South Korean fixed broadband provider SK Broadband announced it is doubling parts of its network capacity to accommodate rising Netflix traffic.
To manage the increased demand, SK Broadband will raise its high-speed data transfer links from 50 Gbps to 100 Gbps. The operator said it will expand its international transit capacity to address customer complaints about Netflix streaming quality.
South Korea is known for its exceptionally fast broadband. Last year SK Broadband introduced consumer plans offering 2.3 Gbps speeds, and the country frequently ranks near the top of Akamai’s State of the Internet report for average download rates.
Netflix recommends the following stable internet download speeds per stream for playing TV shows and movies:
- 0.5 Megabits per second – Minimum required broadband connection speed
- 1.5 Megabits per second – Recommended broadband connection speed
- 3.0 Megabits per second – Recommended for Standard Definition (SD) quality
- 5.0 Megabits per second – Recommended for High Definition (HD) quality
- 25 Megabits per second – Recommended for Ultra High Definition (UHD) or 4K quality
Streaming services such as Netflix generate heavy bandwidth usage, putting pressure on ISP networks. In several countries, arguments over how to fund and manage this traffic were central in debates about net neutrality.
During those debates, some network operators proposed charging bandwidth-intensive services for prioritized delivery or “fast lanes” to help cover infrastructure upgrades. Content providers worried this could create unfair advantages and limit access for competing services, while consumers were concerned about potential fees or throttling that could restrict access to certain platforms.
There are an estimated one million active Netflix subscribers in South Korea, making the service a significant source of consumer traffic for local networks.
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