Is coronavirus going to break the internet?

With the current pandemic leading to many more people working from home, we could be looking at a permanent shift in working patterns over the longer term.

But the question many people are asking is can the internet cope? Tech education site Computer Science Zone has created an infographic looking at the effect of more remote working on the internet.

Increased use is mainly being driven by things like video calling and VPN, but entertainment is clearly a factor too, with AT&T reporting an all time high in Netflix streaming on March 25th. Four out of 10 US cities have seen broadband services slow down. Service providers are rising to the challenge though by granting access to unused mobile bandwidth and streaming services restricting HD access.

One of the problems highlighted is that home broadband services typically prioritize download speeds, but business tools like video conferencing rely on fast uploads too.

You can see the full graphic which includes tips on how to optimize your connection below.