Yes, Netflix really is slower — and it's probably Verizon's fault

An obscure battle over "peering" is likely the culprit for spinning wheels during House of Cards

Netflix loading
(Image credit: (Illustration by Lauren Hansen | Photos courtesy of Thinkstock))

If Netflix has seemed a little slow to load on your laptop or smartphone in recent months, it's probably not your imagination. Average Netflix speed and quality in the U.S. was already pretty subpar, according to Netflix, at about two megabits per second (Mbps) — hey, that was better than Mexico and Ireland — but it's been dropping since last October:

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.