TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Disney launches reduced-bandwidth streaming in 7 European countries

It aims to compete with Netflix, Apple and Amazon by leveraging its huge catalogue of Disney animated classics along with its Pixar, Marvel and National Geographic movies -- not to mention its wildly successful Star Wars franchise.

News Desk (Agence France-Presse)
Paris
Tue, March 24, 2020 Published on Mar. 24, 2020 Published on 2020-03-24T22:57:01+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Man holds a remote control with the Disney+ screen on TV. Man holds a remote control with the Disney+ screen on TV. (Shutterstock/Ivan Marc)

T

he Walt Disney Company said Tuesday that it had rolled out its Disney+ streaming service in seven European countries, but had reduced bandwidth -- and hence output quality -- because of the heavy demand on network infrastructure during the coronavirus crisis.

"In light of concerns regarding the current ability of certain broadband infrastructure to handle the anticipated consumer demand for Disney+, the service will now feature a lower overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25 percent," the company said.

Strict confinement rules are keeping millions of Europeans at home in a bid to curtail the outbreak, effectively providing an enormous captive audience for the US entertainment giant's highly awaited entry into the streaming market.

After its US launch last November, Disney is now streaming in Austria, Britain, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

France was supposed to be among the first European countries, but Disney said over the weekend that it had pushed back the launch to April 7 "at the request of the French government".

Disney is hoping its subscription rate of 6.99 euros a month (£5.99 in Britain) will be a small price to pay for stressed-out parents struggling to entertain their kids from dawn to dusk -- or trying to juggle parenting while also having to work from home.

It aims to compete with Netflix, Apple and Amazon by leveraging its huge catalogue of Disney animated classics along with its Pixar, Marvel and National Geographic movies -- not to mention its wildly successful Star Wars franchise.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.