U.S. internet well-equipped to handle work from home surge

hawki · Mar 14, 2020

"BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. internet won’t get overloaded by spikes in traffic from the millions of Americans now working from home to discourage the spread of the new coronavirus, experts say...

'The core of the network is massively over-provisioned,' said Paul Vixie, CEO of Farsight Security and an internet pioneer who helped design its domain naming system...

The sudden, unanticipated surge in millions of remote workers has forced companies to scramble to boost their capacity for secure connections through virtual private networks..."

https://apnews.com/127058dcac00c9eb20168c25a68abf01

hawki · Mar 18, 2020

"Store Shelves Stripped of Laptops as Coronavirus Increases Working From Home

Equipment makers were already grappling with supply-chain bottlenecks before demand in U.S. spiked..."

[Paywall]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/store-...virus-increases-working-from-home-11584534112

hawki · Mar 19, 2020

"Netflix asked to slow down streaming so the internet doesn't break

In what could be a harbinger of things to come in the United States, the European Union has asked Netflix to tap the breaks on its download speeds in order to reduce network bandwidth now that millions of people have committed to staying home..."

https://ew.com/tv/netflix-coronavirus-speed/

xxJackxx · Mar 19, 2020

hawki said: ↑

...the European Union has asked Netflix to tap the breaks on its download speeds...
Click to expand...

How do you do that? I know, the mistake is theirs and not yours. People get paid to write these articles?

hawki · Mar 19, 2020

hawki said: ↑

"Netflix asked to slow down streaming so the internet doesn't break

In what could be a harbinger of things to come in the United States, the European Union has asked Netflix to tap the breaks on its download speeds in order to reduce network bandwidth now that millions of people have committed to staying home..."

https://ew.com/tv/netflix-coronavirus-speed/
Click to expand...

Netflix To Cut Traffic Stream To European Networks By 25% For 30 Days

https://www.usatoday.com/tech/

stapp · Mar 20, 2020

See here also

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51968302

The company will cut its streaming bitrates, which influence how clear and smooth videos look when streamed online.
Videos with a higher bitrate tend to look less "blocky" or pixelated, but use more data.
The announcement came after a phone call with European officials.
Click to expand...

hawki · Mar 20, 2020

"YouTube follows Netflix in lowering streaming quality in Europe

BERLIN — YouTube will reduce its streaming quality in Europe for at least a month, following a similar move by streaming giant Netflix. The decisions are meant to alleviate possible strain on the continent’s Internet infrastructure as more people are staying at home...

'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,' E.U. Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton wrote on Twitter earlier this week..."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...-latest-news/#link-4XFIKOSA2JCABLK26OPGKV7TVY

guest · Mar 20, 2020

Amazon will slow down Prime Video streams to lessen broadband strain
Following in Netflix and YouTube’s footsteps
March 20, 2020
https://bestgamingpro.com/amazon-will-slow-down-prime-video-streams-to-lessen-broadband-strain/

Following within the footsteps of Netflix and YouTube, Amazon has introduced that it’s going to additionally scale back streaming high quality with a view to reduce the pressure being placed on broadband networks.

“We help the necessity for cautious administration of telecom providers to make sure they will deal with the elevated web demand with so many individuals now at residence full-time attributable to Covid-19,” a spokesperson told The Guardian. “Prime Video is working with native authorities and web service suppliers the place wanted to assist mitigate any community congestion.”
Not like Netflix and YouTube, Amazon’s assertion suggests that it’s going to scale back stream speeds in varied territories the place Amazon Prime Video operates, not simply Europe.
Click to expand...

guest · Mar 20, 2020

Apple TV+ cuts streaming quality in Europe to help reduce strain on networks, alongside other streaming services
March 20, 2020
https://9to5mac.com/2020/03/20/apple-tv-plus-streaming-quality-coronavirus/

European officials have instructed streaming services to reduce the amount of bandwidth their services use, in order to reduce strain on internet networks. Usage of streaming services has picked up substantially in recent weeks in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

All Apple TV+ content is theoretically available in 4K and HD formats.
However, at least for the time being, customers may experience greatly reduced quality. Apple appears to be serving video streams with resolutions as low as 670 pixels tall. In addition to lower resolution, the streams appear heavily compressed with visibly blocky artifacts.

