If you had a 100 Mbps connection, like many other countries do, streaming Netflix in HD would not be a problem. So this is first and foremost a lazy monopolist problem, less so a congestion problem.
But look at the arguments being held up by both companies.
Comcast is arguing that Netflix is trying to get Comcast to build its infrastructure. Netflix is arguing that Comcast is extorting them for their infrastructure.
Both arguments assume that everything must be streamed, and the only reason for that is the DMCA and our copyright culture.
Here in Australia with the most mainstream ISP it costs $90/month for 200GB and a theoretical max speed of 24 Mbits/s via ADSL2 (I only get 10). By global standards you are not being robbed.
I down voted you, allow me to explain why. I personally find this style of "at least its not as bad as somewhere else" argument really infuriating. Because it attempts to shift the argument from "How can we do better? to "Be thankful its not worse!"
Its defeatist at best, and actively promotes/degrades the status quo at worst.
You aren't making an insightful or interesting post by doing this, you are simply being dismissive and shutting down discussion.
throwaway2048 really hit the crux of the argument but let me be a little more specific: you too are being robbed.
And I understand that Australia is a HUGE country with a tiny population/sqmi so at least for the next few years they kinda have to "steal" from you to make it profitable in the long run (same thing happened/is happening with our wireless services here) but still it's not really a fair rate to charge you and you should be always lobbying for less.
I entirely agree that we are both being robbed and that everyone's rates can be a lot lower. I was trying to offer some perspective. The geography and population size means that telecommunication costs will always be higher in Australia.
