THE Philippines is expected to have steadier internet connection in the following weeks after video streaming companies agreed to free up bandwidth and ease data congestion due to the increasing internet demand amid the enhanced community quarantine, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
These video streaming firms include Google, iFlix and iWant which agreed to manage their streaming bitrates to help decongest the local telcos’ networks.
Google has started shifting YouTube’s default definition setting from High Definition (HD) to Standard Definition on mobile and broadband network connections.
Google, however, said it will still allow users to switch to HD in cases where HD makes an important difference to them like in some learning contexts (reading text written on a whiteboard).
iFlix said no content is being streamed at 4k resolution on the streaming platform at the moment. iFlix added it will continuously balance bandwidth usage to use as little data as possible while optimizing resolution for its users.
ABS-CBN video streaming services iWant started reducing its streaming bitrate by 33 percent last March 27.
This is to abide by the DICT memorandum order directing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to monitor the compliance of mobile network operators and internet service providers in providing ample bandwidth allocation and availability of service and signal based on their service level agreements during the enhanced community quarantine.
As part of its initiatives, the NTC has requested assistance from online streaming platforms in the Philippines as an added measure to ensure stability of internet service in the country.
Online streaming platform Netflix was among the first to respond by reducing its streaming bitrates in the Philippines. Netflix is expected to reduce its bandwidth usage by 25 percent.
It is hoped that more streaming platforms like Facebook, Amazon and others will also consider the government’s call to cooperate in ensuring internet stability and reducing the strain in the country’s ICT infrastructure.
