have checked the forums and cannot find a similar experience.

I have a ADSL2 connection using Telecom, Apple TV3 (ATV3), and I am using a Netgear WNDR 3700 router.
I have a US iTunes account, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vevo etc which I access through Apple TV. I use unblockus, and have a the DNS entered into the Netgear router.

In the evening (just like everyone else) I like to watch TV. WHen I rent a move from iTunes using the Apple TV, the quality is exceptional. Always Hi-def, streams within a few seconds, and the performance is impressive.

Q1. Does Apple have CDNs in NZ? or AU?
Q2. With a US iTunes account, will it pull it down from the US or NZ/AU?

When I watch music videos on Vevo or look at YouTube videos, once again, the content performance is very good. Hi-Def, takes a bit longer to start, but not too bad.

However, when I watch Hulu Plus or Netflix, the performance in the evenings is poor. And like last night, is completely unacceptable. It was getting to the stage where the video stream on Netflix while watching Breaking Bad was stopping every 30 seconds or so for a minute, before it would restart.

Looking at the forums, it seems most other people have acceptable Netflix performance.

Q3. Any ideas why Apple TV and other YouTube content would perform absolutetly fine, whilst Netflix and Hulu do not?

Q4. Does Telecom do any traffic shaping and QoS to reduce performance for Netflix and Hulu?

Luckily I can see out my window that UFB is being installed in my street at the moment.
Q5. When I subscribe to UFB through Telecom will this improve performance? or is the issue on the international leg?

This is probably covered in many other posts elsewhere...
Q6. Which UFB provider has the best performance on the international leg?

Thanks

Regards

Mike

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417 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#903993 28-Sep-2013 08:29

Regarding Q4 - I am on Telecom VDSL and haven't noticed any reliability issues with Neflix. I would be surprised if they were traffic shaping.

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freitasm

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Geekzone

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#904000 28-Sep-2013 08:42

Q1. Apple uses Akamai so there are POPs in New Zealand
Q2. Regardless of your account, iTunes will stream from the nearest POP. Note that if you are the first to rent a movie that movie will need to be copied into the local POP so it may be slow. If it's a popular movie and others have watched it before then you will see local speeds.

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dwl

371 posts

Ultimate Geek

#904023 28-Sep-2013 09:47

Q3. YouTube is cached locally by Telecom on Google caches. As above, Apple use Akamai.

Q5. My Telecom ADSL isn't great in the evenings from the US. I would hope that UFB or VDSL was better but unfortunately more research or feedback may be needed.

Q6. Old threads suggest that 2-3MB/s were fairly common speeds on UFB to the US but that has probably changed.

wonderstuff

102 posts

Master Geek

#904481 29-Sep-2013 13:44

Thanks for all your responses.

I am not convinced that moving to UFB with Telecom will improve the international leg performance, but fingers crossed. Perhaps I may need to move to another UFB provider. From memory, it seemed to be the big Telcos that had the better international capacity like Telecom and VF.

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
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#904487 29-Sep-2013 14:10

wonderstuff: Thanks for all your responses.

I am not convinced that moving to UFB with Telecom will improve the international leg performance, but fingers crossed. Perhaps I may need to move to another UFB provider. From memory, it seemed to be the big Telcos that had the better international capacity like Telecom and VF.

your mileage will vary.. personally on VF and telecom, i had peak rate issues.. on SNAP VDSL now, and i regularly pull 3~4MB/s on a single stream from NL (tuned TCP/IP settings on both sides though.) clearly your wanting some form of expectations, so just keep well away from unlimited plans.. international links will no doubt be loaded more than a metered pool.

its a new product still, so issues will arise, but if UBF is there.. why not take it up. it will no doubt be better than your adsl connection. if not just to deal with multiple users at the same time..

i cant speak for raw streaming performance as the only thing i stream is twitch streams however..

its the internet, there will always be sudden periods of load that cant be avoided unfortunately.. if you can mitigate the possibility of that being on your side though, its gotta help right?

