Verizon FiOS stays atop of Netflix monthly rankings

It's that time again -- the part of the month where Netflix rolls out its report on ISP performance. This is something that became important back during the Comcast debacle. That was when the streaming service was held hostage while negotiating a deal, all the while with its speed on the carrier steadily dropping.

Well, the top three have not changed and, despite the shakedown, Comcast still is not among them. Verizon FiOS retains its seat at the top, follow by Cablevision and Bright House. Comcast at least hasn't ceded its number four position.

Many of those ranked did post gains. "In the US, despite the heavy demand, we saw continued increases in average speeds across the largest ISPs, with Verizon FiOS topping the list at 3.36 Megabits per second (Mbps), Cablevision coming in a close second at 3.32 Mbps, and Bright House just behind at 3.30 Mbps", Netflix states.

Time Warner Cable had the bright spot, posting the largest gain of any provider. The service jumped from 2.97 Mbps to 3.18. That's a healthy uptick and a good sign.

In Mexico, TotalPlay topped the list at 3.53 Mbps, outdoing all US carriers. Up north Bell Canada retained its crown with a speed of 3.49 Mbps. While Sweden doesn't have a chart, the company states that "Bredband2 jumped 2 spots to No. 3 with average speeds of 3.80 Mbps, up from 3.65 Mbps in November".

Netflix has done an excellent job of pointing these things out and shaming carriers for not being up to standards. It's sad that US speeds still lag behind those of many other nations, though.