Netflix confirms it throttles streams on mobile apps

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 27 Mar 2016 4:34 User comments (8)

Netflix has admitted this week that they throttle streams for mobile users, following a report by the Wall Street Journal that claimed they downgraded the quality specifically for AT&T and Verizon customers.

The company had also allegedly said that T-Mobile and Sprint have much "more consumer-friendly policies," and therefore Netflix kept the quality in full for the carriers.

In response, Netflix said that they limit video quality for all mobile users, capping the video at 600kb/s, in order to save consumers from crushing their data caps in quick order.

Additionally, the company says they will soon introduce a data-saver feature for mobile that will give you better control over quality and data usage.

Source:
WSJ

Tags: streaming Netflix Mobile Apps

<Sources: Microsoft willing to back bidders for Yahoo >TiVo and Rovi looking to merge

128.3.2016 00:53

Jemborg

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Is that for real? It's a bit nanny-like.

228.3.2016 01:43

SoTired

Send private message to this user

Junior Member

I'm happy that Netflix is not chewing up more of my data plan than necessary, but it is nice that they'll start giving us control.

328.3.2016 19:33

KillerBug

Send private message to this user

AfterDawn Addict

Originally posted by Jemborg:
Is that for real? It's a bit nanny-like.

Without the controls, it is a godsend. Hopefully they will add controls for PC so when using a tethered laptop you can set the stream rate easily.

429.3.2016 01:10

Bozobub

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Originally posted by KillerBug:

Originally posted by Jemborg:
Is that for real? It's a bit nanny-like.
Without the controls, it is a godsend. Hopefully they will add controls for PC so when using a tethered laptop you can set the stream rate easily.

You can force a particular stream bitrate manually, actually, including forcing HD as long as you have HD available with your specific membership (not all do) and the content is available in HD. Once the stream has started, hit CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-S, and a dialog with bitrate options for will pop up.

Hopefully, this will be of some use to you.

Note: Different browsers have different limits on the video resolution, as well.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 29 Mar 2016 @ 1:10

529.3.2016 02:09

Jemborg

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Originally posted by Bozobub:

You can force a particular stream bitrate manually, actually, including forcing HD as long as you have HD available with your specific membership (not all do) and the content is available in HD. Once the stream has started, hit CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-S, and a dialog with bitrate options for will pop up.

Hopefully, this will be of some use to you.

Note: Different browsers have different limits on the video resolution, as well.

It is, thanks.

(I'll pass it onto my brother as my internet is too crappy for Netflix and it's like. Besides, in Oz Netflix is nowhere near as good as the US's. Here people recommend a streamer called "Stan".)

Which browser would you recommend anyway Bub?

629.3.2016 02:58

Bozobub

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

I prefer Pale Moon, a Firefox variant. But if you mean for watching HD video on Netflix, Firefox variants are limited to 720p, while good ol' Internet Explorer can run 1080p. Edge (for Windows) and Safari (for Macs) are the only 2 other "mainstream" browsers that will run Netflix in "true" HD, sadly; Chrome, Firefox, and Opera all are stuck with 720p.

Additionally, even with IE11/Edge, some content will still refuse to play in 1080p, unless you get the Netflix Windows Store app - which requires Windows 10 - and play content with that.

The reason for this odd dichotomy is due to the limitations of moving away from Silverlight (which handles 1080p just fine, along with offering many more options) and the simple fact that the DRM portion of HTML5 hasn't been fully standardized yet; as usual, M$ feels free to forge on ahead, standards be damned ^^' .

By the way, that key combo only works in windowed mode, apparently. Any changes do persist while the video is active, but you can't see the dialog in fullscreen mode.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 29 Mar 2016 @ 3:05

730.3.2016 11:54

hearme0

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

This is not surprising and totally fair and understandable!

HD and/or massive data streaming is absolutely unnecessary for mobile phones......PERIOD!

830.3.2016 13:05

Bozobub

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Absolutely false. You ARE aware a lot of people tether their phones to their PCs, correct?

	Massive Android 0-day vulnerability found - here's what you should do immediately (08 Nov 2025 5:35) A very serious security flaw has been found in the Android operating system, allowing malicious code to be executed on a phone or tablet.
	Review: Roborock Saros Z70 - robot vacuum with an arm (20 Oct 2025 6:13) In out in-depth review of Roborock Saros Z70 we put the robot vacuum through a 3 month test period, where we observed its work in normal home. The sci-fi -like arm of Z70 was a little bit disappointing, due its limited functionality.
	End of an era: TiVo stops making DVRs (14 Oct 2025 4:12) TiVo, once synonumous with digital TV recording in the United States and in select other countries, has stopped making DVR devices as of October, 2025.
	Strava takes Garmin to court (02 Oct 2025 2:30) The world's perhaps best-known sports app developer Strava has filed a lawsuit against American sports watch manufacturer Garmin, accusing the company of patent infringement. 1 user comment
	Ruuvi Air sensor keeps track of indoor air quality with ease (25 Sep 2025 1:56) The latest product from Finland's Ruuvi Innovations is the Ruuvi Air, a device that brings clear and simple indoor air quality monitoring to homes - with no monthly fees.

	Guide: Phone battery drains quickly - how to fix (iPhone / Android) In this guide, we go through the most typical reasons for rapid battery drain with phones, and look at potential reasons or solutions.
	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments
	GUIDE: Wi-Fi speeds are slow? Here are some tips Having problems with Wi-Fi speed and stability at home? Here are some tips to follow to alleviate the issues. 1 user comment
	Guide: Is Your Wi-Fi Sluggish or Slow? Here's How to Fix Do you have problems with you Wi-Fi? Slow connection or is it cutting off constantly? This guide aims to remedy these problems. 1 user comment
	What IP rating for dust and water resistance means An IP classification (such as IP68) is given to mobile phones, Bluetooth speakers, and other devices, but what do these classifications mean? 1 user comment

Netflix confirms it throttles streams on mobile apps

8 user comments

Latest news

Reviews

Guides

News archive

Subscribe

Sections:

Follow us:

	Review: Roborock Saros Z70 - robot vacuum with an arm In out in-depth review of Roborock Saros Z70 we put the robot vacuum through a 3 month test period, where we observed its work in normal home. The sci-fi -like arm of Z70 was a little bit disappointing, due its limited functionality.
	Roborock Saros 10 review - Great, but not perfect We tested Roborock Saros 10 robot vacuum for more than two months in order to see whether it is really worth its hefty price tag. The mopping, self-emptying Saros 10 was mostly great, even perfect. But its object avoidance was bit disappointing. 1 user comment
	Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review - obstacle avoidance doesn't work as it should, otherwise almost perfect robot vacuum We put the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra through a very, very long review process. The $1800 mopping robot vacuum is almost perfect, but its obstacle avoidance was surprisingly bad, considering the price - and compared to its competitors.