Quality of Netflix
Netflix is temporarily reducing the quality of videos on its platform across Europe.
The idea is to help ease pressure on internet service providers as they deal with increased demand - with more of us working from home or in isolation.
The platform is dropping the video bit rate for 30 days, following calls from the EU.
Important phone conversation with @ReedHastings, CEO of @Netflix
To beat #COVID19, we #StayAtHome
Teleworking & streaming help a lot but infrastructures might be in strain.
To secure Internet access for all, let’s #SwitchToStandard definition when HD is not necessary.
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 18, 2020
Earlier, the EU had warned that a spike in people watching Netflix due to the pandemic was putting Europe’s broadband network under strain.
The bloc’s Internal Market and Services Commissioner Thierry Breton raised the issue with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings by phone yesterday.
With an increasing number of people working or staying at home, the European Commission has called on users to act responsibility as domestic broadband connections are only designed to cope with evening surges in traffic.
In a statement quoted by Variety, Netflix said:
“Following the discussions between Commissioner Thierry Breton and Reed Hastings - and given the extraordinary challenges raised by the coronavirus - Netflix has decided to begin reducing bit rates across all our streams in Europe for 30 days.
"We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25% while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.”
