OT Verizon to recode all online video

dxdy wrote on 2/4/2011, 10:20 AM
In an Associated Press story about iPhone sales taking off at Verizon:

On Thursday, Verizon revealed that it will slow down traffic for heavy data users on unlimited plans if they’re hogging the local cell tower. This only applies to subscribers signing up for a new data plan, or renewing a contract. Since the unlimited data plan is required for the iPhone, Verizon is reserving the right to throttle all iPhone traffic.


It also said it will conserve data capacity by recoding all online video requested by data subscribers. It said the effect on image quality should be minimal.

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 2/4/2011, 11:39 AM
Hm.... you'd think the processing power to recode everything that's being sent to a phone on their network would take up enough processing power that they might as well let people have the bandwidth.

They could, in theory, end up recoding youtube every couple days.
farss wrote on 2/4/2011, 1:50 PM
Not directly related but I wonder how many realise that Youtube stores only one file per video!
They don't encode on the fly or do anything that CPU intensive. The one file stores multiple streams, one for each res. It's then fairly trivial to strip the requested res stream from the file as it plays out from their servers.

Bob.
Chienworks wrote on 2/4/2011, 3:07 PM
In general, processing power is WAY cheaper than bandwidth.
Rob Franks wrote on 2/4/2011, 4:08 PM
Bandwidth is becoming a serious issue all over. Our CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) just a few weeks ago ruled that our IP's can at will begin to charge on a usage basis (not good for me as I download a lot and use NetFlix religiously) . Fortunately a lot of angry Canadians rose up and our Gov stepped in and over ruled the CRTC.... but I fear that the inevitable has simply been delayed.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 2/4/2011, 7:18 PM
Charging by usage makes more sense. That's how all other utilities work & internet is more like a utility vs anything else.
Rob Franks wrote on 2/4/2011, 7:31 PM
"That's how all other utilities work & internet is more like a utility vs anything else. "

My local phone bill is a flat monthly rate.... always has been. My monthly tv bill is a flat rate (excluding VOD and PPV). My property taxes (which pay for all city utilities) is a flat rate.
OdieInAz wrote on 2/4/2011, 7:53 PM
"That's how all other utilities work & internet is more like a utility vs anything else. "

That's not how the cable TV companies want to charge me for programming access. Flat rate, all I can watch is the norm. If they want to put a meter on internet access, then why not on cableTV - just pay for what you watch. If they did that, they might get me back as a customer. After all, it is the same cables supplying both TV and internet.