Comcast Preventing Customers From Accessing Starz Streaming App, Can Only Offer Flimsy Reasons Why
from the anti-competitive-shenanigans dept
Last year, we noted that Comcast was refusing to let the company's customers access HBO's streaming video service on certain platforms. In order to watch a service like HBO Go on your Roku or, say, gaming console, you need to log in using your cable credentials, as with most "TV Everywhere" type services. Most cable operators had no problem quickly enabling this authentication, but when it came to say -- HBO Go on Roku or the Playstation 3 or 4, Comcast refused to let the services work. Why? If users can't access this content via a third-party app, they're more likely to watch the content on Comcast's own apps, devices, and services.Of course Comcast can't just come out and admit this, so when asked why it's having so much trouble getting this kind of authentication to work, it offers a rotating crop of excuses to news outlets, including claims such efforts just take "time and resources":
"With every new website, device or player we authenticate, we need to work through technical integration and customer service which takes time and resources. Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize as we partner with various players."Right. The problem is that nearly every other cable operator has made this kind of authentication work without problems nearly instantaneously. For example if you head to the HBO Go activation page and select Playstation 4, you'll note that no other cable operator appears to be having these kinds of problems. Roku actually needed to file an FCC complaint to get Comcast to stop doing this (years after customers started complaining). But it's still a problem for Playstation 3 or 4 users trying to use HBO Go; those annoyed users are now being told over at the Comcast forums that the apps won't work due to some unspecified "business terms" that have yet to be agreed upon:
"HBO Go availability on PS3 (and some other devices) are business decisions and deal with business terms that have not yet been agreed to between the parties. Thanks for your continued patience."Again though, these ambiguous "business disputes" are apparently specific to Comcast's unique way of doing business, since no other major cable operator appears to be having them when it comes to third-party authentication.
And this is a problem that just keeps happening. Starz recently announced that it was launching its own, shiny new streaming video service. According to the Starz announcement, non-cable customers can pay $9 a month to access the app, but cable customers can access the application for free. Well, once again, except for Comcast customers, who are being "blocked" from accessing the app:
"Comcast disagrees with Starz's one-app-fits-all approach. The biggest U.S. cable operator and a key Starz affiliate has opted not to participate in the TV-everywhere aspect of Starz's new app. For now, at least, Comcast is declining to enable the authentication (or verification) of Starz subscribers on Comcast Xfinity who want to use the new app. Representatives of Comcast and Starz both say they are "great partners" and hope something can be worked out to resolve the situation, though it is unclear what might cause Comcast to change its view on the matter.But because this exists in the murky periphery of telecom and television services and not the general Internet, it's not technically a net neutrality violation. It's just another, vanilla example of Comcast behaving anti-competitively in the hopes of herding its customers away from alternative content access methods and toward its own services. And that's par for the course for Comcast, which is now using usage caps to exempt its own streaming video services, giving them yet another leg up in the marketplace.
How outrageous you'll find Comcast's latest crippling of a third-party app appears to vary from person to person. I've seen more than a few people argue it's Comcast's prerogative to engage in these kinds of ambiguous business disputes, though I've seen just as many argue that if the Starz app offers paying customers a better way to access the same content -- it should be up to the consumer to make that decision, not Comcast. Either way, it's this kind of behavior that not only contributes to Comcast's historically-bad customer service rankings, but also the slow but steady rise in traditional cable cord cutting.
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Filed Under: fcc, internet streaming, protectionism, starz, streaming
Companies: comcast
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Just a theory...
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Re: Just a theory...
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Well, unless there is a sort of 'spam filter' that's blocking certain characters from being sent through (but then that would imply Comcast is data snooping. Also if the data is encrypted this doesn't apply) or if Comcast is automatically port blocking certain ports for 'security' reasons (ie: to deliberately block the service).
I guess some ISPs have multiple customers share the same IP address and, consequently, they may behave as though they were under a firewall with no ability to open certain ports to solicited traffic?
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Money.
Money. Money would cause Comcast to change it's view on the matter.
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Re: Re: Just a theory...
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Re: Money.
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Re:
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Re:
This is a straight forward Single Sign On issue where a 3rd party (Starz) needs to make sure the user accessing their service is a valid cable subscriber by entering their ISP's (Comcast) credentials. Properly implemented, there is no reason for special partner on-boarding. Comcast (or any service provider) can easily create a universal authentication for third parties.
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Interestingly there was one ISP that announced they wouldn't be introducing such usage caps. Not coincidentally it's the only ISP that doesn't offer their own streaming/cable TV options.
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Re: Just a theory...
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HBO Go availability on PS3 (and some other devices) are business decisions
No it isn't. In neutral services it would work regardless of network or device (I know it isn't the internet but given the monopoly the ISPs generally hold it is an issue). It's both the operator and/or HBO being assholes (in a truly competitive world HBO stuff would be offered elsewhere too, ie: on Netflix). Starz is a shiny example. Comcast will still make money to offer their solution in their cable portion of the pipe, they just don't like the competition it will offer.
If you treat all data equally it shouldn't be any problem.
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Confusing headline
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Not just Comcast
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Re: Confusing headline
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Re: Re: Just a theory...
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Re: Re:
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The cable company has to have a third party access their system to authenticate and to see if the customer pays for the service, and then report back to the streaming company if there is authorization. This process requires contracts, access control lists, SSL or TLS plus compatible encoding, certificates, compatible protocols etc..
