Verizon Wireless may be throttling Netflix and YouTube streams

Verizon Wireless may be throttling Netflix and YouTube streams

Throttling seems to be an unavoidable practice these days.

Use too much data and you get throttled. Use data on a busy network cell and you get throttled. But the throttling numerous reddit users have been seeing doesn't seem to match any conventional rules. Users on both new and old "Unlimited" plans are seeing speeds drop on two of the nation's most popular video platforms regardless of how much data they've used.

Once upon a time, Netflix essentially throttled itself for mobile users to save their users from high data bills, but Netflix gave that up in lieu of a handy in-app mobile data control. Even with Netflix set to Unlimited, several Verizon users are seeing consistently capped speeds at 10 Mbps on fast.com, Netflix's speed test, as well on YouTube with the "stats for nerds" enabled.

10 Mbps is loads better than the 1.5 Mbps throttling we've seen on T-Mobile once they start throttling accounts. It's just good enough for 1080p video, but not for any HDR video, and being throttled on an Unlimited plan for two video sites regardless of how much or little data you've used is disconcerting. We've yet to see an official statement on what's happening here, but Verizon customers, are you seeing lower speeds on YouTube and Netflix? Tell us what you're seeing.