NETFLIX: Our Streaming Speeds Got A Lot Faster Since We Started Paying Comcast

Netflix released new stats today that show which Internet providers have the fastest access to the service's streaming video.

Most notably, Comcast has jumped up five spots in the rankings following Netflix's controversial decision last month to start paying the provider for direct access to its network.

Netflix agreed to pay Comcast an undisclosed sum so Comcast would connect directly to Netflix's video servers, meaning Comcast customers would get faster streaming speeds. Before that, Netflix speeds on Comcast were slowing down over the last year or so because so many people were streaming video that it clogged the servers of Cogent, a third-party Netflix was paying.

Meanwhile, other Internet providers like AT&T have also reportedly asked Netflix for money so they can connect directly to Netflix's servers.

In today's report, Netflix highlighted how important it is for Internet providers to work with Netflix:

This month's rankings are a great illustration of how performance can improve when ISPs work to connect directly to Netflix. In the US, the average speed on the Comcast network for Netflix streams is up 65 percent from 1.15Mbps in January to 2.5 Mbps in March.

Here's a look at Netflix's speed index: