Amazon will slow Prime Video streams to reduce broadband load

Following in the footsteps of Netflix and YouTube, Amazon has announced that it will also reduce streaming quality to ease pressure on broadband networks.

“We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can meet the increased internet demand with so many people now at home full-time thanks to Covid-19,” said the spokesman The Guardian. “Prime Video works with local authorities and ISPs as necessary to help mitigate any network congestion.”

Unlike Netflix and YouTube, Amazon’s statement suggests that it will lower streaming speeds in several areas where Amazon Prime Video operates, not just Europe. The edge has contacted the company for further information. Amazon Prime has over 150 million subscribers around the world, and Prime Video is available in more than 200 countries. The Amazon spokesperson told it The Guardian that includes Europe, “where we have already started reducing streaming bitrates while maintaining a high-quality streaming experience for our customers.”

Broadband voltage remains a concern, as more people need to stay at home to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Nielsen estimates that people who stay at home “can lead to a nearly 60 percent increase in the amount of content we watch in some cases and possibly more, depending on the reasons.” That means streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video, other video platforms like YouTube and Twitch, and online gaming all affect broadband speeds. That’s in addition to the tension that comes from people who work from home and students who use video conference tools like Zoom to participate in online classes.