The degradation in video quality is very noticeable, and even more so on the >40-inch televisions most people have in their living rooms these days. The lower quality is a far cry from the richly detailed 4K HDR content Apple TV+ normally serves.
Click to expand...

Netflix told BBC News that its current plan was to reduce streaming bitrates for 30 days: [...]
Some Netflix customers have complained that they are now paying for a 4K HQ plan that they cannot use, and called for Netflix to temporarily reduce prices until it is allowed to transmit full quality streams again

This is not a quandary for Apple, as Apple TV+ does not offer multiple plans, and therefore does not charge extra for access to 4K streams.
Click to expand...

guest · Mar 22, 2020

Coronavirus is forcing Netflix to lower its streaming quality (Update: Statement, more regions)
March 21, 2020
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...avirus-casualty-is-netflix-streaming-quality/

UPDATE: 2020/03/22 4:02PM PDT BY CORBIN DAVENPORT
Netflix has released a full statement about reducing its internet traffic. The company explained that while all resolution options (1080p, 4K, etc.) will continue to be available, they will use lower-bandwidth versions: [...]

Netflix also mentioned that several internet service providers in Latin America and other regions have asked for similar traffic reductions, so reduced quality streams are starting to expand outside of Europe. However, the company made it clear that it is only degrading video quality when asked by ISPs or local governments:

[...] For other networks, we’ll stick with our normal procedures - until and unless they experience issues of their own. Our goal is simple: to maintain the quality of service for our members, while supporting ISPs who are facing unprecedented strain on their networks.
Click to expand...

Netflix: Reducing Netflix traffic where it’s needed while maintaining the member experience

guest · Mar 22, 2020

Facebook and Instagram lower video quality in Europe
Coronavirus-related limits on bandwidth use are spreading to social media
March 22, 2020
https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/22/facebook-and-instagram-lower-video-quality-in-europe/

Social networks are joining streaming services in reducing video quality to help European networks deal with demand from people staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Facebook spokesperson told Engadget that both Facebook itself and Instagram will "temporarily reduce" video bitrates in Europe.
This will help partners handle "bandwidth constraints" and keep people in touch, the representative said. You can read the full statement below.

The decision isn't surprising. While video-first services like Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube are clearly major contributors to data traffic congestion, the sheer audience sizes of Facebook and Instagram (Facebook had 288 million daily users in Europe as of summer 2019) could cause additional strain if those users are more active than usual.
While this is unpleasant news if you're a social media fan, it might help people work from home and otherwise get the internet services they expect.
Click to expand...

hawki · Mar 24, 2020

hawki said: ↑

"YouTube follows Netflix in lowering streaming quality in Europe
Click to expand...

"YouTube will limit video quality for everyone by default for a month

You can still watch in high definition by changing your settings...

It follows a similar measure YouTube and many other streaming platforms have adopted temporarily in Europe to lower their bandwidth usage amid the coronavirus outbreak..."

https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-24...n-default-worldwide-coronavirus-covid-19.html

guest · Mar 24, 2020

Sony will slow down Playstation downloads
Preserving Internet Access for the Entire Community
March 24, 2020
https://blog.us.playstation.com/2020/03/24/preserving-internet-access-for-the-entire-community/

Playing videogames enables players all over the world to connect with friends and family and enjoy much needed entertainment during these uncertain times. Sony Interactive Entertainment is working with internet service providers in Europe to manage download traffic to help preserve access for the entire internet community.

We believe it is important to do our part to address internet stability concerns as an unprecedented number of people are practicing social distancing and are becoming more reliant on internet access.
Players may experience somewhat slower or delayed game downloads but will still enjoy robust gameplay. We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and their doing their part, as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone.
Click to expand...

guest · Mar 24, 2020

Akamai to slow down video game downloads during COVID-19 outbreak
March 24, 2020
https://www.zdnet.com/article/akamai-to-slow-down-video-game-downloads-during-covid-19-outbreak/

Content delivery network (CDN) Akamai announced today plans to slow down video game downloads during peak hours in order to preserve bandwidth and avoid traffic congestions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

"In regions where demand is creating bottlenecks for customers, we will be reducing gaming software downloads at peak times, completing the downloads at the normal fast speeds late at night," said Akamai CEO Tom Leighton.
The slowdown won't impact the act of playing a video game, which doesn't generate large quantities of network traffic. Instead, the slowdown will only impact downloads for online games and not other types of traffic.

