Not So Neutral? Comcast and Netflix Strike Network Deal

The net may no longer be neutral.

Netflix has agreed to pay Comcast for direct access to the Internet service provider's broadband network, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move is anticipated to improve the streaming service's recent lagging performance.

While a deal was officially announced on Sunday, the terms of the agreement were not made public. Spokespeople from both companies declined to confirm or deny the allegation that money had changed hands.

If true, the agreement is the first known example of a company paying an ISP to improve connection speed. Network connection deals are not uncommon, but are usually done without payment. Read more...