This is what the operators recommend so as not to saturate the quarantined network

The preventive quarantine for the coronavirus has already become effective after the official declaration of the state of alarm by the President of the Government. At the time of writing, more than 45 million people throughout the country have been forced to stay at home to avoid possible infections. Of these more than 45 million, a large part will make use of mobile networks and the Internet throughout the two weeks of confinement.

Precisely for this reason the different telephone operators recommend making a responsible and rational use of the networks to avoid saturation in the lines. The Telefónica group has been the first to make public a series of recommendations to overcome network problems, recommendations that we will discuss below.

Use the landline if you are going to make calls

This has been made clear by Telefónica after registering an increase of around 50% in the use of voice calls through mobile networks.

Despite the fact that the networks are prepared to withstand such a load, the group recommends using the landline whenever possible to make calls in order to avoid problems in certain geographical areas, especially in rural areas or areas with difficult access.

Be careful when downloading large files

If we are going to use the Internet through the mobile network or through the home network, Telefónica recommends making moderate use throughout the day.

Downloading only the essentials, opting for text messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Slack or avoiding mass sending of emails are some of the considerations that the group has made public. These recommendations also apply to streaming platforms, such as Netflix, HBO or Amazon Prime Video. In short, any application or service that requires a high amount of data.

Use the Internet during off-peak hours

In the last five days alone, Telefónica has registered an increase of more than 40% in the number of Internet connections through IP networks. If we talk about mobile networks, the increase has been 25% and the use of WhatsApp has skyrocketed up to five times. For all this and more, the Spanish company urges to use the Internet in off-peak hours, that is, the hours are when Internet use decreases.

According to data from the company itself, the most optimal schedule for intensive use of the networks is between two and four in the afternoon and between eight in the afternoon and eight in the morning.