Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, others told to help ease network pressure in India

Anticipating a spike in online video streaming demand amid lockdown and quarantine measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, COAI has urged the federal government to issue immediate instructions to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and others to initiate measures which will ease pressure on network infrastructure, which is necessary for "critical" functions at this juncture.

The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) in addition has approached streaming platforms cautioning them about surge in digital use straining network infrastructure of telecom operators, and urged companies to take urgent steps like temporarily switching to SD (standard definition) from HD (hi definition) streaming, removing high bandwidth-consuming advertisements and pop-ups, and replacing them with public announcements on awareness about the virus.

In a letter to Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash, COAI has said, "Because of lockdown/ quarantine measures in a variety of places, a sudden surge popular for online video streaming can be expected to rise substantially."

COAI said that in this crucial time, it is absolutely essential for the streaming platforms to cooperate with telecom providers to be able to manage the traffic distribution patterns that will probably strain the network infrastructure "at the same time when it is needed for various critical requirements".

Citing the "unprecedented situation" due to the outbreak of coronavirus, COAI noted that the governments are taking various measures to reduce social interactions, so that you can support the spread of the pandemic.

"In the past couple of days, in India too, advisories have been issued by various government agencies including social distancing, restrictions when it comes to workplace, also encouraging Work From Home (WFH), online/ digital education, digital payments/ transactions, online healthcare, wherever possible and other critical requirements to be met through digital means. This sudden surge in digital use has already been putting strain on the network infrastructure of the Telecom PROVIDERS (TSPs)," COAI said.

COAI in addition has written to a dozen streaming platform including Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hotstar, Zee5, Alt Balaji, Voot, Sony Liv, Viuclip, Hoichoi, Netflix, SunNXT and Voot seeking their "cooperation for joint action to facilitate smooth functioning of data communications services in this critical period".

"We understand that there are numerous measures that the streaming platform companies can undertake in this present situation to keep to provide a suitable level of service to their customers at most appropriate bit rate required," the mobile industry association said in its communication to streaming platforms.

It said joint action to lessen pressure on infrastructure also to facilitate remote working, online education, digital healthcare, payments and other critical services at the same time of region-wide public health crisis, would go quite a distance in assisting the citizens and country most importantly.

"We understand that similar measures are being taken by various streaming platforms internationally like in the US and Europe as more and more countries enter lockdown to combat the spread of the virus," COAI said.

The necessity of the hour is that "companies offering streaming platform service and TSPs (telecom service providers) take joint responsibility to take steps to ensure smooth functioning of the info communication networks to align with other measures being used this battle to curb the propagation of the virus," COAI added.