Netflix responds angrily to Verizon as row heats up

US-based streaming service Netflix has reacted angrily to Verizon’s cease and desist letter concerning claims over Netflix usage on the Verizon network.

Verizon had demanded Netflix stop blaming its network for issues affecting playback of series and movies.

In a response, sent by Netflix general counsel David Hyman to his Verizon counterpart Randal S. Milch, the streaming service dismisses Verizon’s complaint and said that the message to customers about Verizon’s ‘crowded network’ was part of an ‘ongoing transparency effort to let consumers know their Netflix experience is being affected by congestion on their broadband provider’s network’.

It added that Verizon is not the only company the transparency testing will affect: “We are testing this type of messaging across the US with multiple providers.” However, it also said that the current transparency testing is scheduled to stop on June 16.

The letter claims that Verizon is disregarding its responsibility to its customers and that the problems with Netflix on Verizon are caused by its ‘unwillingness’ to provide necessary technical upgrades.

The letter reads: “To try and shift blame to us for performance issues arising from interconnection congestion is like blaming drivers on a bridge for traffic jams when you’re the one who decided to leave three lanes closed during rush hour.”

Netflix and Verizon have recently concluded an interconnect deal with Comcast and Verizon and in light of that deal Hyman wrote: “We hope that our recent agreement will soon result in a better Netflix experience for our mutual customers.”