Deprioritizing this type of traffic means Akamai will be able to avoid sudden traffic spikes and prevent congestion for all the people working from home or to emergency services.
Click to expand...

Akamai: Working Together to Manage Global Internet Traffic Increases

Akamai is also working with leading distributors of software, particularly for the gaming industry, including Microsoft and Sony, to help manage congestion during peak usage periods. This is very important for gaming software downloads which account for large amounts of internet traffic when an update is released -- a software update for a modern game generates an amount of traffic roughly equal to 30,000 web pages.
Click to expand...

hawki · Mar 27, 2020

"Homebound Workers Close to Overwhelming Internet Junctions...

The junctions between different internet networks are close to being overwhelmed, the Finnish telecom equipment company [Nokia Oyj] said in a weekly report seen by Bloomberg News.

'Globally, service providers are starting to see the increased strain and are approaching the capacity on some peering links and edge routers,' Nokia said.

But don’t panic yet: Operators can sidestep major jams and outages by rapidly upgrading equipment and adding components at these bottlenecks, according to the company, which likened it to a supermarket hiring more cashiers for busy times..."

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/homebound-workers-close-overwhelming-internet-182913138.html

hawki · Mar 29, 2020

MICROSOFT: “We have seen a 775 percent increase of our cloud services in regions that have enforced social distancing or shelter in place orders.”

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/update-2-on-microsoft-cloud-services-continuity/

guest · Mar 30, 2020

YouTube for Android restricts maximum video streaming quality to 480p in India
March 29, 2020
https://www.xda-developers.com/yout...ality-480p-standard-definition-india-covid19/

Consequently, streaming services had decided to lower their quality proactively to ensure that the infrastructure does not collapse. Within this context, YouTube had mentioned that it would set 480p as the default quality for its videos while giving users a choice to switch to higher resolutions. Now, we are learning that YouTube for Android has restricted its maximum video quality to 480p in some parts of India.

We noticed that YouTube for Android had begun limiting the maximum video quality for playback to 480p for some of us in India. This restriction came into play even on videos that were uploaded in resolutions as high as 4K and which were previously playable in these qualities.

The ceiling is apparently in place for YouTube Premium users too.
Meanwhile, videos on YouTube on desktop appear to be unaffected, even starting off on a decently high 1080p by default on the same network.
Click to expand...

YouTube has not yet communicated anything on these new restrictions.
A maximum ceiling of 480p Standard Definition appears to be rather harsh, and 720p would have been a much more pleasant middle-ground. While we understand that the step taken is likely in the interest of the general public and to alleviate the avoidable load on the internet infrastructure, we do feel that 480p is just too low to be considered a feasible maximum for pleasant user experience.
Click to expand...

guest · Mar 30, 2020

Valve changes Steam auto update schedules to lower bandwidth stress in homes
March 30, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/valve-c...schedules-to-lower-bandwidth-stress-in-homes/

Now, Valve has made some changes to the Steam client's game update behavior, but it isn't due to bandwidth issues on the company's end. "We know that with so many people at home trying to get things done at the same time, it can put a stress on your home’s internet bandwidth," said a Valve blog post today.

With the earlier settings used by Steam, all games that haven't been played recently would be scheduled to auto-update during the next off-peak period locally. But from now on, these downloads will get delayed and be spread out over multiple days.
Moreover, only games that have been played during the last three days will be triggered to auto-update immediately whenever a developer publishes a patch.
Click to expand...

Valve also pointed users towards the multitude of facilities Steam provides for managing their downloads, such as disabling auto-updates for specific games, throttling download speeds to not choke out connections, and custom update schedules, among others.
Click to expand...

mood said: ↑

Sony will slow down Playstation downloads
Preserving Internet Access for the Entire Community
March 24, 2020
https://blog.us.playstation.com/2020/03/24/preserving-internet-access-for-the-entire-community/
Click to expand...

Updated:

[...] we will take similar measures in the United States, and we will continue to take appropriate action to do our part to help ensure internet stability as this unprecedented situation continues to evolve. We are grateful for the role we play in helping deliver a sense of community and entertainment in these very trying times
Click to expand...

guest · Mar 31, 2020

WhatsApp Imposes 15 Second Limit For Videos In Status Updates
March 30, 2020
https://fossbytes.com/whatsapp-imposes-15-seconds-video-limit-status/

WhatsApp has introduced a major change in the status section of its app in India. Now, the users will not be allowed to post videos longer than 15 seconds in status updates. As mentioned by NDTV360, WhatsApp has taken this decision to tackle network congestion as an increased number of people are using the internet regularly during the coronavirus quarantine period.

