随着新冠肺炎疫情全球蔓延，许多国家和地区启动民众居家隔离模式。居家娱乐、居家办公等基于网络的需求暴涨，导致国外多地通信网络受到前所未有的考验。
As the social distancing efforts push everything from school to socializing into video chat, networks have seen huge surges in traffic — and new anxieties over how digital networks will stand up under the strain.
3月中旬以来，外媒关于疫情隔离措施导致各国网络崩溃的报道逐渐增多。
当地时间3月16日，英国首相约翰逊呼吁民众尽量在家工作。然而，第二天英国四大移动运营商EE、沃达丰、O2和Three全部遭遇网络瘫痪，数百万在家办公的英国人受到影响，无法打电话、发短信和上网。
UK phone networks suffered from a major outage on Tuesday, with customers from EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and GiffGaff all reporting issues.
Some customers complained that they were unable to send or receive text messages, while others said they were having difficulties getting online.
在优兔看视频，信号每五分钟断一次。
说好安装新盒子，从没来过。骗子。
一周了，我们家的网时不时就断几分钟。现在封城了，我们住在乡下，网络是我们唯一的采购和社交途径，我们怎么过日子？
断网三天了，什么工作也做不了。给他们报告了故障……无人回应。还有多久才能解决？
正当各大运营商焦头烂额之时，英国的信号塔还被烧了……
Three recent mobile phone mast fires around the UK are being investigated as possible arson, amid concerns that people are attacking telecoms infrastructure because of a conspiracy theory linking 5G technology to the spread of coronavirus.
One suggests 5G suppresses the immune system, the other claims the virus is somehow using the network's radio waves to communicate and pick victims, accelerating its spread.
一种说法是5G抑制了人体免疫系统，另一种说法是病毒能通过网络的无线电波传播和挑选受害者，加速了病毒的传播。
这些荒唐的言行，无疑让本就压力倍增的移动运营商们更加头大。利物浦市长Joe Anderson说，人们一边享受网络一边又在网上造谣，十分讽刺。
“In Liverpool these masts are being upgraded and ironically the very people that are using this technology are the ones who are believing these theories."
“在利物浦，这些信号塔正在升级。但讽刺的是，正是享用这一技术的人盲信了传言。”
在法国，由于大量民众居家办公学习，互联网系统不堪重负。法国政府已经要求通信运营商实行“数字纪律”，以确保网络容量得到有效利用。
Just over the last few days, YouTube, Netflix, and Facebook have reduced their streaming qualities across the globe to help mitigate network congestion, with YouTube limiting videos to standard definition (480p) by default in the US and Europe.
在过去的几天中，优兔、网飞和脸书在全球范围内下调流媒体画质，以缓解网络拥挤，在美国和欧洲，优兔默认将视频限制为标清画质（480p）。
欧盟官员 Thierry Breton 在推特上发出 #SwitchToStandard 的话题，呼吁欧洲用户把视频清晰度从“高清”调整到“标清”
微软的Xbox也要求游戏公司只在非高峰时段发布更新版本。
As of this week, AT&T reported, "Wireless voice minutes of use was up 39% compared to an average Monday. Wi-Fi Calling minutes of use was 78% higher than an average Monday. " 美国电话电报公司报告称，截至当周，“无线语音分钟数较周一的平均时长增长39%。Wi-Fi通话比周一的平均时间多78%。“
The company said its core network traffic, including "business, home broadband and wireless usage," was up 27% on Monday compared with the same day last month. 该公司表示，其核心网络流量，包括“商务、家庭宽带和无线使用量”在3月23日比上月同期增长了27%。
New York City, now considered the epicenter of the virus in the US, saw download speeds drop by 24% last week, compared to the previous 10-week range.
全球无线解决方案（Global Wireless Solutions）首席执行官Paul Carter表示，目前网络需求就像“超级碗星期天”（Super Bowl Sunday）。
"When it's time for the Super Bowl, operators spend millions of dollars [to meet demand]. Now, it's like the whole country is kind of like the Super Bowl."
“到了举办超级碗的时候，运营商就要斥资数百万美元（以满足需求）。现在，整个国家的情况都有点像在举办超级碗。”
各国网速对比
点击查看大图
图源：speedtest 数据：Ookla
橙色为意大利，红色为西班牙
中国网络为什么没有崩？
在几个月的隔离期间，全国约十亿用户远程办公、线上教学、宅家抗疫，产生了高负荷网络需求，但我们的网络并没有崩溃。
这强大的抗压能力，与我国的基础网络建设是分不开的。
图源：中国日报
工业和信息化部信息通信管理局（Ministry of Industry and Information Technology）数据显示，截至2月底，全国建设开通5G基站达16.4万个。
光是疫情期间，新建的4G和5G基站就超过6.3万个。
Some 164,000 5G base stations had been established across the country by the end of February, MIIT data showed.
我们也见证了24小时建成火神山医院5G基站，36小时开通雷神山通信网络的“中国速度”。
火神山、雷神山医院建设期间，数千万人“云监工”在线观看直播
It took China's three major telecommunications operators — China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom — around just three days to complete construction of the communication network at Huoshenshan Hospital.
中国三大电信运营商中国移动、中国电信和中国联通仅用了三天时间就完成了火神山医院的通信网络建设。
The full coverage of 5G in the two hospitals will not only ensure a smooth and reliable communications environment but will also play a critical role in intelligent medical treatment.
两家医院5G的全覆盖，不仅保证了通信环境的顺畅可靠，也将在智能医疗中发挥关键作用。
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