Coronavirus: Facebook reduces video streaming quality in Europe

EU industry chief Thierry Breton has urged streaming platforms to free up bandwidth for health-care and distance learning for thousands of children sent home by closing schools.

Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ have also cut down their streaming quality in Europe. (REUTERS)

Of latetly, a number of tech companies, including YouTube and Netflix, have downgraded their video streaming quality in Europe in a bid to reduce the strain on broadband networks. Now, Facebook said that it will downgrade video streaming quality on its platform and on Instagram in Europe to respond to a European Union call to stave off internet gridlock as thousands work from home due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"To help alleviate any potential network congestion, we will temporarily reduce bit rates for videos on Facebook and Instagram in Europe," a spokesman said in a statement adding that the move is expected to last as long as there are concerns about the internet gridlock.

EU industry chief Thierry Breton has urged streaming platforms to free up bandwidth for health-care and distance learning for thousands of children sent home by closing schools. While European telecoms operators say their networks have been able to cope with the data traffic rise so far, there are fears of congestion as more and more people work at home.

Apart from YouTube, Netflix and now Facebook, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and disney have also decided to cut down their streaming quality in Europe. While Amazon is reducing bitrate speeds in Europe, Apple TV+ streaming quality has been lowered as well, which has resulted in lower resolution streams and heavily-compressed content in the region.

"We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can handle the increased internet demand with so many people now at home full-time due to Covid-19. Prime Video is working with local authorities and internet service providers where needed to help mitigate any network congestion," an Amazon spokesperson had said in a statement to The Guardian.

Disney, on the other hand, said that it would lower its overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25% in all the European countries where Disney+ is launching next week.

(With agency inputs)