Some Amazon Prime Video viewers hit problems in mid-December as they tried to access the tech company’s coverage of the Premier League, which saw it stream a round of live games to UK football fans.
Amazon entered the Premier League broadcast rights market last year, becoming the first company to do so without access to satellite or terrestrial TV signal.
Instead, the company has relied on its app, Firestick and smart TV services to reach as many customers as possible, including the games as part of its Prime subscription package.
However, hundreds of viewers complained of issues while trying to watch the Premier League on arguably its highest-profile night of action yet as Liverpool and Tottenham met at Anfield in a clash of two title challengers.
Despite the complaints, sources at Amazon claim its data shows the large majority of customers enjoyed uninterrupted coverage and that for a second year running the company were pleased with how the operation had been conducted so far.
It is also understood that a small percentage of viewers, those using ultra high-definition (UHD) devices, the highest quality stream available, were forced to switch to other devices such as mobile phone or browser-based viewing temporarily, but that issue was also fixed during the match.
There were also some more widespread technical glitches, such as when referee pundit Mark Clattenburg could not be heard on coverage, problems reminiscent of the issues experienced during Amazon’s coverage of rugby union’s Autumn Nations Cup.
Sources also suggested that viewers more used to satellite signal now transitioning to streaming could be experiencing issues with sub-optimal internet bandwidth, especially in rural areas.
What to do if your Amazon Prime Video stream drops during a match
Anecdotal evidence would suggest that the mobile and laptop apps are more stable than using smart TVs or Firesticks, and switching to a different screen may give you a temporary solution.
“If you do experience problems, firstly make sure that the problem doesn’t lie with your own broadband connection,” said Uswitch’s broadband and TV expert Nick Baker.
“If you suspect that is the case, try rebooting your router or boosting the Wi-Fi signal to the room where you’re watching football.
“Amazon recommends a minimum download speed of 1Mbps for standard definition and 5Mbps for high definition. If you’re not sure on the speeds available to you, run a quick speed test beforehand.
“If you have explored the various avenues and do continue to experience problems though, you can speak to Amazon Prime Video’s customer service through the pandemic via their live chat. They may be able to offer further solutions to the issues facing fans.”
Premier League fixtures on Amazon Prime
Thursday 17 December
- Aston Villa vs Burnley, 6pm
- Sheffield United vs Manchester United, 8pm
Monday 28 December
- Crystal Palace vs Leicester City, 3pm
- Chelsea v Aston Villa, 5pm
- Everton v Manchester City, 8pm
Tuesday 29 December
- Brighton vs Arsenal, 6pm
- Burnley vs Sheffield United, 6pm
- Southampton vs West Ham, 6pm
- West Brom vs Leeds, 6pm
- Manchester United vs Wolves, 8pm
Wednesday 30 December
- Tottenham v Fulham, 6pm
- Newcastle vs Liverpool, 8pm
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- Eric Dier reveals why he stormed into the stands to confront an abusive Spurs fan
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3r8mHnm
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