Amazon Prime Video has lowered its video streaming resolution in India to ease the burden on networks following the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the global pandemic coronavirus which has claimed the lives of over 500 people in India, including 10 deaths.
"We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can handle the increased internet demand with so many people now at home full-time due to COVID-19," a Prime Video spokesperson said in a prepared statement.
"Amazon Prime Video is working with local authorities, mobile service providers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) where needed to help mitigate any network congestion, including in India where we've already begun the effort to reduce streaming bitrates whilst maintaining a quality streaming experience for our customers."
Other video platforms like Netflix, YouTube and Facebook have also lowered its video quality in India to relieve the stress on the networks since the whole nation is advised to stay indoors due to the virus.
Earlier, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) asked the streaming platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, Voot, and Amazon Prime Video, in a letter, to lower the streaming resolution in order to reduce the burden on the networks.
The Industrial body COAI also reportedly asked for lowering the streaming quality from High Definition (HD) to Standard Definition (SD).
