YouTube Asks: Are You 'Experiencing Interruptions'?

Are your YouTube videos buffering? Google is now offering up direct links to a video quality report that provides you with information about how your streaming experience stacks up against other ISPs.

YouTube first announced its Video Quality Report in late May. Users who are curious about how their video-streaming quality compares to other ISPs can visit http://ift.tt/KGh9Lj for a report on how your ISP does on serving up HD, standard def, or lower def videos.

'If you're regularly seeing videos buffer, this report can give you a better idea of why, as well as tips to make YouTube play better,' Google said at the time.

Over the weekend, however, Quartz reported that links to the Video Quality report were showing up below certain YouTube videos. 'Experiencing Interruptions?' they read, with a link to the video-quality site via a 'Find out why' button.

It's unclear how many users are seeing the alerts. A handful of Twitter users reported seeing them over the last few days, but they're not showing up on all videos.

The notices are reminiscent of the alerts that Netflix served up about a month ago, which told users that their ISPs were to blame for Netflix buffering or delays. Quartz was also first to notice those warnings, which called out specific ISPs with messages like 'The Verizon network is crowded right now.' Verizon pushed back on the messages, and threatened to sue. Netflix later said those alerts would stop by June 16.

The YouTube alerts do not call out specific ISPs under its videos. When you navigate to the Video Quality Report, however, YouTube evaluates how your ISP is performing. Here at PCMag, for example, YouTube said that Windstream Communications in New York City is largely providing standard definition performance.

AT&T, CenturyLink, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon DSL are also providing a standard definition experience in New York, the report says, while Cablevision/Optimum, RCN, Verizon FiOS, and Comcast Xfinity are 'HD Verified,' according to YouTube.

Last month, the FCC agreed to examine inter-connection deals between Internet service providers and streaming services. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said that he has been exasperated by buffering and service slow-downs when trying to watch streaming video like that provided by Netflix. Trouble is, no one is really sure if Netflix or the ISP is the one to blame, so the agency is investigating.