Netflix helps manage your data use with new cellular data controls

Worried about exceeding your data cap or getting your line cut off because you spent too much time watching Netflix while on cellular data? The streaming service is introducing globally new data controls to help you manage how much you stream over data. The default setting will allow you to stream around three hours of TV shows and movies per gigabyte of data. When it comes to bitrates, this setting amounts to around 600 Kilobits per second, which Netflix says achieves a good balance between video quality and data usages. You have the option to set a higher or lower streaming quality but of course that also means better or less ideal streaming. You can set it to auto, as discussed earlier; low, which allows around four hours per GB of data; high, which allows one hour per GB of data; and unlimited for those with unlimited data plans. The last one promises to give you the highest quality possible, which also means it could use up like 1GB per 20 minutes or more depending on your device and network speeds. Of course, you can also turn this feature off and not stream over data.

To toggle these settings, simply head to the Menu icon and select App Settings. From there, head to Cellular Data Usage and then select the setting you prefer. If you set your data usage for all devices under the Playback settings on Your Account page, the streams on mobile devices will not exceed this setting.

Source: Netflix