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bongojona

252 posts

Ultimate Geek

#904902 30-Sep-2013 09:40

As to the original topic at hand

I use Netflix with Telecom broadband (Ultra VDSL)

I have never noticed any slowdowns in the service - only a small buffering at beginning of each TV episode I am watching then smooth playback until the end.

I will point out that I have set my Netflix quality toggle to the next down from full HD - this is my preference as I do not see much difference in most TV shows that support full 1080p streaming.

It caps at 480p and for the vast majority of what I watch it looks great. Nice clean image - all I require :D

Also that way I can freely use my bandwidth elsewhere at the same time without worry.

there are only a few movies I will prefer to watch in HD, and I don't watch them very often (once a year maybe).

Inphinity

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#904909 30-Sep-2013 09:45

I have no performance issues with netflix or hulu on Telecom VDSL.

wasabi2k

2092 posts

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#904912 30-Sep-2013 09:47

I can watch netflix fine (up to 1080) when I use a VPN (StrongVPN L2TP)

Using a DNS based provider like Unblock-US I get really rubbish performance - buffering every minute or two and really low quality.

That's on Telecom VDSL, 22Mbps down, no other users on at the time.

steve98

1342 posts

Uber Geek

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#905210 30-Sep-2013 16:06

Are you connecting your Apple TV via Ethernet or WiFi? Strongly suggest Ethernet.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#905219 30-Sep-2013 16:21

I also find Netflix performance vaires hugely by device. On my browser it is perfect (I suspect because it can buffer well ahead due to the large amount of memory) on my Apple TV it is almost always fine, but on my Ps3 it is decidedly average - rarely goes above 480kbps, and often buffers every 1-2 minutes. very annoying.

(Telecom VDSL, 50Mbps down, 9Mbps up. speeds to LA typically 5-9Mbps, so should be plenty for Netflix)

steve98

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#905220 30-Sep-2013 16:23

NonprayingMantis: but on my Ps3 it is decidedly average - rarely goes above 480kbps, and often buffers every 1-2 minutes. very annoying.

My understanding is that Netflix route their traffic via Sony's PSN network somehow when delivering to the PS3. Having said that, I am noticing no difference in speed / reliability to that device - hits Super HD in about 10 - 15 seconds (Snap UFB connection using unblock-us)

wonderstuff

102 posts

Master Geek

#905230 30-Sep-2013 16:49

Wow, impressive number of replies! - Monday must be a quiet day at work :-)

Seems like most people using Telecom VDSL do not have buffering issues.

[bongojona] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?
I do have mine set to SuperHD, but I expect that the software is smart enough to drop back to SD once the connection is profiled.

[Inphinity] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?
[NonprayingMantis] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?

[wasabi2k] - interesting. Lets see what the others when a similar set up are using. Are you using a router that can create a VPN connection or your PC?

[steve98] - yes I have Cat5e throughout the house and a Gbit switch.

bongojona

252 posts

Ultimate Geek

#906052 1-Oct-2013 23:10

Wonderstuff - I use another DNS service called Uno-telly which works the same way as unlock us. I use it to also watch BBC content and it works very well for me.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#906118 2-Oct-2013 08:00

wonderstuff: Wow, impressive number of replies! - Monday must be a quiet day at work :-)

Seems like most people using Telecom VDSL do not have buffering issues.

[bongojona] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?
I do have mine set to SuperHD, but I expect that the software is smart enough to drop back to SD once the connection is profiled.

[Inphinity] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?
[NonprayingMantis] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?

[wasabi2k] - interesting. Lets see what the others when a similar set up are using. Are you using a router that can create a VPN connection or your PC?

[steve98] - yes I have Cat5e throughout the house and a Gbit switch.

I'm using unblock-us. haven't tried any other DNS/VPN services to compare.

I also find things other than Netflix work well - even stuff hosted in the UK, like BBC iPlayer. so it's unlikely to be Telecom int bandwidth that is the problem here.

Inphinity

2704 posts

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#906124 2-Oct-2013 08:24

wonderstuff:
[Inphinity] - are you using unblock US or a VPN provider?

I use a mixture UnblockUS and Witopia VPN depending on what exactly I'm doing.

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