Netflix has expanded the number of U.S.-based broadband providers it tracks in its monthly ISP Speed Index – from 16 to 60 – as it looks to cast a wider net and to “give credit where it is due” for some of the nation’s smaller providers.
Netflix Open Connect member Cablevision Systems, with an average Netflix streaming speed of 2.94 Mbps) was tops among “major” U.S. ISPs tracked by Netflix, while Google Fiber (3.74 Mbps) retained its crown in the expanded listing, followed by Midcontinent Communications (2.98 Mbps), Cablevision, EPB (2.94 Mbps), Choice Cable Puerto Rico (2.92 Mbps) and RCN (2.92 Mbps).
Notably, Comcast, which is in the midst of its new interconnection deal with Netflix, held steady as 11th on the list among major ISPs, but its average speed rose to 3.78 Mbps, versus 3.74 Mbps in the previous period. Among other top providers, Verizon FiOS, Frontier Communications, AT&T U-verse, and Mediacom Communications all dropped one spot in the rankings.
“We do expect to see Comcast’s performance improve in the rankings next month when we release March data as a result of the recent agreement between Netflix and Comcast,” Netflix director of corporate communications Joris Evers explained.
Rounding out the bottom five of the expanded listings were: Bluebird Network (1.42 Mbps), AT&T DSL (1.12 Mbps), satellite broadband provider Hughes (1.05 Mbps), Clearwire (980 kbps) and Verizon DSL (930 kbps).
Among notable results elsewhere, BT jumped ahead of Virgin Media in the U.K.; and UPC rose three spots (to number five) in the Netherlands.
