As Comcast (and now Verizon) start charging Netflix for the “privilege of sending data to their customers in a timely fashion”, Netflix should start adding a “Comcast peering fee” to the bills of their Comcast customers and a “Verizon peering fee” for their Verizon customers, etc. This would at least make the general public more aware of the charges. It would also avoid charging people extra at ISPs that are actually doing what their customers pay them to do.
If only the world were a just a fair place. No, instead Netflix just raised it’s prices for all new customers in April and current customers only get to keep the old price for a “generous” period of time…or basically until they finish negotiating payments with the other big ISPs. They wouldn’t want their revenue to spike 15-20% in the middle of negotiations.