COVID-19: Netflix to cut bite of data traffic in Turkey

By Tolga Yanik

ISTANBUL (AA) – As data cables buckle under a heavier load, streaming service Netflix announced Friday that it is set to reduce its share of telecommunications traffic in Turkey and elsewhere by 25%.

The statement came amid the global coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to over 176 countries and regions.

Ordered to say indoors to help stem the virus, many people worldwide are choosing to watch streaming TV or movies or play online games.

"Given the crisis, we’ve developed a way to reduce Netflix’s traffic on telecommunications networks by 25% while also maintaining the quality of our service," said Ken Florence, Netflix’s VP content delivery, in an email statement.

Underscoring that the measure is to "provide significant relief to congested networks," he added: "This measure will be deployed in Turkey for the next 30 days."

Netflix also plans to reduce the traffic on telecommunications networks in other parts of the world.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has now surpassed 533,400, while the death toll is above 24,000 and nearly 123,000 have recovered, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the rising number of cases, most people who contract the virus suffer only mild symptoms before making a recovery.

* Writing by Merve Aydogan