Previously, major social media networks and streaming services decided to decrease the bitrate and resolution because of the increase of demand amidst the lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic. Platforms like Netflix and YouTube have already imposed limitations on streaming.
Click to expand...

The displayed message says “Videos sent to My Status will be trimmed to first 15 seconds.” However, when you try to upload a video in the status update, you are given an option to choose the desired 15 seconds from the video by sliding the rectangular seek box.
This is undoubtedly going to decrease the load on the networks due to long videos in WhatsApp stories. A hike of 40% has been witnessed in the usage of WhatsApp on a global level since the lockdown.
Click to expand...

hawki · Mar 31, 2020

Per Comcast:

"32% increase in peak network usage

38% increase in streaming video usage last week over a more typical comparable period

10% decline in LTE usage and 24% increase in WiFi network

videoconferencing usage up 212%..."

https://twitter.com/FullySynergized/status/1245050006773673986

guest · Mar 31, 2020

...some more statistics:
Comcast: COVID-19 Network Update (Last Updated: March 30, 2020)

Work from home is driving new application usage growth. Weekday usage is up, driven primarily by VoIP, Video Conferencing, and VPN as more people move to a work and learn from home environment.
• VPN traffic is up 40%
Entertainment, streaming, and gaming continue to dominate.
• Gaming downloads are up 50% generally and 80% during new releases [...]

On television, we are seeing similar patterns:
• Linear video consumption increased 4 hours to 64 hours per week
• We have seen Voice Remote queries top 50 million some days [...]
Click to expand...

Comcast - "Network Performance During COVID-19" (PDF): https://update.comcast.com/download/15409/

hawki · Apr 6, 2020

"Your Internet is working. Thank these Cold War-era pioneers who designed it to handle almost anything

'Resiliency and redundancy are very much a part of the Internet design,' explained Cerf [Internet pioneer]...

To a substantial extent, the network has managed ... automatically because its underlying protocols adapt to shifting conditions, working around trouble spots to find more efficient routes for data transmissions and managing glitches in a way that doesn’t break connections entirely...

Some of the early Internet architects — Cerf among them, from his position at the Pentagon — were determined to design a system that could continue operating through almost anything, including a nuclear attack from the Soviets..."

[Can not be viewed in Private Browsing Mode]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

guest · Apr 14, 2020

Google reduces Nest camera quality by default amid coronavirus lockdown
The change is an attempt to conserve internet bandwidth
April 14, 2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/google-reduces-nest-camera-quality-by-default-amid-coronavirus-lockdown/

Google on Tuesday told Nest customers it's temporarily adjusting the camera quality settings on its devices, in an attempt to reduce the strain on wireless networks as people stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"In response to community issues caused by COVID-19, we're temporarily adjusting your camera quality and bandwidth in an effort to conserve internet resources," the note said. "With so many people working and attending school from home, we're stretching our resources in ways we haven't before—including the internet."
A Google spokeswoman confirmed the update and said the company will be making the changes "in the next few days."
Click to expand...

hawki · Apr 15, 2020

"Average American Streams 8 Hours Of Content Per Day During Coronavirus Outbreak!..."

https://www.studyfinds.org/binge-na...-content-per-day-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

guest · Apr 16, 2020

Ubisoft
Adapting Bandwidth Usage During Covid-19
April 15, 2020
https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/arti...CHcfu/adapting-bandwidth-usage-during-covid19

While playing games online is a remarkably low-bandwidth activity, downloading content at top speed can become a very demanding task for networks, especially as millions more people are simultaneously turning to digital services and content.

For console players, Microsoft and Sony have already taken steps in that direction. For PC players, our Content Delivery Network* partner Akamai, has offered new tools to better control bandwidth usage.
These changes do not affect the gameplay quality or speed of our online gaming experience but can explain why some of you may see slower or delayed game downloads. Ubisoft also is rolling out temporary measures to further reduce the stress on the system, including: [...]

For more information on how to change your download preferences in Uplay, we have created this dedicated support page.
Click to expand...

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