[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4Cast #691: Unprecedented spike in residential internet demand

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OPLIN 4Cast #691: Unprecedented spike in residential internet demand
March 25th, 2020

[image: View of a city from high up] Over the course of two weeks, Ohio
library internet traffic dropped from daily peaks over 8 Gigabits per
second down to brief spikes that barely top 1 Gig (a picture
<https://oplin.org/db-handouts/corebandwidth.png>). But while OPLIN's
bandwidth use took a dive, other companies are struggling to keep up with
the surge in demand. Boosted by free trials, streaming services saw a big
spike in sign-ups last week
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielshapiro/2020/03/23/exclusive-disney-sees-huge-subscription-spike-as-homebound-audiences-clamor-for-content/>.
In Europe and Asia, where the pandemic is more advanced, companies are
taking steps. Will we see those same measures in the U.S.?

   -
   - Facebook to cut video streaming quality in virus-hit Europe
   <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-facebook-idUSKBN2190VH>
   [*Reuters*] "Streaming video can account for two-thirds of traffic on
   fixed and mobile networks."
   - Netflix, YouTube cut video quality in Europe after pressure from EU
   official
   <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/03/netflix-and-youtube-cut-streaming-quality-in-europe-to-handle-pandemic/>
   [*Ars Technica*] "Users can still manually adjust the quality of any
   video they watch on a computer, TV, or mobile device. Making 480p [DVD
   quality] the default would still reduce overall broadband-data usage
   significantly, even if many users switch to higher resolutions."
   - Game downloads will be throttled to manage internet congestion
   <https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/24/game-downloads-will-be-throttled-to-manage-internet-congestion/>
   [*TechCrunch*] "Don’t worry, though, it won’t affect your ping."
   - FCC opens up more spectrum to keep mobile phones working during
   coronavirus pandemic
   <https://www.zdnet.com/article/fcc-open-up-more-spectrum-to-keep-mobile-phones-working-during-coronavirus-pandemic/>
   [*ZDNet*] "You may be worried about there being enough internet to go
   around thanks to the coronavirus pushing us into our homes, but mobile
   phones are also facing a potential bandwidth shortage."

*From the Ohio Web Library <http://ohioweblibrary.org>:*

   - Calabrese, Michael. “Solving the ‘Spectrum Crunch’ Unlicensed Spectrum
   on a High-Fiber Diet
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cph&AN=96018855&site=ehost-live>
   .” *Computer & Internet Lawyer*, vol. 31, no. 6, June 2014, pp. 15–28.
   - McPherson, Doug. “Video Streaming Sees 450% Jump; High-Quality Content
   Driving the Trend
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=129248974&site=ehost-live>
   .” *Response*, vol. 26, no. 7, Apr. 2018, p. 6.
   - Perez, Matt. “AT&T Becomes First To Lift Fees For Going Over Data Caps
   Ahead Of Coronavirus Quarantines
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=142205353&site=ehost-live>
   .” *Forbes.Com*, Mar. 2020, p. N.PAG.

------------------------------
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