Some streaming services require that the ACL be whitelisted to handle traffic from any server, some cable companies only allow a trusted well known IP address.
It's very complex, that it works at all has always been wondrous to me.
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However, there are a number of very good solutions that directly resolve most of the issues you've raised here. Most of them are off-the-shelf, and many of them are available at no cost.
I don't buy the idea that this is too complex to do in a reasonable way and in a reasonable time frame. There are too many examples of others who have managed it with a smaller budget and less manpower than Comcast has. Several of them are even other cable companies.
All signs (even Comcast's own words) point to this not being a problem of logistics or ability. This is a problem of Comcast being a greedy prick.
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Response to: Anonymous Coward on Apr 25th, 2016 @ 9:17am
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Re: Re: Just a theory...
Think of it like Apple and their music that you are leasing.
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They don't, at least not with HBO Go, I assume Starz works the same way. There is a redirect to the web site of the TV provider, where the user authenticates, and then the provider sends an all clear back to the video streaming site.
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Exactly, Comcast has made a business decision to be an asshole.
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Starz is asking Comcast to handle viewer authentication for them and Comcast wants to be paid for doing so.
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Re: Just a theory...
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Re: Reverse DNS
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Re: Re: Just a theory...
beatin' badly..
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Re: Re: Reverse DNS
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... did we mention that phone service in your area is only available through Comcast? ...
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Re: Just a theory...
That hasn't stopped the crooks *coughcomcast* from "trying" to illegally double-dip, but that doesn't mean they should continue to make the attempts.
It's an extortion racket, pure and simple.
"Say, that's a nice data stream, it sure would be a shame if something were to happen to that while it traverses our network." while at the same time telling their customers that "Sorry, but so far, Starz has failed to pay up, so you can't watch what you want to watch becuz we sez so. If'n you don' like that, tuff, 'dez not much you can do about it as we gots dis whole neighborhood on lockdown."
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Unclear complaint
So which is it?
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Re: Re: Money.
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Not completely clear. .
But if you don't subscribe to starz thru comcast, you can pay stars $9 and use the streaming app even if you have Comcast's as your isp.
If that the case, stop paying comcast for starz and skip the middle man, let comcast pay for their greed in lost subscriptions.
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Re: Re: Re: Just a theory...
My theory is you completely misread that and thought he was talking about the content, not the bandwidth (even though he clearly said bandwidth). Comcast customers are paying for the bandwidth, but they're also trying to control how it's used, which is the problem.
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Re: Re: Re: Just a theory...
I somehow doubt that every other cable company has just given them the same service without any contract & payment negotiation, so what is it about Comcast that makes them different? Are they asking for too much? Are they insisting on unreasonable terms? Do they have some outdated, poor or non-standard technology that prevents them from offering the service, but they don't wish to advertise the fact? Are they simply refusing to negotiate at all, preferring to force customers to use their own apps exclusively no matter what the terms?
Any of those are valid, interesting questions. Blaming bandwidth, as the OP did, is not.
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So, rather than being in awe about how complex something that's been both requested and provided by competitors for some time now might look, perhaps they should start on offering the solution?
I don't work for a cable company, but I do work for a company that requires constant communication between authentication systems, running on sites that require live integration from at least 5 different providers. I don't believe the people who said "we can't do that, it's too complex" would have lasted long in the face of the people who made it happen.
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Re: Just a theory...
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Comcast / xfinity customer being controlled by Comcast
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------------------------------------------------ -----
on the part where the ***** replace it with the code generated on your device and all set login to the starz make sure you are loged in on your Xfinity account before doing this
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Starz app is now working
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Delta Emulator
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Watch Roku Channels on PC
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ComCast/Xfinity is ridiculous
It is really selfish that a company would seek to prevent their customers from easy access to a service/app. All because they want you to go through their native app... Why not offer both?
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Re: ComCast/Xfinity is ridiculous
I actually closed my account with them and just went cordless. I went with YouTube Live TV and just got the Starz add-on. Had a bit of troubling getting activated but there's a good tutorial on how to activate Starz that helps.
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COMCAST IS WRONG!
I have been a very long term, loyal Comcast customer.. I’ve always had the premium packages, paid up for the channels I need to have, etc, etc...
I’ve recently found we are in a room w/no cable outlet so we use the Apple TV in their... We have no problems getting most channels thru each app, like HBO Go, Showtime & a long list of others... The ONLY channel that we cannot download or watch thru their app or Apple TV’s app is flippin STARZ!
What gives? You get SOOOO much money from me along w/most the country & you can allow us to watch something we already pay for thru our Apple TV? This makes no sense! It’s a huge slap in the face to ALL of your customers!
I’ve never complained about Comcast ever. I’ve referred tons of people to them.. But this, is crooked & foul... COMCAST pull yer head out yer arse & give us the ability to access what we already pay for where we would like to watch it! I’m disabled & this room happens to be the most comfortable room in my home.... So unless you would like to pay for the cost of having your team come drill a hole in the wall for another cable line, add a box, remote, ALL on your dime then great!
We’re not asking for something for free, we pay you every month for these channels! We should be able to watch them however we want or need to watch them in our own homes!
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Re: COMCAST IS WRONG!
Have you tried calling them and asking for that? The worst they could say is no.
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omg
really nice post
<a href="https://omgeeky.com/how-to-activate-starz-play">Starz Play </a> is the best app for movies
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