YouTube to reduce default video streaming quality in Europe

[HEXUS]

Like Netflix announced yesterday, this is to relieve strain on ISPs as people stay at home.

Read more.

[DanceswithUnix]

It'll take more than that to get the slackers to actually work. Specially if Pornhub don't do the same

[mtyson]

It looks like Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer might be joining in with this trend to reduce video data traffic, according to a new report in The Guardian.

[Jonj1611]

As are Netflix, they are reducing quality by 25%, I did ask if I would get 25% off my bill, I was told..............no. So have cancelled the sub and back to the large collection of blu rays until normality restored

[Yoyoyo69]

So. Increase prices several times.

Reduce devices (granted the lower resolution is due to covid19) but not even a sorry or thank you, never mind refund (or even discount)

Terrible

[jim]

I think reducing the default is perfectly reasonable.

Preventing people from selecting a high resolution though is just asking for them to cancel subscriptions.

I don't have any in the first place, so can't really say I'm fussed personally, but preventing customers from using the higher resolutions seems a bit draconian as a first step.

[darcotech]

I suppose we can cancel Netflix. And not subscribe to DisneyPlus.
As someone said, I can go through my large DVD/BluRay collection.

[Gentle Viking]

I think if the internet can not handle the load, it should be expanded on, i can only assume that when several creepy companies have completed their data centers in Denmark this will be every day for us then.

[LSG501]

As much as the current situation is unprecedented, it also kind of shows how poor the infrastructure in the UK/EU is if it can't manage everyone working from home (ok not all of it's work related).

It kind of ties into comments I've made on things like the Gigabit announcement by BT... it's all very well them offering up these fast speeds but if the rest of the infrastructure and/or servers can't keep up it's completely pointless.

And as daft as this is going to sound... if people can't get their High Res fixes, a lot of 'tech savvy people' will just go back to getting it 'another' way....

It's also totally wrong that the people paying for the high res services don't get some rebate as well...

[Unique]

most people working from home would do so during say 8-6pm so reducing bandwidth during that time, or 9-5 is probably going to be peak time, weekdays only, would make more sense. but how many people are going to be using a lot of data working from home between 9pm and 6am, that wouldn't normally be doing this under normal circumstances?

an all out limit 24/7/365 doesn't make that much sense. using data to determine peak bandwidth times etc in conjunction with ISP's would make more sense. lower bandwidth at peak times and increase back to normal during off peak times when the infrastructure can cope

[3dcandy]

most people working from home would do so during say 8-6pm so reducing bandwidth during that time, or 9-5 is probably going to be peak time, weekdays only, would make more sense. but how many people are going to be using a lot of data working from home between 9pm and 6am, that wouldn't normally be doing this under normal circumstances?

an all out limit 24/7/365 doesn't make that much sense. using data to determine peak bandwidth times etc in conjunction with ISP's would make more sense. lower bandwidth at peak times and increase back to normal during off peak times when the infrastructure can cope

No reason to go to work means the demand won't be tied into normal working hours though. I guarantee that millions won't be going to bed early for example including kids so your comment doesn't really make me feel it will be the case. No work for millions means an end to 9-5 mon-friday for many. Mark my words there will be a massive shift in how this country operates from now on