The Comcast-Netflix Deal: Fact vs. Fiction

Some are calling the Comcast-Netflix deal the first "pay-to-play deal" as it tiptoed in over the weekend, much to the dismay of net neutrality fans. It comes just one month after a court struck down the Federal Communication Commission’s net neutrality rules and only days since the FCC proposed a new set of regulations.

The problem is that this isn't a net neutrality issue. It’s not pay-to-play either. In reality, it's just business as usual

Let’s dispel some other myths, shall we?

The deal is not the first of its kind

Comcast has an entire business devoted to “wholesale dedicated IP transit,” which means it will sell this kind of access to anyone that wants to purchase it. While details on the specifics are sparse, Netflix is apparently buying what Comcast calls "non-transit" access. That gives Netflix direct access to Comcast's subscriber network, but it doesn't use Comcast's network for routing general Internet traffic — that's Comcast's "full transit" option. Read more...