Netflix takes measures to reduce its damage on Canadians' internet usage caps
Netflix has decided to reduce the default quality settings on its audio and video for Canadians in attempt to lower the damage it deals to our tiny internet usage caps.
The company's goal is to reduce the data it consumes by as much as two-thirds, allowing users to watch up to 30 hours of content while eating up less than 10 gigabytes. To contrast, high settings bring that ratio up to one hour per one gigabyte or worse.
Quoth The Globe and Mail:
“We’ve been on the edge of the controversy around usage-based billing,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in an interview with The Globe and MailTuesday during a visit to Toronto. “We’re trying to make it clear that the costs of Internet are extremely low for ISPs. Of course they debate that ... but we believe the costs are extremely low.”
According to the article, Netflix has other plans too:
1. The company is planning to reach more French-Canadians. It will roll out French subtitles and dubbing as soon as this summer.
2. The company is planning to launch in a third country by the end of the year. It won't state which, however.
3. The company is planning to hit the one-million user mark by the end of this year. It believes this is the company's "break event point" for operations in this country.
