DrPeering -

I am excited about offloading my video content for free by peering. The ISP customer really wants my High-Definition content so the ISPs should want to peer with me, right?

Dana Eagle

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Dana - unfortunately, content to date has never had the upper hand in peering discussions.

Why?

Eyeballs are “captive” customers in that there are really only two alternatives for getting to these access customers : DSL and Cable. On the other hand, there are many alternative ways for access networks to get to the content since content is typically multi-homed. . . So when content wants to gain access to the eyeballs, the access networks own all the cards. Captive customers are why Comcast is able to charge content providers for paid peering.

Next, the peering ratios issue creeps in.  An access heavy ISP will have their peering ratios adversely affected by peering with content. For those who are close to 2:1 out to in traffic may put their peering sessions in jeopardy by peering with content.

Next, the load that you will be placing on the access network will not generate any incremental revenue for the access networks, while they will see you as making ad revenue from the successful delivery of your HD video. They may see this asymmetry as unfair and not want to make it easier for you to load their network.

And your video content may be competing with their video offering. In the last few years, cable have migrated their peering decisions from a technical decision to a business decision.

For all of these reasons, the desirability of your content may not be as powerful a card as you may think.

Dr Peering

DrPeering@DrPeering.net