Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Netflix is becoming (slightly) less of a bandwidth hog, but why?

Stephanie Topacio Long
By

netflix fast speed test app launched why streaming apps can t challenge
Image used with permission by copyright holder
With Netflix accounting for more than one-third of internet traffic on North American fixed networks, it’s no wonder the streamer is known for being a bandwidth hog. However, a new report from Sandvine indicates that times may be changing. The analysis found that Netflix’s share of internet traffic in the region has declined slightly from six months ago. Meanwhile, its relatively diminutive rival Amazon Video has been on the rise.

For Netflix, the share of traffic decreased from 37.1 percent to 35.2 percent in North America. Amazon Video, on the other hand, climbed from 2 percent to 4.3 percent of fixed traffic compared to last year’s analysis, as reported by Variety. Netflix’s loss wasn’t necessarily a bad sign for the streaming giant, however.

Recommended Videos

In fact, the change for Netflix may have less to do with its relative popularity, and more to do with its innovative technology. Big Red has been employing new video compression tech, allowing it to do more with less, as it were — without degrading video quality.

Related

It’s also important to note that the Sandvine report looks at shares of bandwidth usage, not actual usage. A drop in percentage may mean gains overall, with some streamer’s experiencing greater growth than others. Netflix is still far and away the leader, topping runner-up YouTube, which accounted for a 17.5 percent share of peak-period downstream bandwidth in North America (up from last year’s 15.6 percent).

Overall, streaming audio and video dominates internet traffic. With Netflix and YouTube accounting for over half of internet traffic during the peak period (7 p.m. to 11 p.m., as defined by Sandvine), streaming in general is responsible for 71 percent of evening traffic in North America, and the share is expected to surpass 80 percent by 2020. That’s a good sign for streaming services in general, but it remains to be seen who will take a bigger slice of the pie in the near future.

Looking at the latest results, at least one thing is clear: Our appetite for audio and video content is basically insatiable.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long
Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
House of Ninjas is Netflix’s newest hit action show. Here’s why you should watch it
Kento Kaku in House of Ninjas.

Between Warrior and The Brothers Sun, action fans have had it pretty good this year on Netflix. And while we predicted that Warrior would be among the most popular shows on Netflix, we didn't foresee that House of Ninjas would be close behind. This Netflix original series was made for Japan, but House of Ninjas has already exceeded expectations by finding an audience in America as well.

The show is about the Tawara family, the last known clan of ninjas living in Japan -- although "shinobi" is the preferred term for the family. Once they were mighty warriors, but a family tragedy led them to turn their backs on their calling. House of Ninjas picks up the story as the Tawaras struggle to live ordinary lives before a crisis forces them back into action. If you're looking for your next action series to binge, here are three reasons to watch House of Ninjas on Netflix.
Haru's story is compelling

Read more
This overlooked 2023 disaster movie is Netflix’s newest hit right now. Here’s why you should watch it
A town is destroyed in The Abyss.

When Netflix recently added The Abyss to its lineup, there probably weren't very high expectations for it. After all, it's not James Cameron's The Abyss from 1989. Instead, it's a Swedish disaster film that is now one of the most popular movies on Netflix.

That's the thing about Netflix's algorithm: It's very unpredictable. More often then not, seemingly random films are suddenly more popular now than they ever were when they hit theaters. In this case, American audiences would have never seen The Abyss if it hadn't suddenly arrived on a large platform like Netflix. But if you're on the fence about checking it out, here are three reasons to watch The Abyss on Netflix.
Tuva Novotny grounds the movie with her performance

Read more
Resident Alien is now a big hit on Netflix. Here’s why you should watch this underrated sci-fi show
Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle in Resident Alien.

Syfy's Resident Alien - Official Trailer (2021) Alan Tudyk

Original series are becoming an endangered species on Syfy, but Resident Alien has been one of the bright spots on the channel's lineup since its debut in 2021. The show is based on the comic book of the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, and it features Alan Tudyk as the lead character, an alien masquerading as a human doctor named Harry Vanderspeigle.

Read more