Samsung is preparing to launch their new Smart TVs soon but is now facing resistance on their home ground in South Korea. An internet provider has blocked all data traffic to Samsung’s Smart TV products.
Smart TVs blocked in South Korea
Samsung is pushing their Smart TVs as the next revolution in TVs but a South Korean internet provider has upset Samsung’s applecart.
An internet provider in South Korea has blocked data traffic to Samsung’s Smart TVs
The Internet provider KT threatened on Thursday to block data traffic to Samsung’s Smart TVs for all customers, and on Friday they put action behind their words. KT argues that Smart TVs consume too much data traffic on the network, causing network speeds to become up to 265 times slower for its customers.
KT wants Samsung, and other TV manufacturers, to pay for the internet traffic. Samsung is dismissive and says;
- ”KT’s decision goes against the principle of network neutrality, under which consumers can use services without discrimination. Moreover, we need to verify whether smart TVs actually cause excessive data traffic”
The South Korean government has started an investigation into the matter and calls KT's actions "inappropriate". They plan to intervene if KT continues to block Smart TVs. The situation is very controversial because South Korea has one of the most developed and fastest Internet networks in the world.
However, video streaming do require massive data traffic. That part is true. A study from May 2011 revealed that Netflix was accountable for nearly 1/4 of all internet data traffic in the US – more than the entire pirate industry. Netflix has since then expanded and has more than 25 million customers today.
- Source: The Korea Herald
Samsung Smart TVs blocked by internet provider
