2015 was a banner year for the internet connected Aussie that saw bandwidth consumption rise to levels unseen before as people trooped to video streaming services and social media to go along with the standard email and online chatting. The NBN reported that Aussie homes on average had nine devises connected to the internet and have downloaded an average of 64GB of data each month. Users on the nbn® network have also been quick to adapt to a multimedia lifestyle with each household consuming an average of 122GB of data each month.
As the nbn® network continuously expands across Australia and reaching more people, the bandwidth hunger is seen to expand exponentially and it may hit its peak come 2020 when the nbn® network is fully deployed.
Ovum, a consultancy firm revealed that from March 2015 last year, the average monthly download usage on the nbn® network was 73GB and it quickly rose to 110GB in September 2015.
As video on demand is proving popular in the country where Aussies would rather watch now than download for viewing later, Ovum predicted that over 4.707 million users will be subscribed to online streaming video services by 2019, surpassing previous estimates from last year.
With the popularity of online video streaming and the still growing number of multi-devise users in Australia, it will be a challenge for both the nbn® and providers to scale with the seemingly insatiable hunger for bandwidth.
New platforms of entertainment such as the internet enabled television are also seen as a factor that furthers the hunger for data. There are currently 2.3 TV units per household according to Ovum and households could switch their screens in favor of the internet TV as the price of the units drop.
With on demand video streaming proving to be a top bandwidth hungry platform, Ovum suggested that streaming providers and telecommunications providers must take a joint initiative in addressing this issue that will only benefit the consumer and not vilify their online habits.
“This creates a better experience for OTT video customers, and also creates a wholesale revenue opportunity for telecommunications service providers. This is the strategy now being adopted in advanced video markets, and it can deliver benefits in Australia too,” Ovum stated.
Stay tuned to learn more useful tips on how to get the best possible connection at home. To know the best internet plans for your home, you can visit our Plan Guru or call sales on 13 22 88. Our friendly representatives will help you choose the best nbn® and how to connect.