Some users may see poorer Internet connectivity during coronavirus crisis

Vice has written an article about how the Internet infrastructure will handle the coronavirus pandemic. With millions around the world now suddenly working from home at the same time, and countless others relying increasingly on the Internet as one of the few available sources of entertainment, there is some worry about whether the infrastructure will be able to handle the extra demand.

The European Commission has already asked streaming providers like Netflix and YouTube to lower their picture quality to preserve bandwidth. The overall Internet is expected to weather the storm, but some users, especially those on poorer quality connections, may see some disruptions.

As millions of Americans hunker down to slow the spread of COVID-19, U.S. broadband networks are seeing a significant spike in usage. While industry insiders say that the U.S. internet should be able to handle the strain overall, broadband availability, affordability, and slow speeds could still pose a serious problem for many housebound U.S. residents.

The article notes US wireless broadband providers are seeing a 15-20 percent spike in traffic during peak usage hours, while Seattle, the ground zero for the US coronavirus spread, is seeing a 40 percent spike in overall Internet use. Similarly, Internet exchanges in Amsterdam, London, and Frankfurt are reporting 10-20 percent traffic spikes. Full details over here.